If your download page or download links suddenly stopped working — typically with errors about app proxy permissions — it’s because of a Shopify-wide change to how apps request the app proxy permission. Stores that haven’t accepted the new permission see broken downloads until they accept. Fix: log into Fileflare and accept the prompt.
Affects stores: those who haven’t yet accepted the updated app proxy permission. Existing stores who accepted already are fine. Newly installed (2026+) Fileflare instances accept the permission as part of normal install — only stores from before the change can be affected.
When you’d use this
- Your download page returns errors or doesn’t load at all.
- Customer download links go to a 404 or “page not available”.
- You missed Fileflare’s emails about the permission update.
What changed
Shopify changed app proxy from a default-allowed feature to one that apps must explicitly request from each store. The app proxy is what lets Fileflare serve the download page on your store’s domain (your-store.com/apps/digital-downloads) — without it, downloads would have to live on a separate Fileflare-owned domain, which would be less professional and break a lot of integrations.
Shopify’s access scopes documentation.
Fix it
- Shopify admin → Apps.
- Click on Fileflare.
- Shopify will show a permissions update prompt. Click Update.
- Once accepted, downloads work immediately. No need to resend customer emails or do anything else.
If you don’t see the permissions prompt, you’ve already accepted — your downloads should be working. If they aren’t, the issue is something else; see troubleshoot downloads.
What is the app proxy?
Shopify’s app proxy lets apps serve content under your store’s domain. Fileflare uses it to host the download page at example.com/apps/digital-downloads/... — the URL looks like it’s part of your store, even though Fileflare’s servers serve the content. Better for branding, customer trust, and analytics tracking on your domain.
Without the proxy permission, Fileflare can’t serve the download page at all. There’s no fallback — if the permission is missing, downloads break.
Common issues
- I accepted the permission but downloads still broken — clear your browser cache and try again. If still broken, see troubleshoot downloads.
- I never received the email about the change — Fileflare emailed every store admin multiple times. Check the spam folder of your store’s notification email. Either way, accepting the permission now fixes it.
- I’m a customer who can’t download — what do I do? Contact the store you bought from. The fix is on the merchant side, not the customer side.