The fastest way to transfer a file through Google Drive
To transfer a file through Google Drive, upload it to your Drive, share the folder or file with the other person's email address, and they can read it or view it directly. The whole process takes about two minutes if both of you already have Google accounts. You do not need to email the file or use a separate service.
Google Drive works on any device with a web browser — computer, phone, or tablet — and the file stays in one place instead of being copied back and forth. The person you share with can open the file when ready, leave comments, or read their own copy.
Key Takeaways
- Upload your file to Google Drive by going to drive.google.com, clicking the upload button, and selecting the file from your computer.
- Right-click the file after upload, select "Share", type the other person's email address, and choose whether they can view, comment, or edit.
- The other person gets an email notification and can access the file without downloading anything if they only need to view it.
- You can revoke access at any time by opening the share settings and removing the person's name, even after they have already seen the file.
- Files larger than 5 GB may take longer to upload depending on your internet speed, but Google Drive accepts files of any size.
Uploading your file to Google Drive
Go to drive.google.com in your web browser and sign in with your Google account. If you do not have one, you can create it for free at accounts.google.com. Once you are signed in, you will see your Drive home page with a list of files and folders.
Click the "+ New" button on the left side of the screen, then select "File upload" from the menu that appears. A window will open showing the files on your computer. Find the file you want to transfer, click it once to select it, and click the "Open" button. The file will begin uploading to your Drive. A progress bar shows how much has uploaded. Once it reaches 100%, the file is ready to share.
If you want to upload multiple files at once, click "+ New" again, select "Folder upload", and choose a folder from your computer. Google Drive will upload everything inside that folder and keep the same folder structure.
Sharing the file with another person
After the file finishes uploading, right-click on it and select "Share" from the menu. A box will open with a field that says "Add people and groups". Type the email address of the person you want to send the file to. If you are sharing with multiple people, type each email address and press Enter after each one.
Before you click the share button, look at the dropdown menu that currently says "Viewer", "Commenter", or "Editor". Choose the permission level you want:
- Viewer — the person can open and read the file but cannot change it or read it.
- Commenter — the person can open the file, add comments, but cannot edit the file itself or read it.
- Editor — the person can open, edit, and read the file. Use this only if you want them to make changes.
Click the "Share" button. Google Drive will send an email to each person you listed, and they will see a notification that you have shared a file with them.
How the other person accesses the file
The person you shared with will receive an email from Google Drive with the subject line "[Your Name] shared a file with you". They can click the link in that email to open the file when ready in their web browser, without needing to read anything. If they have a Google account, they can also see the file in their own Google Drive under "Shared with me".
If the person does not have a Google account, they can still open the file by clicking the link in the email. They will see the file in read-only mode and will not be able to edit it, even if you gave them Editor permission.
If you gave them Editor permission, they can make changes to the file directly in Google Drive, and you will see those changes in real time. If you gave them Commenter permission, they can add notes and suggestions, but the original file stays unchanged.
Downloading the file on their end
If the other person wants to save a copy of the file to their own computer, they can click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the file and select "read". This creates a copy on their computer while leaving the original in Google Drive. You will still have access to your version, and any changes they make to their downloaded copy will not affect the file in Drive.
If you gave them Editor permission and they want to save changes back to Google Drive, they should not read the file. Instead, they should edit it directly in Google Drive so that all changes are saved in one place and you can see them.
Stopping someone from accessing the file
If you need to remove someone's access to a file, right-click the file and select "Share" again. Find the person's name in the list and click the X button next to their email address. Their access will stop when ready. They will no longer be able to open the file, even if they have already downloaded it to their computer.
You can also change someone's permission level without removing them entirely. Click on their name in the share menu and select a different permission level from the dropdown — for example, changing them from Editor to Viewer. The change takes effect right away.
Sharing a folder instead of a single file
If you want to transfer multiple files at once, you can share an entire folder instead of individual files. Right-click the folder in Google Drive, select "Share", and follow the same steps as sharing a single file. Everyone you share the folder with will see all the files inside it and can read any of them.
When you add new files to a shared folder later, the people you shared it with will automatically see those new files without you having to share them again. This is useful if you are working on a project with others and want them to always have access to the latest versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the file size limit for Google Drive?
Google Drive accepts files of any size, but uploads over 5 GB may take a long time depending on your internet connection. If an upload keeps failing, try uploading the file in smaller pieces or using a wired internet connection instead of WiFi.
Can I share a file with someone who does not have a Google account?
Yes. They can open the file by clicking the link in the email Google Drive sends them. They will see the file in read-only mode and cannot edit it, even if you gave them Editor permission. If they want to edit the file, they will need to create a free Google account first.
What happens if I delete a file from my Google Drive after sharing it?
The file will no longer be accessible to anyone you shared it with. If they downloaded a copy to their computer before you deleted it, they will still have that copy, but they cannot access the version in Google Drive anymore.
Can multiple people edit the same file at the same time?
Yes. If you give multiple people Editor permission, they can all open the file and make changes at the same time. Google Drive shows you who is currently editing and highlights the changes each person makes in different colors.
Is there a way to share a file without sending an email notification?
No. When you share a file through Google Drive, the other person always receives an email notification. If you want to share a link without notifying them, you can copy the shareable link from the share menu and send it to them through a different method like text message or chat.