How to View Shared Files in Google Drive 

Sharing files and documents has become commonplace on Google Drive. You can share files owned by you with your colleagues to collaborate on them together. Furthermore, you can also keep in check the level of access other people have to files shared by you. This tutorial is all about, how to view shared files in google drive.

Since there are hundreds of files on Google Drive since it is synced with Google docs, slides, sheets, etc., hence it can be difficult to look for specific files. So, you can check out all the shared files under the Shared with Me section and make any changes to their ownership.

It sounds super easy and it sure is as well. We have made a guide to ensure you know everything there is to know about Shared With Me files and how you can share it with other users. Here we go.

How to View Shared Files in google drive 

You can follow the steps mentioned here to learn about how to view shared files in google drive. The entire process is very straightforward, so keep reading to learn how to do that.

• Open your laptop or PC and load your preferred browser. 
• Head over to the Google Drive website at drive.google.com. 
• Enter your credential to access the Drive.
• Once you’re logged in, click on the Shared with me tab on the side menu. This will bring you over to a new window where you can view all the files and documents that have been shared with you. 

• You can sort the files here using various filters such as share date, last modified, last modified by me, and last opened by me. 

You should also know that if a file that is shared with you gets deleted by the owner, then that specific file or folder will no longer be accessible to you. Whatever files you see in the Shared with me tab are links connected to the owner’s drive. 

Subsequently, if you delete a shared file you are not the owner of, only your access will be revoked. The actual file will not be deleted as those permissions lie with the owner.

Read How to Stop Receiving Shared Files on Google Drive

How Do You Share a File on Google Drive?

If you wish to collaborate with someone on a particular project or document, you can share the file to provide them with access to it. 

• Open your laptop or PC and load your preferred browser. 
• Head over to the Google Drive website at drive.google.com. 
• Enter your credential to access the Drive.
• Once you’re logged in, find and select the file you want to share and draw out the contextual menu by right-clicking on it. 
• Select Share from the drop-down menu.

• Enter the email of the person you want to share the document with in the Add people and groups section. 
• After entering the email, you can choose the level of access the other person will have over the file. Click on the box beside the email and choose between editor, viewer, or commenter.

• Hit Send when you’re finished changing the settings. Depending on the access level granted, the person can view, comment or edit the file. 

Read Google Drive Shared Folder Space

How to Prevent People From Downloading, Copying, or Printing the Shared Files?

There might be several documents that you don’t want people to download, copy or print for themselves. In such situations, Google Drive has a pretty nifty feature up its sleeves that disables the download, copy and print options from a shared file.

• Open your laptop or PC and load your preferred browser. 
• Head over to the Google Drive website at drive.google.com. 
• Enter your credential to access the Drive.
• Once you’re logged in, select the file you want to share and draw out the contextual menu by right-clicking on it. 
• Click on Share from the drop-down menu. 
• Provide the person’s email address and adjust the access level settings however you want to. 
• Click on Send. 
• After that is done, select the file and choose the Share option again from the contextual menu. 
• You will find a settings icon at the top of the dialog box; click on it.  
• Uncheck, both the Editors can change permissions and share, and the Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy options.

• Go back and hit Done. 

Once you’ve done all that, the people with whom the file has been shared will see Export options disabled when they try to copy, download or print the file. All the options pertaining to that will also be greyed out and made unusable. 

Read How to recover deleted shared files on Google Drive?

Sharing a File/Folder Using a Public Link

 You don’t necessarily need a Google account to view shared files, but it is recommended. A publicly shared link will be accessible to everyone, and everybody can view the documents if they have the link. 

• Open your laptop or PC and load your preferred browser. 
• Head over to the Google Drive website at drive.google.com. 
• Enter your credential to access the Drive.
• Once you’re logged in, select the file or folder you want to share and draw out the contextual menu by right-clicking on it. 
• Select Share from the drop-down menu. 
• Click on Change to anyone with the link option in the Get link section. 

• You can change the access settings according to your preference and copy the link generated above. 
• Hit Done after you’ve copied the link. 

Depending on the access level you’ve allowed on that particular link, anyone who has the link can edit, comment, or view the document. 

Read How to Copy a Shared Folder in Google Drive

Conclusion

That’s it, folks; as you can see, we have mentioned all the necessary steps you need to view shared files in Google Drive. However, you should be mindful of the access levels granted to other people when you’re the file owner. You can make any changes to the file when you are an editor or the owner.

Other than that, you will need access to the shared file to make any changes to it such as editing and even copying the content from it. Furthermore, the process to this is pretty simple as well, simply request access to the file and you are good to go.

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