How to Share Files and Folders in Google Drive

Your files are on Google Drive. Now let's talk about sharing them without clogging up everyone's inbox with attachments.

This is where Google Drive transforms from personal storage into a collaboration tool.

How sharing actually works

Think of your Google Drive as your house. When you share a file, you're not making a copy and sending it to someone else's house. You're giving them a key to walk into your house and look at that specific file.

The file stays in your house. It lives on your Drive. It occupies your storage space, not theirs.

This is important to understand. When you share a file with ten people, you don't suddenly use ten times the storage. The file exists in one place. Everyone with access simply looks at the same file.

When someone opens a shared file, they see it in their “Shared with me” section. But the file itself never leaves your Drive.

The three permission types

When you hand someone a key to your house, you decide what they're allowed to do inside. Google Drive gives you three levels of permission.

Viewer

A viewer can look but not touch. They can open the file, read it, and download a copy to their own computer. But they cannot change anything in the original file.

Use this when you want someone to see information without risking accidental edits. Reports you're presenting. Policies you're distributing. Reference documents.

Commenter

A commenter can look and leave notes. They can read the file and add comments or suggestions, but they cannot edit the actual content.

Use this when you want feedback without giving editing access. Draft documents you want reviewed. Proposals you need input on.

Editor

An editor can change anything. They can modify content, delete sections, add new information, and restructure the entire file. Their changes happen in real time and save automatically.

Use this when you're collaborating actively. Team projects. Shared trackers. Documents that multiple people need to update.

What the Owner can do

The owner is the person who created the file or the person ownership was transferred to. The owner has absolute control.

• Change or remove anyone's access at any time.
• Delete the file permanently for everyone.
• Transfer ownership to someone else.
• Control whether editors can share the file or change permissions.
• Control whether viewers and commenters can download, print, or copy the file.

The owner is also the person whose storage space the file occupies.

What an Editor cannot do

Editors have significant power, but there are limits.

• They cannot delete the file for everyone. If they delete it from their view, it still exists in the owner's Drive.
• They cannot remove the owner's access.

By default, editors can share the file with others and even transfer ownership. If you don't want this, you need to restrict it explicitly in the sharing settings.

What happens when you transfer ownership

Transferring ownership is like selling your house. You hand over the keys, the deed, and all responsibilities. The file now belongs to someone else.

Once you transfer ownership:

• The file moves from your storage to theirs. It no longer counts against your quota.
• They become the ultimate authority over the file.
• They can remove your access entirely if they choose.
• You cannot undo this. There is no “take back” button.

Transfer ownership when:

• An employee leaves and their files need to stay with the company.
• A project moves to a new team lead.
• You're cleaning up your storage and someone else should be responsible for the file.

Do not transfer ownership casually. Once it's done, you have no special claim to that file.

How to share a file or folder

The process is simple.

• Right-click on the file or folder.
• Select “Share”.
• Enter the email address of the person you want to share with.
• Select their permission level: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.
• Click “Send”.

They receive an email notification with a link to the file.

Sharing securely: The settings you should check

Sharing is powerful. It's also a security risk if done carelessly. Here's how to stay in control.

Restrict resharing and ownership transfer

By default, editors can share the file with others and transfer ownership to someone else. This can be dangerous. If you don't want this:

• Open the sharing settings.
• Click the gear icon in the top right of the sharing dialog.
• Uncheck “Editors can change permissions and share”.

Now only you can decide who gets access, and no one can transfer ownership without your involvement.

Restrict downloading, printing, and copying

If you're sharing sensitive information with viewers or commenters, you may not want them downloading a copy.

• Open the sharing settings.
• Click the gear icon.
• Uncheck “Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy”.

This doesn't make the file completely secure. Someone can still take a screenshot. But it adds a layer of friction.

Avoid “Anyone with the link” unless necessary

Google Drive lets you share a file so that anyone with the link can access it. This is convenient but dangerous.

Once that link is out, you have no control over where it goes. Someone can forward it. Post it publicly. Share it with people you never intended.

Use “Anyone with the link” only for truly public content. For everything else, share with specific email addresses.

Review access regularly

Over time, files accumulate permissions. Someone who needed access six months ago may not need it today.

Periodically open your important files and folders, check who has access, and remove anyone who no longer requires it.

Set expiration dates for temporary access

If someone requires access only for a limited time, set an expiration.

• Open sharing settings.
• Click the dropdown next to the person's name.
• Select “Add expiration”.
• Choose a date.

After that date, their access disappears automatically. You don't need to remember to revoke it.

A quick reference