How to Remove User from All Files in Google Drive

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How to Remove User from All Files in Google Drive

Suppose one of your company’s employees has left the company, but they still have access to all its internal data. This can be a serious concern, especially from a privacy standpoint. The good thing is that by making a simple change in settings, you completely remove that particular user from all files and folders on Google Drive.

Therefore, if you are looking for something similar, you have landed on the right webpage. In this article, we are going to share an easy guide that you can follow to remove a user from all files in Google Drive.

So, without any further ado, let’s get started –

How to Remove a User from All Files in Google Drive

There are two ways to remove a user or multiple users from all files in Google Drive. The first method is great if that person has access to a single file or folder. But if you have shared multiple files with that user, you have to follow the global search method.

To find out what files that user has access to, you can follow these simple steps.

  • Open Google Drive.
  • Log in using your Google account credentials.
  • Now, in the search field, type to: xyzuser@gmail.com owner:me and hit enter. Note that you have to replace xyzuser@gmail.com with that user’s email address.
Remove a User from All Files

That’s it. This will show you a list of files and folders you have shared with that user. Since now you have got the information of how many files that user has access to, you can simply select the method to change your sharing settings.

Read How to Share a Folder On Google Drive

How to Remove Access from a Single File or Folder

If that person has access to a specific folder or file, simply follow these simple steps –

  • Go to drive.google.com and select the file or folder.
  • On the right sidebar, you will see the Who has access option. Click on the Manage access option.
Remove a User from All Files i Google Drive
  • A pop-up will appear that will show you the list of people who have access to that file or folder. Find out that user’s name or email and click on the option appearing on the right side.
  • From the drop-down menu, select the Remove option.
remove access to google drive folder
How to Remove User from All Files in Google Drive

That’s it. This will remove that user, and he will no longer have access to that file or folder. However, if that user has access to more than one file, you can follow the following method.

Read Google Drive Shared Folder Space – What do we know about it?

How to Remove Access from Multiple Files or Folders

To remove a user from accessing multiple files or folders in Google Drive, you have to follow these simple steps –

  • Go to drive.google.com and log in using your Google account credentials.
  • Use the global search method by typing to:xyzuser@gmail.com owner:me and hit enter to see all the files and folders that the person has access to. Replace xyzuser@gmail.com with that person’s email address.
  • Now, press CTRL + A to select all files.
  • On the right sidebar, you will see the option Who has access. Below that, there will be an option named Manage access; click on it.
  • This will open a pop-up box where you can see a list of users who have access to all those files and folders. Locate that person’s email address and remove him.

That’s it. After doing this, that person will not be able to access the files and folders that you have shared with them in the past.

Read How to Share Google Drive links on WhatsApp

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I remove a person from my shared drive but keep files that the person shared in that drive?

If you are using a business account, then yes, you can remove that person but still keep the files that he shared with you. However, if you are using a personal account, you will no longer have access to files that the person has shared with you. The wise choice here would be to create a copy of the data before removing that person.

2. How to change ownership of multiple files in Google Drive?

To change ownership of multiple files in Google Drive, you have to follow the second step mentioned in this article. The only difference here would be that you have to transfer ownership to them instead of removing them.

3. Can I remove one user from all Google Drive folders and subfolders at once?

Yes, you can do that by following the second method mentioned in this article.

4. Are people notified when removed from Google Drive?

When you share a Google Drive folder or file with any person, they get a notification that you have shared that file or folder with them. However, they won’t receive any notification when you remove them.

5. Can other people see my Google Drive?

As long as you have not shared your Google Drive files with anyone, no one can be able to see your Google Drive. However, if you have shared any file or folder with someone, only they will have access to it.

6. Can the owner of Google Drive see who downloaded the files?

If you are a paying customer of Google Workspace, you get features to monitor who downloaded the files you shared. However, non-paying users cannot see who downloaded the files.

7. Does the Shared Google Drive folder take up space?

No. If somebody has shared a folder with you, the folder and its content will consume space from the owner’s Google Drive.

Closing Comments

There you have it – a detailed guide on how to remove the user from accessing all files in Google Drive.

Sometimes it becomes essential to remove some people from accessing files in your Google Drive. There can be hundreds of reasons for that, but the good thing is that it is quite easy to do that. The article mentioned above contains two of the easiest techniques that you can follow to remove any user from accessing files in your Google Drive.

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