Last Updated: 3/12/2026
Post-Setup Steps
After finishing the setup, you can technically use LinkAce immediately. However, following these short steps ensures you unlock the full potential of LinkAce, including automated backups to the Internet Archive and regular automated link checks.
1. Update the .env file with advanced settings
The .env file in your LinkAce directory contains advanced settings you can enable. Two configurations are particularly important: email settings and application backups.
All other possible settings can be found in the .env file reference .
Email Configuration
Add the following block to your .env file and change the values according to your email provider:
| .env setting | Possible values | Default value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS | any email address | [email protected] | The email address you are sending from |
MAIL_FROM_NAME | any string | LinkAce | The name you are sending from |
MAIL_MAILER | log, smtp, sendmail, mailgun, ses, postmark | smtp | The method of sending email (details ) |
MAIL_HOST | any string | smtp.mailgun.org | SMTP only: the host sending email from |
MAIL_PORT | any number | 587 | SMTP only: the port for connecting to the host |
MAIL_USERNAME | any string | none | SMTP only: the username for connecting to the host |
MAIL_PASSWORD | any string | none | SMTP only: the password for connecting to the host |
MAIL_ENCRYPTION | ssl, tls, none | tls | SMTP only: the sending encryption |
Application backups to an S3-compatible storage service
Application backups have dedicated documentation: Application backups
2. Set up the cron
The cron is necessary to enable automated backups via the Wayback Machine, regular link checks, and application backups. You’ll be presented with a cron token and a pre-built cron URL on the system settings page (available from the username dropdown).
More information about how to configure a cron can be found in the System Settings documentation.
3. Configure basic app settings
On the same page as your bookmarklet, you can find basic app settings like the timezone, date and time format, and privacy defaults. I recommend setting:
- The correct timezone
- Your preferred date and time formats
- Which share buttons should be available when viewing your links
4. Install the Bookmarklet
Visit the user settings (available from the dropdown menu beneath your username). To install the bookmarklet, simply drag the Bookmarklet button into your bookmarks bar. This lets you quickly save links from any browser.
What’s Next
- Links: Learn how to save, organize, and manage your bookmarks
- Tags: Discover how to categorize your links with tags