Share Google Drive Files and Manage Ownership

This article explains how to share Google Drive files, manage sharing permissions, and transfer file ownership.
Important for employees: Employees should not use Google Drive as the primary method for sharing university files. Google files are owned by the person who creates or shares them. If that person leaves the university or their account is removed, others may lose access to those files.
Recommended storage: Employees should use approved FAU storage and collaboration tools such as Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, or SharePoint for university file sharing and long-term collaboration.
Before you begin: You can only change permissions or transfer ownership for files and folders you own or have permission to manage.

Before Sharing Google Files ▾

Before sharing a Google Drive file, review the following:

  • Google Drive files are owned by the person who creates or uploads them.
  • If the file owner leaves FAU or their account is removed, shared users may lose access to the file.
  • Sharing permissions do not make the file department-owned or university-owned.
  • Do not use Google Drive for long-term employee, department, or university file collaboration.
  • Do not share files that contain sensitive, confidential, private, or restricted information unless the storage location and sharing permissions are approved for that data.
Best practice: Use Microsoft Teams or SharePoint for files that need to remain available to a department, committee, project group, or other university team.

Share a Google Drive File ▾

Use these steps if you need to share a Google Drive file and have confirmed that Google Drive is appropriate for the file.

  1. Open the Google file or go to Google Drive.
  2. Select the file you want to share.
  3. Select Share in the top-right corner.
  4. Enter the email address of the person you want to share the file with.
  5. Select the permission dropdown.
  6. Select the appropriate permission level.
  • Viewer: Allows the person to view the file only.
  • Commenter: Allows the person to view and comment on the file.
  • Editor: Allows the person to make changes to the file.
  1. Select Send.
Recommendation: Use the lowest permission level needed. For most file sharing, Viewer access is safer than Editor access.

Limit Download, Print, or Copy Options ▾

Depending on the file type and sharing settings, you may be able to prevent viewers and commenters from downloading, printing, or copying a file.

  1. Open the file’s sharing settings.
  2. Select the settings or gear icon, if available.
  3. Disable options that allow viewers and commenters to download, print, or copy the file.
  4. Save or close the sharing settings.
Important: These settings can help reduce unwanted copying, but they do not guarantee that the file cannot be copied, photographed, downloaded by other means, or shared outside of the intended audience.

Review or Change Sharing Access ▾

You can review or change sharing permissions later from the file’s Share option.

  1. Open the Google file or select the file in Google Drive.
  2. Select Share.
  3. Review the people and groups who currently have access.
  4. Use the permission dropdown next to a person or group to change their access level.
  5. Remove access for anyone who no longer needs the file.
  6. Save or close the sharing settings.
Reminder: Access should be reviewed regularly, especially when files are shared with employees, departments, committees, or project groups.

Transfer Google File Ownership ▾

You may be able to transfer ownership of a Google Drive file or folder to another person when ownership transfer is allowed.

Important: Ownership transfers for FAU Google Workspace files may be limited to users within the same organization. Do not rely on ownership transfer as a replacement for approved long-term university storage such as Microsoft Teams or SharePoint.

Before transferring ownership

  • You must own the file or folder, or have permission to manage it.
  • The new owner must already have access to the file or folder.
  • After ownership is transferred, the new owner controls the file and may be able to remove your access.
  • Transferring ownership of a folder does not automatically transfer ownership of every file inside that folder. The original owners of files inside the folder may remain the owners of those files.
  • If the file is needed for department, project, or long-term employee collaboration, move the file to Microsoft Teams or SharePoint instead of relying on an individual Google Drive owner.

Transfer ownership from Google Drive

  1. Go to https://drive.google.com.
  2. Find the file or folder you want to transfer.
  3. Right-click the file or folder.
  4. Select Share.
  5. If the new owner is not already listed, share the file or folder with that person first.
  6. Next to the person’s name, select the permission dropdown.
  7. Select Transfer ownership or the owner option, if available.
  8. Confirm the ownership transfer.
Note: If the ownership transfer option is not available, ownership transfer may be restricted by the file type, account type, domain, or organization settings.

Troubleshooting ▾

  • If you cannot change permissions, confirm that you are the owner or have permission to manage sharing.
  • If someone cannot access a shared file, confirm that the file was shared with the correct email address.
  • If the Viewer, Commenter, or Editor options are not available, check the file type and sharing settings.
  • If download, print, or copy restrictions are not available, the option may not be enabled for that file or account.
  • If you cannot transfer ownership, confirm that the file or folder is shared with the person first.
  • If ownership transfer is still unavailable, it may be restricted by the file type, account type, domain, or organization settings.
  • If a folder ownership transfer does not transfer all files inside the folder, review the individual file owners and transfer or move files as needed.
  • If a file is needed for department, project, or long-term employee collaboration, move the file to Microsoft Teams or SharePoint instead of sharing it from Google Drive.
  • If a Google file owner leaves FAU or their account is removed, others may lose access to files owned by that person.
  • If a file contains sensitive or confidential information, confirm that Google Drive is an approved location before sharing it.

Still Need Help?

If you need help sharing Google Drive files, transferring ownership, or deciding where university files should be stored, please contact the Help Desk at 561-297-3999 or submit a ticket for assistance.

Submit an Owl Apps support request

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