Open drive.google.com, click Shared with me, right-click the spam file, then choose Block & report > Report. Pick Spam or fraud, keep the Block box checked, and click Report. The file moves to Spam and that account can’t share with you again.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to stop Google Drive spam on a computer, on Android and iPhone, and from the share email in Gmail. I’ll also cover the Spam folder, unblocking, and the Workspace limits that trip people up.
Block and report a spam file on a computer
Spam shares look like any other file, so they land in Shared with me. If you’re not sure whether a strange file is harmful, read my guide on whether a Google Drive link can be dangerous before you open anything.
- Go to drive.google.com and click Shared with me in the left menu.
- Right-click the file. To handle several at once, check their boxes first, then right-click.
- Hover over Block & report. You’ll see Report and Block followed by the owner’s email.
Notice that Move to trash is greyed out. You can’t trash a file you don’t own, which is why spam seems to stick around.
Click Report. Google asks what you’re reporting. For junk shares, pick Spam or fraud, which covers unwanted solicitation, phishing, malware and impersonation.
Look below the options. The Block checkbox is already ticked. Leave it on and click Report, and you’ve reported the file and blocked the sender in one go.
Only want to block, not report? Choose Block from the same menu instead. Google says the change can take a short time to kick in.
Stop Drive spam on Android or iPhone
The Drive app works the same way on both phones. Open the Shared tab, find the file, and tap the three-dot menu next to it.
- To report it, tap Report, pick the type of content, tap Report, and decide whether to block the user.
- To block only, tap Block followed by their email, then tap Block again to confirm.
Spam shares also show up under Home > Notifications on Android. Tap More next to the alert and choose Block from there. If the alerts themselves bug you, here’s how to turn off Google Drive notifications.
Block the sender from the share email in Gmail
Every spam share also sends you an email saying someone shared a file with you. That email lands in Gmail, and you can act on it there without opening Drive.
Open the Drive sharing email and scroll to the bottom. Click Block the sender, pick your account, and confirm with Block. It’s the same Drive block, just from your inbox.
You can also select the email and click Report spam at the top of Gmail. That moves the email to Spam and helps Gmail catch similar messages, but it doesn’t remove the file from Drive.
Clean out the Spam folder or rescue a file
Reported files move to Spam in Drive’s left menu. You can also drag a file there yourself. Google treats either way as a report.
Files in Spam don’t show up anywhere else in Drive, including search and suggestions, and they stop sending comment notifications. Drive removes them for good after 30 days.
Marked a real file by mistake? Open Spam, select it, and click Not spam. This is different from removing shared files from Drive, which only hides them from your view.
Unblock someone you blocked by mistake
Unblocking doesn’t happen in Drive. It lives in your Google Account, in a list that covers every product where you’ve blocked people.
- In Drive, click your profile picture, then Manage your Google Account.
- Go to People & sharing, then Blocked.
- Find the person and click Remove.
On a phone, open the Drive app, tap your profile picture, and follow the same path. After you unblock someone, you can share files with each other again.
When blocking doesn’t stop the spam
On a work or school account, you can’t block someone in your own domain or in a trusted domain. You also can’t report files that you or your organization own. Ask your Google Workspace admin to handle those.
Blocking stops one account. Spammers often switch addresses, so a new email may get through. Block and report each one, and the reports help Google spot the pattern.
Blocking also means neither of you can open the other’s files. If a spam file was shared to a folder you own, check its access with my steps to unshare a folder in Google Drive.
A few more Drive cleanup guides worth a look:
- Scan Google Drive for viruses
- Empty the trash in Google Drive
- How long Google Drive keeps deleted files
- Remove suggested files in Google Drive
Quick answers
Why do I keep getting spam in Google Drive?
Anyone with your email address can share a file with you, and Drive adds it to Shared with me. Blocking and reporting each sender is the way to cut it down.
Does the person know I blocked them on Google Drive?
Google’s help doesn’t say they’re notified. They just can’t share files with you, and neither of you can open the other’s files.
Can I turn off file sharing to my account completely?
I haven’t found one. Google’s help only describes blocking senders one at a time, in Google Drive Help: Block and unblock people.
How do I unblock someone on Google Drive?
Go to Manage your Google Account, then People and sharing, then Blocked, and click Remove next to the person.
I am Carissa Gudinoa, a technology buff, and Office online and Apple expert with over 9 years of experience. I am passionate about helping others get the most out of their Apple devices. I have written extensively about Apple products and technologies. I am committed to providing my clients with the best possible service and am always up-to-date on the latest Apple products and features. I also write extensively on other software available for use at minimal cost or free. This includes Word Online, Outlook Online, Excel Online, and other Office online programs… Check out more.