Overview
When you share from Google Drive, you can control whether people can edit, comment on, or view your file. The U-M Google team recommends using caution when you choose permissions for your files and folders in U-M Google Drive to ensure the privacy and security of university data. This is especially true when collaborating with people outside of U-M. It is your responsibility to appropriately share data with only those who should have access to it.
Important: Only individuals who own U-M content should be in full control of who is able to access it.
Sharing files in Google Drive
There are two methods to share content within Google Drive:
- Share with people and groups: Granting access to specific individuals you want to collaborate with on the file.
- Get link: Granting access to anyone who has the link to the file.
We recommend only sharing your files with those who need it. If the list of users grows too large, we recommend using an MCommunity group to help manage permissions. To learn more about using MCommunity with Google, visit the ITS Documentation Site.
Share with people and groups
When you share a file with an individual or group, you can choose what they can do with it:
- Viewer: People can view, but can’t change or share the file with others.
- Commenter: People can make comments and suggestions, but can’t change or share the file with others.
- Editor: People can make changes, accept or reject suggestions, and share the file with others.
Tip: Within shared drives, you can review who you’ve shared a file with outside your shared drive membership. Once shared, you can view these individuals under the Guests tab.
Get link (i.e., shareable links)
Shareable links can be used to share files to a broader audience or to specific people. These links are accessible and customizable under Get link in the sharing dialog box. When you click Copy link, a shared link is copied. Link sharing is useful for sharing non-sensitive files that require quick attention or with large numbers of colleagues who need access to a file. If link sharing is used, by default, this link is set to Restricted so only people you’ve shared the file with can access the link.
When you share a link to a file in My Drive or a shared drive, you control how widely the file is shared:
- Restricted: Only specific people you share the file with will be able to use it.
Note: This is the default setting in U-M Google Drive.
- University of Michigan: Anyone at the University of Michigan with the link can access it. Link access can be set to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor permissions.
- Anyone with the link: Anyone on the internet who has the link can use your file, without signing in to their Google Account. Link access can be set to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor permissions.
Tip: Expiration dates can be set for individuals with whom you share your files. To learn more about expiration dates, visit the G Suite Learning Center.
Sharing Externally With Collaborators Without Google Accounts
If you want to share with someone who does not use a Google account, there are two similar options:
- Invite them as a collaborator to the file.
- Set link sharing to “Anyone with the link” and share the link with them.
Note: You cannot share files within a shared drive with external users as it is not yet supported.
It is recommended that external collaborators either use or create a Google account, as it is the most secure way to collaborate with them. If they are unable or unwilling to use their Google account, the "Anyone with the link" option can be used, but the shared link should be removed once the collaborator has accessed or downloaded the file by changing it back to Restricted.
Warning: Inviting them as a collaborator sends an invite via email that can be forwarded to anyone, in turn, giving those individuals access to the file, as well. It also turns the link-sharing access from Restricted to Anyone with the link. The individual’s access should be removed once the collaborator has accessed or downloaded the file and the link sharing should be returned to Restricted access.
