Some tools can be used without creating an account. When a tool needs a file to complete a task, it may upload that file to SOFRIQ for processing. This guide explains what happens to guest uploads, how they differ from files in your Media library, and why creating an account can help you keep supported files organized.
What Is a Guest Upload?
A guest upload is a file or image submitted to our tool while you are not signed in to a SOFRIQ account. Not every tool requires an upload; some work directly with text or information you enter.
Supported file types, upload limits, and available options can vary between tools. Check the information displayed on the tool page before uploading.
Where Are Guest Uploads Stored?
When a tool requires a file to be processed, such as an image compressor, the uploaded original may be stored temporarily in Google Cloud Storage. This allows the tool to process the file and return a result.
A temporary guest upload is not the same as a file in your personal Media library. It is not associated with a signed-in account, and you should not expect to find it in your Media library later.
How Long Are Guest Uploads Kept?
Guest tool image uploads covered by SOFRIQ’s current retention process are scheduled to expire after 15 minutes. Expiry and deletion are separate steps: cleanup runs in our backend to delete expired images after some time, so a file may not be deleted at the exact minute it expires.
What Happens to the Result?
Result handling depends on the tool. A tool may return a result to your browser for preview or download, while another may provide its own options for saving or using the result.
A temporary guest upload does not automatically mean that the resulting file is saved to your Media library. Check the tool’s instructions and available controls.
Guest Uploads and Media Are Different
Guest uploads are temporary and are not linked to your personal Media library. When you are signed in, files uploaded through supported workflows can be associated with your account and managed in SOFRIQ Media, subject to the tool’s behavior, your plan, and your available storage.
Creating an account does not automatically transfer earlier guest uploads into your library. If you want to keep a guest result, download it while it is available. You can then sign in and upload it again through a workflow that supports Media storage.
Why Create an Account Before Using SOFRIQ?
If you expect to return to your files or want to organize them alongside your other SOFRIQ work, create an account and sign in before uploading. For supported workflows, SOFRIQ Media provides a centralized place to manage account-associated files, subject to the available features and your plan’s storage allowance.
An account does not change every tool’s behavior. Some tools may return results only for download, while others may provide an option to save a result. Review the options shown in each tool.
Want a centralized place for files supported by Media? Create a SOFRIQ account and sign in before starting your next upload.
Privacy and Safe Upload Practices
Only upload files you have the right to use and process. Before submitting confidential or sensitive material, review SOFRIQ’s relevant privacy and data-storage information and consider whether the tool’s storage and retention behavior suits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find a guest upload in my SOFRIQ Media library later?
No. Guest uploads are not associated with your account’s Media library. Download the file you want to keep; you can sign in and upload it through a supported workflow afterward.
Are guest uploads kept permanently?
No. Guest tool image uploads covered by the current retention process are temporary and scheduled to expire. Do not rely on them for long-term storage.
Is every SOFRIQ tool’s upload limit the same?
No. Supported file types, maximum file sizes, and batch limits can vary by tool and plan. Check the current limits displayed on the tool page.
Are results always saved to SOFRIQ Media?
No. Result handling depends on the tool. Some provide a browser download by default; others may offer a separate save option. Check the tool’s controls and instructions.
Should I upload before or after creating an account?
If you want supported uploads associated with your SOFRIQ workspace, sign in before uploading. Guest uploads are not automatically transferred to your account when you create one later.