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Permissions control what each person can do with your files and folders. You can share with specific individuals, groups, or anyone with a link — and you can adjust or revoke access at any time.

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Permission levels

The table below describes what each role can do.
CapabilityViewerCommenterEditorOwner
Open and read the item✓✓✓✓
Download or print✓✓✓✓
Add and resolve comments✓✓✓
Edit content✓✓
Rename the item✓✓
Move the item✓✓
Add and remove collaborators✓✓
Change permission levels✓✓
Change download and copy restrictions✓
Transfer ownership✓
Delete the item✓
Editors can add collaborators and change permission levels, but they cannot grant permissions higher than their own. Only Owners can restrict downloads, printing, and copying.

Share with a specific person

1

Open the share dialog

Click Share in the top-right corner of any item, or right-click the item in your file browser and select Share.
2

Enter an email address

Type the person’s email address in the Add people and groups field. You can add multiple addresses at once.
3

Set a permission level

Use the dropdown next to each address to choose Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.
4

Send the invitation

Optionally add a message, then click Send. The recipient receives an email with a link to the item.
You can share with any Google Group (such as a team mailing list). Type the group’s email address in the Add people and groups field. All current and future members of that group inherit the permission level you set.
When you share with a group, new members who join the group will automatically gain access to the item. Review group membership carefully before sharing sensitive content.

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Folder-level vs. file-level permissions

You can set permissions on a folder, on individual files, or both.
ScenarioHow it works
Permission set on a folderAll items inside the folder inherit the folder’s permission settings by default.
Permission set on a fileApplies only to that file, regardless of the folder it lives in.
File permission overrides folderIf you set a more permissive level directly on a file, that file’s permissions take precedence for users listed on it.
Removing a file from a folderThe file retains any folder-inherited permissions unless explicitly removed.
When organizing a shared project, set permissions at the folder level so that any new files added to the folder automatically inherit the right access. Use file-level permissions only for exceptions.

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Restricting sharing and download options

Owners can limit what Editors, Commenters, and Viewers are allowed to do with an item.
1

Open the share dialog

Click Share on the item you own.
2

Open advanced settings

Click the gear icon (⚙) in the top-right corner of the share dialog.
3

Apply restrictions

Toggle the options you want to enforce:
  • Prevent Editors from changing access and adding new people
  • Disable downloading, printing, and copying for Commenters and Viewers
4

Save

Click Done to apply the restrictions.
Restrictions apply only to users accessing the item through the product interface. Anyone with a downloaded copy of the file is not subject to these controls. Avoid relying on download restrictions alone to protect sensitive content.

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Managing access requests

When someone tries to open an item they do not have access to, they can request it. You receive an email notification and can approve or deny from there.
1

Review the request

Open the access request email and click Review request, or open the share dialog on the item and go to the Pending requests tab.
2

Approve or deny

Click Share next to the requester’s name to grant access. Choose a permission level from the dropdown before confirming. Click Decline to deny the request.
3

Add a message (optional)

When declining, you can include a note explaining why access was not granted.
Access requests are only sent to the item’s Owner. If you are an Editor, you will not receive request emails even if you have sharing rights enabled.

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Revoking access

1

Open the share dialog

Click Share on the item, or right-click and select Share.
2

Find the person or group

Scroll through the People with access list to find the person or group whose access you want to remove.
3

Remove access

Click the permission dropdown next to their name and select Remove access.
4

Confirm

Click Save. The person immediately loses access and will see a “You do not have access” message if they try to open the item.
Revoking access does not invalidate previously downloaded copies. If someone downloaded the file before you removed their access, they still have that copy.

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Organization-level vs. personal sharing policies

Your Google Workspace administrator can configure policies that restrict or override your personal sharing settings.
Policy typeWhat it controls
External sharingWhether you can share items with people outside your organization’s domain
Link sharing scopeWhether “Anyone with the link” is available, or only organization members
Drive sharing restrictionsWhether items in shared drives can be moved to personal drives
Download restrictionsWhether admins can enforce download prevention across all items
Default sharing settingsOrganization-wide defaults applied to all new items
If an option in the share dialog appears grayed out or missing, your administrator has likely disabled it. Contact your Google Workspace admin for details.

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Auditing who has access

You can review the full list of people with access to any item you own.
1

Open the share dialog

Click Share on the item.
2

View the access list

The People with access section lists every individual, group, and link-sharing rule currently active on the item, along with their permission level.
3

Check folder inheritance

If an item is inside a shared folder, folder-inherited permissions appear with a folder icon next to the person’s name. Click that icon to see which folder is granting the access.
For organization-wide auditing of who has access to files across your entire domain, Google Workspace admins can use the Admin console → Reports → Audit → Drive log. This provides a full activity trail including share events, access changes, and downloads.