Document Tracking
See who opened a PDF, how long they spent on each page and how far they got. Ask for an email, limit access to a list, get open alerts and watermark pages.
What document tracking does
Document tracking is a Pro feature for PDF links. When it is on, visitors read the PDF in Linkyhost's viewer, which records how long each page was on their screen. Your link's Analytics page then gains a Viewers section showing:
- who opened the document, when, and how many times;
- total reading time per reader, and how many pages they read;
- the average time spent on each page, and the share of visits that reached it; and
- a list of recent visits with approximate country and device.
A page counts as read once it has been the main page on screen for at least a second. Time only counts while the tab is visible and someone has scrolled, moved or tapped in the last minute, so a tab left open overnight does not inflate the numbers.
Turn it on
- Open the dashboard and choose Manage on a PDF link.
- Under Track who reads this PDF, choose Set up.
- Pick the options you want and choose Turn on tracking.
Tracking settings can be changed or turned off at any time from the same panel. Turning tracking off keeps the history you already collected.
Options
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Require an email to view | Visitors enter their email address before the PDF opens, so each reader is named in the Viewers section. |
| Only allow these people | Limit the document to listed addresses or whole domains such as @yourcompany.com. People on the list confirm their address with a six-digit code we email them. |
| Email me when someone opens it | Sends you an email when a reading session starts: at most one per reader every six hours, one per hour for anonymous visitors, and 50 a day in total. |
| Watermark pages | Draws the reader's email address and the time across every page as it is shown, and turns off download and print. Requires an email. |
Without an email requirement, visits are recorded anonymously with the same page-by-page detail.
Password protection and document tracking work together: visitors enter the password first, then their email.
What viewers see
Before entering an email, visitors are told that you will see their address, when they opened the document and how long they spent on each page. Readers stay signed in to the document on that browser for up to seven days. Removing someone from the allow-list takes effect on their next visit.
Limits and honesty
- Reading time is measured in the reader's browser. It is a strong signal, not proof that someone read every word.
- Visits from your own browser, when you open the link from the dashboard, are not counted.
- Link previews in chat apps and other automated visits are not counted as readers.
- Watermarks and blocked downloads discourage leaks. They are not DRM: a determined reader with developer tools could still extract the original file.
- Reading sessions are kept for one year, and reader emails for one year after their last visit. Deleting the link or your account, or the link expiring, deletes them straight away.
See Analytics for the view counts, referrers and countries that every link has.