---
title: "Make a bucket public"
description: "Turn on Upload, Download, or Listing access for a bucket so it can be reached over the internet without an access key."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "object-storage"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/make-a-bucket-public/"
topic: ["manage-objects"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/create-a-bucket/"]}
---

# Make a bucket public

Public access lets anyone on the internet reach a bucket's objects without an access key. A
bucket starts private, reachable only with a key or a presigned URL. Make a bucket public when
its files are meant for everyone, such as images for a website or a download you publish.

## Before you make a bucket public

Public access applies to the whole bucket, not one file. With **Download** on, anyone who has
or guesses a file's address can download it. With **Listing** on, anyone can see every file
name in the bucket. With **Upload** on, anyone can add files, which you then pay to store. Keep
private files in a different bucket. If you only need to share one file, use a
[presigned URL](/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/share-an-object-with-a-presigned-url/) instead.

## Turn on public access

1. Open the bucket's **Permissions** tab and click **Public Access Config**. The **Public Access
   Settings** dialog opens.
2. Check what anyone on the internet can do:
   - **Upload**: add files to the bucket.
   - **Download**: view or download a file from its address.
   - **Listing**: see the names of every file in the bucket.
3. Click **Save Permission**.

For most uses, check only **Download**, so people can open a file from its link but cannot list
the bucket.

## Check who can reach the bucket

Back on the **Permissions** tab, public access now shows as a row of its own with the bucket's
public URL. To see what a visitor sees, open a file's address in a private browser window:

```text
https://objectstore.e2enetworks.net/<bucket-name>/<file-path>
```

In Chennai, the address starts with `in-south1-objectstore.e2enetworks.net` instead. With
**Download** on, the file opens with no sign-in.

To make the bucket private again, open **Public Access Config**, clear all three checkboxes,
and click **Save Permission**.

To serve a whole website from the bucket, see
[Host a static website](/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/host-a-static-website/).