---
title: How to share a Google Drive file (desktop)
description: Learn how to share Google Drive files step-by-step, including setting access levels and sending notifications. Follow these simple instructions to easily share your files.
image: https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hubfs/Google%20Workspace%20Folder.jpg
---

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# How to share a Google Drive file (desktop)

 February 15, 2025

![Picture of Damien Griffin](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/20cb51297a34e5d5d7c3362ec1fae755) [Damien Griffin](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/author/damien)

![Google Drive Step-By-Step](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hubfs/Google%20Workspace%20Folder.jpg)

## Quick Checklist

- Open [Google Drive](https://drive.google.com)
- **Login** (if necessary)
- **Navigate** to where the file is located
- Click on **More Actions** (3 vertical dots on the right) 
    - Opens a new menu
- Select **Share** 
    - Opens a new menu
- Select **Share** 
    - Opens the share window
- **Add** a person, group, or calendar event that you want to share the file with
- **Select** their level of access 
    - Viewer, Commenter, or Editor
- **Send** them an optional notification email if you want
- **Verify** the new access by going back to the share window and making sure the new name is listed

## Detailed Steps

### Open Google Drive

There are multiple ways to get there.  Here are the most common

- Go to [https://drive.google.com](https://drive.google.com/)
- If you are already in a Google application like Gmail, click on the Google apps icon (nine dots in the upper right corner) and select Google Drive

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeHRtzbZtlOdLwyHjEyzJ4QKPG5R4Un-duaBLzGQZ59qyo2gGM7HTtUzJBK-2SQAp_zsOFdT5ecagVZyiimn-5QcyuqqjtPeWiS3Vd0X-4X007f67vHOUUV88qY5Eak8ixYPU7s?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)  
![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe7oJGbeznsib0P17T-JZSS6bFWGqiYQ4ZBHOCvm6vWskbz7AjYV6ExX6W2XJ6pFi3YU-HLRQnEdUlCKe9FF8jGhf4jdYVkm1sHusOimhEeXuBVSrC0Hzs2xIv6LwArpJdv1PktOQ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Login (if necessary)

If you are already logged in to a Google application, you can skip this step.

If not, when you go to [https://drive.google.com](https://drive.google.com/) it will take you to Google’s login screen

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf8TJlYx_X8kPx51cDUbCQKfnzlYwTsNApVPtoYdcbrKNwmJZF_vEjSO9Rm9sWYeajiilDkxE8oXhUuW4Ioc_izmT0sSv-auyzZEumOZMtzlOgNZXkyNL_DirCSnmimlGcNL-ShVg?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

Log in with the account that you want to use.

### Navigate to where the file is located

Find the file in Google Drive.

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfuKmY2obbCMXECwThSvjELJmpCaP56NoqO7R6Fn_kQOHMHcQIUYr4vLmZC7W4deiznf07ydSAYaH3lXCmLh5S1YDpzu2yZ9ZFOGnbJN7yHyhLRqWEwKhGXsnjRMgRXi96wRd7A5Q?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Click on More Actions (3 vertical dots on the right)

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfPqJ85SP-9RmNk5A5uS6B89s8CXUgy31l4PUKGG0ExTpVuwgMIAol8KHvns5_KXlwTQ9TFq0iudbmm1Yyqn19v0VfNVKQlNOdolUDBntrqoUVp4zmjGaywQbpIfsR1M_j2_E7q8A?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

This will open a new menu.![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd4--sQyFQBe3Q5uc3gkrG8J3AZLzwuA7ob1NKSLJTxlFA95MJk2-cbnd54---dJU7AWy72FjS3OEKVg6EEKc8aN7aULsPfchu0tLg_N-u8NLrIhKN0oUnAfowBAiiJXjTYt2Hh5w?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Select Share

This will open a new menu.![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfoZQwKx-D_pIi0dUGtKGMEv7Jcvfpe8_NoZY4v1hkSfO_N7MeiqRt1HrSPAKsGNwSw2r01HhkEZ4yiMXlt-6n0NaJw8SB-isf-3PGBlCBknn3agPb_jn4MgpKnmGEdY_ey6xCOeA?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Select Share

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf_xnV7sHdIj6Wlbh_4uWp1NGKCdRiJ2LmRpDremgKrGItnIrmx1QtwSL4TVtrU3HfRvPJlf-DL3SKid-nXfzo0ZZNOzXWzlQoXDfc4KcwU9ICgokD3K3njsELxuCtsgM8zMjUo?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

This will open the Share window.![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeuGnYudd_mHEmGNrImGZFenX216cxaHMSxaqRa1PIxnmpaz0MHcqHvo7_-b8Dj7u29m8_DcZqUvrxPslhOvlR4xDYc67kLpg-Tg3NNa9W5r4ch-YGPzc0-IfJTcCEAPKrRJ_q7rA?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Add a person, group, or calendar event that you want to share the file with

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfXF6I2q8pE3in1Hb3qjM2eiTXr8GqjbXitak8oGSZFIlwFwJIYgAwEE7SH8RI5jZmc54CzWx_hQENejOxCIpQw9lER6GRSaxmzcpbtqkilvZNhvC0hkZh9tACvzuW_2_TxCszgrQ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Select their level of access

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfX70ysYA-ttB1PEaKum9myW4kfU1znJpiUsDRWtl1df_IhhoZZIVkOdeDqRcPnxkb4EenTWcObqVP-Yz8kzezb80Np1k8TMrW4fjxDS3FKvnqknMOQm_BSmCQFVK3aDw1OsGmVJg?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

Here’s a breakdown of access levels:

| Are they able to | **Viewer** | **Commenter** | **Editor** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **View** | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Download** | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Copy** | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Comment** | No | Yes | Yes |
| **Share** | No | No | Yes |
| **Edit** | No | No | Yes |
| **Delete** | No | No | No |

### Send them an optional notification email if you want

#### If you want to send an email notification

- Keep “Notify people” checked
- Write out your message
- Click Send

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfy3KMLm_Ml-VnAJPmQ-831jVAEYNzAhocicI_Cdqwn6F_VMinhHfdzYi38YjTVcuHk7JBvzy36TIQ_DwpsgQfEwoRpEdcIDNzziYLHbGpb8f-X0_EreSBXAbhiYHD-34Lg1QcJ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

#### If you do not want to send an email notification

- Uncheck “Notify people”
- Click Share

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe_5I78gZEFNW2lhqMjtgiabdgh4rSd_d7din1hIB76VXioLLbPaAaFjhUWkRtA50VMPhfHMCOALqqehDuH58nzxDypxfjNqRFLiiiE-UjrR9fCUA2oXhfLpqiTISz0ffG3z3cJTQ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

### Verify the new access by going back to the share window and making sure the new name is listed

Follow the same steps to bring up the share window:![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfUs7v7gScDOTLXIBOkRK1kEncfLsfuG7Y8pn-DpqF4oPzfMz1O7IH6RhtLMO8SLVku7nZioR6FW8SjaJ8-jQPXDFvAxYNhZ75EshNNVu8BuqjZLrZAcscj_IbfhSIx69lfDfkbMQ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

## Notes

- There are a few other ways to get to the share window 
    - Click on the file and press **Ctrl + Alt + A**
    - Click on the file and click on the share icon![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcpCHvD86rvuJAJjy89RdXW2hFN0J_9ZGEF6oLlcvHNtmFKo-J5zYaTx83ulNkygoPfhDvRcDR728-4OSEpdLNhkoqXvOwFzCojBYQqG3mFRl2ehJgPR41OZyQfHyHHKkD0pjkPGQ?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

- - With certain types of files open, there may be a Share window in the upper right corner (i.e., Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, etc.)![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfsL_971Tfhimtz53IxPAL6LIYV2hz2OGC4X21rNNJl4RpdO-t7QaC6vBqAAkhVgJqjR8KfCTM1FvFxOF1lPtl2PTaq1bcurFs9Pp2bHspTq7DilzhbYUMNZ2CvCl9LFSgASKa7?key=HJ-H_CQ5EDsJMqLs5HFRqbbF)

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