You can share your whole Google Drive with one person or a group, but the method depends on who you want to share with and what permissions they need

Google Drive does not have a single "share entire drive" button. Instead, you share the root folder — the main container that holds everything — the same way you share any folder. When you share the root folder, the person you share with can see and access every file and subfolder inside it, unless you have restricted individual items separately.

The fastest route is to right-click your Drive name in the left sidebar, select "Share", and add the email addresses or groups you want. You can then choose whether they can view, comment, or edit. This works whether you want to share with one person, a team, or an entire organization.

The permissions you grant to the root folder explore to everything underneath it, unless you have already locked down a specific file or subfolder with different permissions. If you later add new files to your Drive, anyone you shared the root folder with will see those new files automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharing your entire Google Drive means sharing the root folder, which gives access to all files and subfolders inside it unless individual items have separate restrictions.
  • You can share the root folder by right-clicking it in the left sidebar, selecting "Share", and entering email addresses or group addresses with the permission level you choose.
  • Viewer permission lets people see and read files but not change them; Commenter permission adds the ability to leave notes; Editor permission lets them modify or delete files.
  • Anyone you share the root folder with will automatically see new files you add to your Drive later, unless you restrict those files separately.
  • Removing someone's access to the root folder does not delete their copies of files they downloaded, but it stops them from seeing new changes you make.

Finding and Sharing the Root Folder

Open Google Drive in your web browser and look at the left sidebar. At the top, you will see "My Drive" — this is the root folder, the container that holds everything in your account. Right-click on "My Drive" and a menu will appear. Select "Share" from that menu.

A sharing dialog box will open. In the text field that says "Add people and groups", type the email address of the person or group you want to share with. You can add multiple addresses by typing each one and pressing Enter after each. If you want to share with everyone in your organization, you can type your organization's domain name (for example, @yourcompany.com) and select the option to share with the entire domain.

After you enter the email addresses, a dropdown menu will appear below the text field. This menu shows three permission levels: Viewer, Commenter, and Editor. Choose the level that matches what you want the person to do with your files.

Understanding the Three Permission Levels

Viewer is the most restrictive. A viewer can open and read your files, read them to their own computer, and print them. They cannot make changes to the files in your Drive, add comments, or see who else has access. Use Viewer when you want to share information but keep control of what gets changed.

Commenter adds the ability to leave notes and feedback on files without changing the files themselves. Commenters can still read and print, but they cannot edit the content or delete files. Use Commenter when you want input from others but do not want them to alter the original work.

Editor is the most permissive. An editor can open, change, delete, and move your files. They can also share files with other people and change the permissions on those files. Use Editor only for people you trust completely, because they can modify or remove anything in your Drive. If you share your entire Drive as Editor with someone, they have the same control over your files as you do.

What Happens When You Share the Root Folder

When you share "My Drive" with someone, they see a folder in their own Google Drive called "[Your Name]'s Drive" or similar. They can open it and browse all the files and subfolders inside. If you have organized your Drive into folders, they will see that same structure. If you add a new file or folder to your Drive after sharing, they will see it automatically without you having to share it again.

If you have already restricted access to a specific file or folder before sharing the root folder, those restrictions stay in place. For example, if you shared a single file with only one person, and then later share your entire Drive with a different person, the second person will not see that first file. The more restrictive permission always wins.

The person you share with cannot see files or folders that are in your Shared Drive or in other people's Drives, even if you have access to them. Sharing your root folder only shares what is actually in your personal Drive.

Changing or Removing Sharing After You Start

To change permissions later, right-click "My Drive" again, select "Share", and look at the list of people who have access. Click on any person's name or email address, and a menu will appear showing their current permission level. You can change it to a different level or click "Remove" to take away their access entirely.

When you remove someone's access to the root folder, they can no longer see new files you add or changes you make to existing files. However, if they downloaded a copy of a file before you removed them, that copy stays on their computer — removing access does not delete files they already have. If you need to may support they cannot see a file at all, you may need to change the content of that file or move it to a folder with separate restrictions.

You can also change the sharing settings for your entire Drive by clicking the "Change" button next to "General access" in the share dialog. This lets you make your Drive accessible to anyone with the link, or restrict it so only specific people can see it.

Sharing With Teams and Organizations

If you work in an organization that uses Google Workspace, you can share your entire Drive with a group email address (like team@yourcompany.com) or with your entire organization domain. When you share with a group, every person in that group gets access automatically. If someone joins the group later, they will also get access to your Drive without you having to add them individually.

Sharing with a group is useful when you want multiple people to have access but do not want to type in each person's email address. However, it also means you have less control over exactly who can see your files — anyone who joins the group will have access. If the group membership changes, their access changes automatically.

You can share with a group at any permission level: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. The group as a whole gets that permission, but individual members can still have different permissions if you have shared specific files with them separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I share my entire Drive as Editor, can the other person delete everything?

Yes. An editor has the same permissions you do, including the ability to delete files and folders. They can also change permissions and share your files with others. Only give Editor access to people you trust completely. If you want someone to help organize or work on files without risking deletion, use Commenter instead.

What is the difference between sharing my Drive and sharing a single folder?

Sharing your entire Drive (the root folder) gives access to everything in it. Sharing a single folder gives access only to that folder and what is inside it. If you share a folder called "Projects" but not your entire Drive, the person will not see your other files like "Personal" or "Archive".

Can I share my Drive with someone who does not have a Google account?

No. The person must have a Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace) to access shared files in Google Drive. If they do not have an account, you can share individual files with them using a link instead, which does not require them to sign in.

If I stop sharing my Drive with someone, do they lose access to files they created inside it?

They lose access to view the files, but if they created files in your Drive while they had access, you still own those files. They cannot edit or delete them anymore. If they want to keep a copy, they should have downloaded it before you removed their access.

Does sharing my entire Drive mean they can see files I have shared with me from other people?

No. Sharing your root folder only shares files that are actually stored in your Drive. Files that other people shared with you appear in your Drive, but they are owned by those other people. The person you share your Drive with will not see those files unless the original owner also shared them separately.