Gallery expiration, manual deletion, and account deletion are different actions. Understanding the difference helps you answer client questions and protect your work.
When the gallery clock begins
The lifecycle begins the first time a gallery is shared with at least one active recipient.
Under the current standard timing:
- Client access remains active for 90 days after first sharing.
- The gallery then expires and client access stops.
- Permanent deletion is scheduled 365 days after expiration.
Vignette sends reminders and warnings before important lifecycle dates.
What expiration means
When a gallery expires:
- Clients can no longer open the public gallery or download photos.
- You can still see and manage the gallery in your account.
- Recipients and their links are preserved.
- The photo files have not yet been permanently deleted.
Expiration is therefore closer to pausing client delivery than deleting the gallery.
Reactivate an expired gallery
Open the expired gallery and use the available reactivation or sharing action.
Reactivation:
- Gives existing recipients access through their original links
- Starts a new lifecycle from the current date
- Resets recipient download counts
- Does not automatically resend invitation emails
Use the normal sharing flow if you also want to update recipients or send new invitations.
What manual deletion means
Deleting a gallery yourself is different from waiting for expiration.
When manual deletion succeeds, Vignette removes the gallery’s photo files and removes the gallery from your active workspace. There is no photographer-facing restore button for those deleted photos.
Download and back up anything you need before confirming deletion.
Before permanent lifecycle deletion
Vignette sends photographer warnings as the permanent deletion date approaches. Reactivate the gallery before that date if it must remain available.
Important: Vignette delivery storage should not be your only long-term archive. Keep your own backed-up originals according to your studio’s archive policy.