Windsurf
storage
Signed URLs Expiring Too Fast in Windsurf App
Images, documents, and file download links in your Windsurf-generated app break after a short time. Users see broken images, get access denied errors when clicking download links, or see files that loaded fine moments ago now showing 403 Forbidden errors.
This happens because your app uses signed URLs to serve files from private cloud storage (Supabase Storage, S3, or GCS), and the URLs expire too quickly. Cascade may have set a very short expiration time, or the URLs are being generated once and cached while the expiration passes.
The issue is especially frustrating for users because everything appears to work initially, then breaks silently. Pages that worked fine a few minutes ago suddenly show broken images everywhere.
Error Messages You Might See
403 Forbidden: Request has expired
AccessDenied: Request has expired
The provided token has expired
SignatureDoesNotMatch
Error: URL signature expired
Common Causes
- Default short expiration — Cascade used the default signed URL expiration (often 60 seconds) without increasing it for the use case
- URLs cached but not refreshed — Signed URLs are generated once at page load and stored in state, but not regenerated when they expire
- Server-side rendering with stale URLs — URLs generated during SSR are already partially expired by the time the client receives them
- Email or notification links — Signed URLs sent in emails expire before the recipient opens the message
- CDN caching conflicts — A CDN caches the page with signed URLs, but the URLs expire before the CDN cache does
How to Fix It
- Increase signed URL expiration — Set expiration to match your use case: 1 hour for page views, 24 hours for download links, 7 days for email links
- Implement URL refresh logic — Create a client-side mechanism that regenerates signed URLs before they expire, or on 403 errors
- Use public buckets for non-sensitive files — If the files aren't private (like product images), make the bucket public and skip signed URLs entirely
- Add a redirect endpoint — For email links, create a permanent URL (/files/:id/download) that generates a fresh signed URL and redirects
- Set CDN cache to match URL expiration — Ensure CDN cache-control headers expire before the signed URLs they contain
Real developers can help you.
Omar Faruk
As a Product Engineer at Klasio, I contributed to end-to-end product development, focusing on scalability, performance, and user experience.
My work spanned building and refining core features, developing dynamic website templates, integrating secure and reliable payment gateways, and optimizing the overall system architecture.
I played a key role in creating a scalable and maintainable platform to support educators and learners globally.
I'm enthusiastic about embracing new challenges and making meaningful contributions.
MFox
Full-stack professional senior engineer (15+years). Extensive experience in software development, qa, and IP networking.
Rudra Bhikadiya
I build and fix web apps across Next.js, Node.js, and DBs.
Comfortable jumping into messy code, broken APIs, and mysterious bugs.
If your project works in theory but not in reality, I help close that gap.
Dor Yaloz
SW engineer with 6+ years of experience,
I worked with React/Node/Python
did projects with React+Capacitor.js for ios
Supabase expert
Taufan
I’m a product-focused engineer and tech leader who builds scalable systems and turns ideas into production-ready platforms.
Over the past years, I’ve worked across startups and fast-moving teams, leading backend architecture, improving system reliability, and shipping products used by thousands of users. My strength is not just writing code — but connecting product vision, technical execution, and business impact.
Caio Rodrigues
I'm a full-stack developer focused on building practical and scalable web applications. My main experience is with **React, TypeScript, and modern frontend architectures**, where I prioritize clean code, component reusability, and maintainable project structures.
I have strong experience working with **dynamic forms, state management (Redux / React Hook Form), and complex data-driven interfaces**. I enjoy solving real-world problems by turning ideas into reliable software that companies can actually use in their daily operations.
Beyond coding, I care about **software quality and architecture**, following best practices for componentization, code organization, and performance optimization.
I'm also comfortable working across the stack when needed, integrating APIs, handling business logic, and helping transform prototypes into production-ready systems.
My goal is always to deliver solutions that are **simple, efficient, and genuinely useful for the people using them.**
zipking
I am a technologist and product builder dedicated to creating high-impact solutions at the intersection of AI and specialized markets. Currently, I am focused on PropScan (EstateGuard), an AI-driven SaaS platform tailored for the Japanese real estate industry, and exploring the potential of Archify.
As an INFJ-T, I approach development with a "systems-thinking" mindset—balancing technical precision with a deep understanding of user needs. I particularly enjoy the challenge of architecting Vertical AI SaaS and optimizing Small Language Models (SLMs) to solve specific, real-world business problems. Whether I'm in a CTO-level leadership role or hands-on with the code, I thrive on building tools that turn complex data into actionable value.
Luca Liberati
I work on monoliths and microservices, backends and frontends, manage K8s clusters and love to design apps architecture
Victor Denisov
Developer
PawelPloszaj
I'm fronted developer with 10+ years of experience with big projects. I have small backend background too
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Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How long should I set signed URL expiration?
It depends on the use case. For images displayed on pages: 1-4 hours. For download links: 24 hours. For links in emails: 7 days. For public content that doesn't need access control, skip signed URLs and use public buckets.
Can signed URLs be extended after they are created?
No. Once a signed URL is generated, its expiration is fixed. You must generate a new signed URL. Design your app to either refresh URLs before expiry or use a redirect endpoint that generates fresh URLs on demand.