How to set up ShareX with smpl.gg

What the custom uploader does

ShareX can send a capture to a custom file host as soon as you finish taking it. With the smpl.gg configuration installed, ShareX posts the file to your account, creates a share, and returns the finished URL for your clipboard.

The upload remains in your Studio library, so the fast desktop workflow does not give up management later. You can review the file, change the share controls, add it to a collection, or revoke the share from the web app.

Before you begin

You need ShareX installed on Windows and a smpl.gg account with Lifetime access. API keys and programmatic uploads are a Lifetime feature. You should also decide whether uploads from this key should display one of your published creator profiles.

Treat an API key like a password. The downloaded configuration contains the credential ShareX uses to upload as you. Do not post the configuration publicly or send it to someone else.

Create and import the configuration

1. Sign in to smpl.gg and open Settings, then choose API Keys.
2. In ShareX setup, optionally choose the published profile that should appear on shares created by this key.
3. Choose Create ShareX key. Give the key a clear purpose so it is easy to identify later.
4. Download the generated .sxcu file. Double-click it and approve the import in ShareX.
5. In ShareX, select the imported smpl.gg uploader as the destination for the capture type you want to send.
6. Take a small test screenshot. Confirm that ShareX returns a smpl.gg URL and that the upload appears in Studio.

Choose useful defaults

A custom uploader is fastest when its default result matches what you usually send. Use the dedicated ShareX key for routine captures, then open Studio when a particular link needs a password, expiry date, maximum view count, or different visibility.

Separate keys are useful for separate identities. For example, a support workflow and a creator workflow can each use a key pinned to a different published profile. Revoking one key does not require changing your account password or disrupting the other key.

Troubleshoot the first upload

If ShareX reports an authorization error, confirm the API key is still active and that the account still has access to API uploads. Re-download the configuration after replacing a revoked key rather than editing the secret by hand.

If the upload succeeds but the wrong profile appears, update the profile associated with that API key in Settings. If a capture is sensitive, remove its share immediately and create a controlled link from Studio before sending it again.

Frequently asked questions