The basic steps to share your Google Drive
To share a Google Drive with someone else, open the Drive folder or file you want to share, click the Share button in the top right, type in the person's email address, choose what permission level they get, and send the invitation. The person you share with will receive an email and can then access the Drive from their own Google account.
The whole process takes about one minute. The person you're sharing with doesn't need to do anything except click the link in the email — they don't need to create a new account or install anything.
Google Drive lets you share individual files, entire folders, or a whole shared drive. The method is the same for all three, but the permissions work differently depending on what you're sharing.
Key Takeaways
- Click the Share button, enter an email address, pick a permission level (Viewer, Commenter, or Editor), and send the invitation.
- Viewer means read-only; Commenter means they can leave notes but not change the file; Editor means they can make changes and delete things.
- You can share with one person, a group, or make the link public so anyone with the link can see it.
- Shared drives work differently from personal Drive folders — people in a shared drive can see each other's files by default, and ownership belongs to the team, not one person.
Permission levels and what each one means
Google Drive has three main permission levels: Viewer, Commenter, and Editor. Each one controls what the other person can actually do with the file or folder.
Viewer is read-only. The person can open the file and see everything in it, but they cannot make changes, add comments, or read it (unless you turn that on separately). Use Viewer when you want someone to see something but not touch it.
Commenter lets the person add comments and suggestions to the file, but they cannot change the actual content or delete anything. This is useful for feedback and review — the original file stays intact, and you can see exactly what they said and where.
Editor gives full control. The person can change the file, delete it, move it to a different folder, and share it with others. Only give Editor access to people you trust completely, because they can undo your work or share it with people you didn't intend.
How to share with one person or a small group
Open the file or folder in Google Drive. Click the Share button at the top right. A box will pop up asking you to add people.
Type the email address of the person you want to share with. If you're sharing with multiple people, type each email address and press Enter after each one. Google will show you suggestions as you type — if you see the right person, click their name instead of typing the whole address.
Once you've entered all the email addresses, click the dropdown menu that says Editor (or whatever permission level is showing) and change it to what you want: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. This permission level applies to everyone you just added.
Click Share at the bottom of the box. Google will send an email to each person with a link to the file or folder. They can click the link and start using it right away.
Sharing with a link instead of email addresses
If you don't know someone's email address, or you want to share with a large group, you can create a shareable link instead. Click Share, then look for the option that says Change to anyone with the link or Get link (the exact wording varies by device).
Google will generate a link that you can copy and paste into an email, a chat message, a document, or anywhere else. Anyone who has that link can access the file or folder without needing an invitation. You can still set the permission level — Viewer, Commenter, or Editor — before you copy the link.
Be careful with links set to Editor. Anyone with the link can change or delete the file. If you're sharing with a group and only want some people to edit, use email addresses instead so you can give different permission levels to different people.
Stopping or changing someone's access
Open the file or folder and click Share. You'll see a list of everyone who has access. Find the person whose access you want to change.
Click the permission level next to their name (Viewer, Commenter, or Editor) to change it to something else. Or click the trash icon next to their name to remove their access completely. They will no longer be able to see or open the file.
If you shared with a link and want to stop sharing entirely, click Change to restricted in the Share box. This turns off the link and removes access for anyone who doesn't have a direct invitation. People who had the link will no longer be able to open the file.
Shared drives versus personal Drive folders
A shared drive is different from sharing a folder in your personal Google Drive. In a shared drive, all the files belong to the team, not to one person. If someone leaves the team, the files stay in the shared drive — they don't disappear.
When you add someone to a shared drive, they can see all the files in it by default (unless you restrict specific folders). In a personal Drive folder, you control exactly which files each person sees.
To share a shared drive, click on the shared drive name, then click Share. The process is the same as sharing a regular folder, but the permissions explore to the whole drive and everything in it. You can also restrict access to specific folders within a shared drive, but that requires a separate step.
Common problems and what to do
If someone says they can't see a file you shared, check that you actually clicked Share and sent the invitation. Sometimes people think they've shared something when they've only opened the Share box. Also check that you typed their email address correctly — a single letter wrong and the invitation goes to the wrong person.
If you shared with a link and someone says the link doesn't work, make sure the link permission isn't set to Restricted. If it is, the link won't work for anyone. Change it back to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor, and the link will work again.
If someone has Editor access but says they can't delete a file, check whether the file is in a shared drive. Shared drives have additional settings that can prevent people from deleting files even if they're Editors. Ask the shared drive owner to check the settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a Google Drive folder with someone who doesn't have a Google account?
No. The person must have a Google account to access shared files. They can create a free Gmail account if they don't have one. If you share with a link, they'll be asked to sign in before they can see the file.
What happens if I change a file after I've shared it?
The other person will see the changes when ready. Google Drive updates in real time, so if you edit a document, anyone viewing it will see the changes as you make them. There's no delay or version control step.
Can I see who has looked at a file I shared?
Google Drive doesn't show you a list of who has opened a file or when. You can see who has access to it in the Share box, but not their activity. If you need to track who viewed something, you'll need to use Google Sheets or Docs with the version history feature.
What's the difference between sharing and moving a file to a shared drive?
Sharing keeps the file in your personal Drive and gives other people access to it. Moving it to a shared drive transfers ownership to the team — you no longer own it individually, and it stays there even if you leave. Use sharing for temporary collaboration; use shared drives for files that belong to a team long-term.
Can I share a Google Drive with someone outside my organization?
Yes, you can share with anyone who has a Google account, regardless of what organization they work for or whether they work for one at all. If your organization has restrictions set up by an administrator, you may not be able to share outside the organization — check with your IT department if you get an error message.