Transfer design source files: PSD, AI, Sketch, Figma exports
Designer-to-client and designer-to-developer handoff · Updated May 2026
Skip the Creative Cloud invite, the Figma seat, the Dropbox folder share. Drop your packaged design source, paste the link, the client downloads.
- 5 GB per upload, fits a packaged InDesign job with linked assets
- No tool-side adoption needed, works for clients without your software
- Original layered files preserved, no flattening or export
- Free, no signup, 7-day expiry, revokable from your inbox
What it actually isWhat "design source" actually means
A delivered design isn't just one file. It's the editable source plus its linked assets, fonts, and embedded media. The size depends almost entirely on what's linked and what's embedded:
- A PSD with smart objects can balloon if rasterised and reflattened, since each smart object holds the original bitmap or vector data alongside the composite.
- An InDesign Package zips the .indd plus an IDML, all linked graphics, and the fonts used in the document. Adobe's own help confirms the package collects fonts, links, and a copy of the file into a single folder, which is the handoff format most print workflows expect (see Canto's walkthrough for a screenshot tour of the dialog).
- A Sketch file with linked symbol libraries can be 200 MB to 1 GB depending on how much raster the designer pulled in.
- A Figma file is cloud-only by default, but can be saved locally as a .fig via File → Save local copy. Figma's help article notes the .fig format is proprietary and the local copy doesn't include comments or version history.
- An AI file with embedded raster art can hit 500 MB easily, especially if the designer pasted high-resolution scans rather than linking them.
Tool-native sharingWhy tool-native sharing isn't always right
Figma share-link requires both ends to have Figma accounts. Adobe Creative Cloud Files needs the recipient on Adobe. Dropbox Transfer needs the sender on Dropbox. For one-shot client delivery to a non-design recipient, that adoption tax doesn't pay. The client doesn't need a seat, an invite, or a permission resolution; they just need the file.
Tool-native sharing is the right answer for ongoing collaboration: a Figma file the team edits together, a Dropbox project folder a client lives inside for the length of a build. It's a worse fit for the moment of handoff, when the deliverable is leaving your workflow. sto.care is the "just send it" option for that boundary.
Developer handoffDesigner-to-developer handoff
Specific case: the developer needs the layered source, or a Zeplin / Figma export, to pull dimensions, colours, and exact asset crops. When using sto.care here, package once, send the link, the developer pulls it. No account creation, no permission resolution, no "sorry the link expired" ping a week later, because we extend revoke control to the sender, not the recipient. The link lives 7 days by default and the sender can kill it sooner from the confirmation email.
That matters when the developer is on a different team or a contractor outside your organisation. They probably don't have your Figma seat, your Adobe licence, or access to your Dropbox. They do have email and a browser. A 5 GB ceiling covers a packaged InDesign brochure, a layered hero PSD, an AI logo system, or a .fig export.
ComparisonFive options for one handoff
The pattern: tool-native shares want both ends on the platform in exchange for unlimited link lifetime. Plain transfer services want neither end on a platform in exchange for a built-in expiry. For a one-shot handoff, the second pattern is usually the right shape.
Storage and securityWhat we do and don't see
Files live in AWS S3 in eu-west-1 (Ireland) for the seven days they exist. Traffic between the browser and S3 runs over TLS, and S3 writes every object to disk with AES-256 server-side encryption (SSE-S3) under AWS-managed keys. That's server-side, not end-to-end: AWS holds the keys, so we don't claim zero-knowledge. For a layered source file delivered to a client, that's usually the right tier; for anything genuinely confidential, a client-side encryption tool fits better.
Rate limit is 10 uploads per IP per hour. Executable extensions (.exe, .bat, .sh, .ps1, .msi, .cmd, .com, .scr) are blocked. Design source files (psd, ai, sketch, fig, indd, idml, zip) all upload normally.
FAQCommon questions
Can I send a Figma .fig file through sto.care?
Yes. Figma supports a local export via File > Save local copy, which writes a .fig file to your downloads folder. Upload that file the same way you would any other; the recipient downloads it and can drag it back into their own Figma. Keep in mind Figma's own help notes that .fig is a proprietary format and the local copy doesn't carry version history or comments.
Will Photoshop smart objects survive the transfer?
Yes. We don't touch the file. The bytes you upload to S3 are the bytes the recipient downloads, so smart objects, adjustment layers, layer comps, masks, and any embedded raster content come through unchanged. There's no flatten step, no auto-conversion, no recompression.
What about an InDesign Package with linked fonts?
Run File > Package in InDesign first; it produces a folder with the .indd, an IDML, the linked graphics, and the fonts (subject to their licence terms). Zip that folder, upload the zip as a single file. The 5 GB ceiling is per upload, not per file inside the zip, so a packaged book chapter or brochure usually fits in one go.
Maximum size for a typical PSD with smart objects?
5 GB per upload. A heavily layered editorial PSD with embedded raster smart objects, retouched plates, and multiple layer comps lands somewhere between 200 MB and 2 GB in practice, so the 5 GB ceiling is comfortable for almost everything except very large multi-page composites or video-bearing files.
Should I send the source or a flat export?
Depends on the recipient. For a developer doing implementation, source plus an exported spec (Figma share, Zeplin link, or a flat PDF for reference) is usually right. For a final client delivery to someone who doesn't have your software, a flat PDF or PNG is the polite default; only send source if they've asked for it and confirmed they can open it.
Can I revoke the link after I've sent it?
Yes. The confirmation email contains a one-click revoke link. Use it any time before the 7-day auto-expiry and the file is purged from S3 immediately. Useful when a client comes back with revisions and you'd rather not have the old source in circulation.
Send the source. Skip the seat, the invite, the folder share.
UPLOAD A FILE →Sending a packaged folder? See share zip files for the wrapping step. Need the wider transfer landscape? send large files free covers the limits in plain language. Comparing against a specific competitor? sto.care vs Dropbox has the trade-off side by side.