Sharing Folders in Google Drive

There are many sharing options for different files and folders in Google Drive, all which put the user in control of what is shared and with whom.

When you share a folder, the sharing settings for the files and subfolders inside are updated. Depending on how you shared the folder, the people you shared with will have access to the files inside:

  • Can organize, add, & edit: People can open, edit, delete, or move any files within the folder. People can also add files to the folder.
  • Can view only: People can see the folder and they can open all files within the folder.

After you share the folder, you can change how the files inside are shared.

Note: You may not share folders stored in Shared Drives.

Back to Google Workspace

Like files, you can choose to share with only specific people.

  1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com and enter your Puget Sound email address and password.
  2. Right click the folder you want to share.
    • Note: if you are sharing a single file, you can click on share from within the file itself in the upper right hand corner of the document.
  3. Click Share
    .
  4. Under "People," type the email address or names you want to share with.
  5. To choose how a person can use the folder, click the Down arrow
  6. Click Send. An email is sent to people you shared with, or you can skip sending the notification.

You can give other people a link to your folder so that you don’t have to add email addresses when you share your folder.

  1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com and enter your Puget Sound email address and password.
  2. Right click on the file or folder you want to share.
    • Note: if you are sharing a single Google Doc file, you can click on share from within the file itself in the upper right hand corner of the document.
  3. Click Share
    .
  4. At the top right, click Get shareable link.
  5. Next to "Anyone with the link," click the Down arrow .
  6. Choose whether people can edit or view.
  7. Copy and paste the link in an email or any place you want to share it.

Puget Sound faculty, staff, and students are able to use and be added to Shared Drives through our Google Workspace for Education account.

When you add a file or folder to a Shared Drive, members will immediately be able to see and use the files inside. Learn how to use Shared Drives.

You can share files and folders with Google Groups instead of individual people. When you add to or remove members from the group, they will gain or lose permission to the files and folders that the group can see or use.

  1. Select an existing Google Group or submit a ticket to the TS Service desk to have a Google Group created.
  2. Share the file or folder with the group.

When you transfer ownership of a folder, the files inside keep their original owner. To change the owners of more than one folder:

  1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
  2. Select the folder that you want to change owners. To select multiple folders, hold Shift and click the folders you want.
  3. At the top right, click Share
    .
  4. Click Advanced.
  5. To the right of the person’s name, click the Down arrow
    .
  6. Click Is owner.
  7. Click Save changes.

After you make someone else the owner of a folder, you can edit the folder unless the new owner decides to change your access.

When someone deletes a file from a shared folder, only the owner can access it.

To get a deleted file back from a shared folder:

  1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
  2. At the top, click Search Drive.
  3. Type in the name of the file.
  4. Right-click the file.
  5. Click Add to my Drive
    .