diff --git a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
--- a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
+++ b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
@@ -725,6 +725,7 @@
     'FileReplyHandler' => 'applications/files/mail/FileReplyHandler.php',
     'FileUploadConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileUploadConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FileUploadHashConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/files/conduit/FileUploadHashConduitAPIMethod.php',
+    'FilesDefaultViewCapability' => 'applications/files/capability/FilesDefaultViewCapability.php',
     'FlagConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/flag/conduit/FlagConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FlagDeleteConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/flag/conduit/FlagDeleteConduitAPIMethod.php',
     'FlagEditConduitAPIMethod' => 'applications/flag/conduit/FlagEditConduitAPIMethod.php',
@@ -3726,6 +3727,7 @@
     'FileReplyHandler' => 'PhabricatorMailReplyHandler',
     'FileUploadConduitAPIMethod' => 'FileConduitAPIMethod',
     'FileUploadHashConduitAPIMethod' => 'FileConduitAPIMethod',
+    'FilesDefaultViewCapability' => 'PhabricatorPolicyCapability',
     'FlagConduitAPIMethod' => 'ConduitAPIMethod',
     'FlagDeleteConduitAPIMethod' => 'FlagConduitAPIMethod',
     'FlagEditConduitAPIMethod' => 'FlagConduitAPIMethod',
diff --git a/src/applications/files/application/PhabricatorFilesApplication.php b/src/applications/files/application/PhabricatorFilesApplication.php
--- a/src/applications/files/application/PhabricatorFilesApplication.php
+++ b/src/applications/files/application/PhabricatorFilesApplication.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   }
 
   public function getShortDescription() {
-    return 'Store and Share Files';
+    return pht('Store and Share Files');
   }
 
   public function getIconName() {
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@
     );
   }
 
+  protected function getCustomCapabilities() {
+    return array(
+      FilesDefaultViewCapability::CAPABILITY => array(
+        'caption' => pht(
+          'Default view policy for newly created files.'),
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+
   public function getRoutes() {
     return array(
       '/F(?P<id>[1-9]\d*)' => 'PhabricatorFileInfoController',
diff --git a/src/applications/files/capability/FilesDefaultViewCapability.php b/src/applications/files/capability/FilesDefaultViewCapability.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/files/capability/FilesDefaultViewCapability.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+
+final class FilesDefaultViewCapability
+  extends PhabricatorPolicyCapability {
+
+  const CAPABILITY = 'files.default.view';
+
+  public function getCapabilityName() {
+    return pht('Default View Policy');
+  }
+
+  public function shouldAllowPublicPolicySetting() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileUploadController.php b/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileUploadController.php
--- a/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileUploadController.php
+++ b/src/applications/files/controller/PhabricatorFileUploadController.php
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     $request = $this->getRequest();
     $viewer = $request->getUser();
 
-    $file = new PhabricatorFile();
+    $file = PhabricatorFile::initializeNewFile();
 
     $e_file = true;
     $errors = array();
diff --git a/src/applications/files/storage/PhabricatorFile.php b/src/applications/files/storage/PhabricatorFile.php
--- a/src/applications/files/storage/PhabricatorFile.php
+++ b/src/applications/files/storage/PhabricatorFile.php
@@ -53,7 +53,16 @@
   private $originalFile = self::ATTACHABLE;
 
   public static function initializeNewFile() {
+    $app = id(new PhabricatorApplicationQuery())
+      ->setViewer(PhabricatorUser::getOmnipotentUser())
+      ->withClasses(array('PhabricatorFilesApplication'))
+      ->executeOne();
+
+    $view_policy = $app->getPolicy(
+      FilesDefaultViewCapability::CAPABILITY);
+
     return id(new PhabricatorFile())
+      ->setViewPolicy($view_policy)
       ->attachOriginalFile(null)
       ->attachObjects(array())
       ->attachObjectPHIDs(array());