How to use Handoff
Everything you need to know about delivering work, gathering feedback, and getting approvals from clients.
Getting started
Create your account
Sign up with your email and name at /signup. Your account is free and takes seconds to create.
Create a project
From your dashboard, click 'New project'. Enter the project name, your client's name, and their email address. Every project gets its own portal — a private page your client opens with a link, no account needed.
Upload your work
Open the project and upload files — drag and drop or browse, up to 10 GB per file. Images, video and PDFs get real previews automatically. Files appear in the client portal as soon as they finish uploading.
Make the portal yours
The Customize tab controls how the portal looks: themes, color palettes, fonts, the cover image (with cropping), the welcome text and the gallery layout. Changes preview live and apply when you hit Save.
Share the portal link
Click Share to copy the portal link, and optionally turn on an access code so only people with the code can open it. Send the link over email, Slack, or however you communicate.
Files & organization
File types and previews
Upload any file type, up to 10 GB each. Images, videos and PDFs show real thumbnails in the editor and the portal; everything else shows a clean file card. For Figma prototypes, Loom videos or anything on the web, use 'Add link' — Figma links are detected and labeled automatically.
Sections
Group files into sections ('Logos', 'Final photos', 'Round 2') from the project sidebar. Sections appear as organized groups in the client portal.
Select multiple files
Hover any file and tick its checkbox to start a selection. The action bar lets you move the whole selection into a section or delete it in one step.
Versions
Each upload is numbered (v1, v2, v3…) so you and your client always know which iteration you're looking at.
Import from Google Drive
Connect Google Drive in Settings and import files straight from your Drive into a project — no download and re-upload.
Client uploads
Clients can upload files to the portal too — brand assets, copy docs, reference material. You're notified when they do, and their files appear alongside yours in the project.
The client portal
How clients access their portal
Each project has a unique link (justhandoff.com/p/…). Anyone with the link can open it — no login required. If you've turned on an access code, the portal shows nothing until the code is entered.
What clients see
Everything you've uploaded, in the layout and branding you chose: grid, mosaic or list view, with search, per-file downloads and a Download-all button.
Approvals
With approvals on (Settings → Approvals), clients are asked for their name and email, then can approve each file or request changes — individually, or all at once from the review bar. You're notified either way, and approvals show as badges on each file.
Delivery-only portals
Turn approvals off and the portal becomes a clean delivery gallery: clients view and download, nothing else. No name prompt, no review buttons, no comments.
Watermarking
Turn on the watermark (Settings → Downloads) to overlay your name on image previews and downloads until a file is approved.
Customizing portals
Themes, colors and fonts
Pick a theme and a color palette, or choose your own accent color. Headline and body fonts are selectable per portal, and the preview updates as you click.
Cover image
Set a cover from any file already in the portal — it applies instantly, no re-upload — or upload a fresh image and frame it with the built-in crop tool. The cover also appears when the portal link is shared: link previews in iMessage, Slack and social show it with the project name.
Hero text
The headline, emphasis styling, eyebrow label and welcome paragraph are all editable, with alignment and height controls for the cover band.
Saving
Customize changes preview instantly and reach the live portal when you hit Save changes — and if you navigate away with unsaved changes, we ask whether to save or discard them. Covers and the Settings toggles save on their own the moment you change them.
Notifications
What your client hears about
Your client gets an email when you upload new work and when you comment. Add extra recipients in Settings → General if more stakeholders should get updates.
What you hear about
You get an email and an in-app notification when a client approves, requests changes, comments, or uploads files — with sensible throttling so a burst of activity doesn't flood your inbox.
If emails aren't arriving
Check the client email on the project is correct (Settings → General), and have your client check spam and mark Handoff as safe.
Security & access
Project ownership
Only you — and teammates you've invited — can see or edit your projects in the dashboard. Other users can't access them.
Portal links
Portal links use long random tokens that aren't guessable. Anyone holding the link can open the portal, so treat it like a shared password — and add an access code when you want a second lock.
Access codes
Turn on an access code from the Share dialog. The portal shows nothing — not even file names — until the code is entered. The check happens on our servers, not in the browser.
Rotating a link
If a link has spread further than you'd like, regenerate it from the project menu. The old link stops working immediately; share the new one with the people who should still have access.
What clients can do
Clients can view, download, and — when approvals are on — comment, approve, request changes, and upload files. They can never edit or delete your work.
Frequently asked questions
Does my client need to create an account?
No. Clients open their portal from a link — no login, no sign-up. They're asked for a name and email only when approvals are on, so feedback is attributed.
What happens if I upload a new version after the client approved the previous one?
The new upload appears in the portal right away as the next version. The approved version keeps its Approved badge, so the history stays honest.
Can I have multiple clients in one project?
Share the portal link with everyone who should review — they can all view, comment and approve. For email updates, add extra recipients in Settings → General.
Can I delete a project?
Yes. From the Portals page, select a project and delete it. This permanently removes the project, its files, comments, and stored data.
What file size is supported?
Up to 10 GB per file. For very large uploads, keep the browser tab open until the upload completes.
What if my client shares the portal link with someone else?
Anyone with the link can view the portal. Two controls: turn on an access code (Share dialog) so a code is required, or regenerate the portal link from the project menu — the old link stops working immediately.
Can I turn off approvals for a simple delivery?
Yes — Settings → Approvals. With approvals off the portal is delivery-only: clients view and download, with no review buttons, comments, or name prompt. You can turn it back on any time.
Can I add version notes after uploading?
Not currently. Version notes are set at upload time. This is on the roadmap.
Can I work with a team of designers?
Yes! The Studio plan includes 3 designer seats and the Team plan includes 10 seats. Invite team members from Settings — they'll share your projects, clients, and storage.
My client isn't receiving email notifications. What do I check?
First check the client email address on the project (Settings → General). Emails can land in spam — ask your client to check their spam folder and mark Handoff as safe.
Ready to get started?
Create your first project and send your client a portal link in under two minutes.
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Comments & feedback
Leaving notes on a file
With approvals on, clients open any file and leave notes right in the viewer; you reply from the project view. Comment counts show on each file so nothing gets missed.
Who gets notified
When a client comments, you get an email and an in-app notification. When you comment, your client gets an email with the note and a link back to the portal.
Attribution
Every comment shows the author's name and whether it came from you or the client, so threads stay clear.
Delivery-only portals
Comments follow the approvals switch: portals with approvals off don't collect comments (or names and emails) at all.