Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Flipsnack publishing options explained: who sees a flipbook

Public, Unlisted and Private, and how to change one after publishing

Overview

Flipsnack has three visibility settings, and you pick one every time you publish. Public puts the flipbook on your profile and in Google. Unlisted keeps the link working but hides it from search. Private asks the reader to prove who they are first, by password, email, one-time code or SSO. The setting you chose is named on the flipbook's Overview page, and you can change it at any time without changing the link.

The Overview page of a published flipbook, with the status card reading Public, Visible to everyone at the top right and the public link along the top

💡 What each setting is for
  • A catalog you want found: Public is indexed by search engines and listed on your Flipsnack profile.
  • A price list for one client: Unlisted works from the link you send and stays out of Google.
  • A board pack: Private with a password, or with a one-time code emailed to each reader.
  • An internal handbook: Private through your company SSO, so it follows the accounts you already manage.
  • Named readers either way: statistics record who opened a private flipbook, not just how many did.

Requirements

  • Public: every plan.
  • Unlisted: Starter and above.
  • Private with a password: Pro and above.
  • Private by email, by one-time code, readers only or SSO: Enterprise.
  • A flipbook in your workspace.

Where the visibility setting lives

There are two ways in, and both open the same dialog, Publish your flipbook.

  • While you are editing: click Share in the top right of the Design Studio.
  • After publishing: open the flipbook from Content and click Change on the status card at the top right of the Overview page.

The status card at the top right of the Overview page showing a globe icon, Public, Visible to everyone, and a Change button

The card always names the current setting, so you can tell how a flipbook is shared without opening anything.

The three settings

The dialog holds a Title field and a Select visibility row with Public, Unlisted and Private. A line under the row explains the one you picked. Click Update to apply it, or Publish if the flipbook has never been published.

The Publish your flipbook dialog with a Title field and the Select visibility row offering Public, Unlisted and Private, above Cancel and Update

Public

The default. The flipbook appears on your Flipsnack profile, search engines index it, and anyone with the link can open it. This is the only setting where Optimize SEO applies, because it is the only one Google sees.

Unlisted

The link works for anyone who has it, and nothing else points at it: no profile listing, no search result. Use it for a document you send to named people but do not want to gate behind a login.

Private

Private asks the reader to identify themselves before the flipbook opens, and it covers four routes.

  • Password: one password you set and share with everyone who should read it.
  • Invite by email: the reader needs a Flipsnack account on one of the addresses you list. You can paste addresses one at a time or import a CSV of up to 1,000, one per row in the first column.
  • A one-time code: each reader gets a code by email, valid for 15 minutes, and needs no Flipsnack account.
  • Company SSO: people signed in through your identity provider, optionally narrowed to selected SSO groups.

A fifth option shares with the readers you added to the workspace. They sign in to Flipsnack and find the flipbook under Team flipbooks. There is no public link at all.

Deactivating a flipbook clears its email invitations. The addresses you invited are removed, and you add them again when you republish.

Setting a default visibility for the workspace

On the Enterprise plan you can decide which setting a new flipbook starts on. Go to Settings, then General, choose a visibility, and click Save changes.

The General section of Flipsnack Settings, showing the default visibility choices, the Hide the other visibility options checkbox and the Save changes button

Tick Hide the other visibility options on the same screen and everyone in the workspace publishes with that setting and no other. It is how you stop a confidential document going out as Public by accident.

Publishing on a schedule

The arrow beside Update in the dialog holds the timed versions of the same action: publish on a date, apply an update on a date, and deactivate on a date. Pick one, set the date and time, then click Update.

Taking a flipbook offline

Deactivate, at the bottom of the Overview page, closes the link and the embed while keeping the flipbook, its settings and its statistics. Its chip becomes Inactive. See how to deactivate a flipbook for what changes and how to bring it back.

Additional tips / FAQs

  • Does changing the setting change the link? No. The address stays the same, so anything you already sent keeps working.
  • My Unlisted flipbook still shows in Google. Search engines drop an indexed page within a few days. Ask us on live chat to speed it up.
  • Can I share before publishing? Yes, see sharing a flipbook without publishing it first.
  • Which setting do readers need an account for? Only Invite by email and readers only. Password, one-time code and SSO need no Flipsnack account.
  • Where do I see who opened a private flipbook? View detailed analytics on the Overview page.

Next steps

Need expert support?

Our team is here to help. Connect with our team experts or message us via the live chat for personalized assistance.