Share Google Drive Folders Safely (Expirations, View-Only, Shared Drives)

Why “anyone with the link” is risky

Public links get forwarded and scraped. If you need accountability and quick offboarding, share to specific people with the least privilege and a built-in expiration.

Safe sharing patterns (works today)

• Share to specific people (emails) — avoid “anyone with the link.”
• Use expirations on files for outside collaborators (set a date when their access ends).
• Prefer view-only permission; for Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, also disable download/print/copy for reviewers.
• Use Shared Drives for team work — remove people from the drive to revoke access across all contained files.

Minimal, safe workflow

1. Create a project folder (Shared Drive if possible). Place only what the partner needs.
2. Share files to named people with Viewer access and set access expiration on the most sensitive files.
3. For deliverables, prefer a one-time, expiring link to an exported copy and send the access code via a different channel. How-to: The Safe Way to Share Passwords in 2025 (No Email).
4. Turn off chat link previews when pasting protected links. Guide: Prevent Accidental Link Previews (Stop Unfurls).

Common mistakes (and fixes)

• Folder shared publicly → Switch to specific people; audit sub-items for inherited public links.
• Raw exports with metadata → Strip EXIF/author, or export clean PDFs. Tips: Share Sensitive Photos & Documents Safely and Redact Sensitive Info in Screenshots and PDFs.
• Long-lived partner access → Add a calendar reminder to review/remove access after the project ends.

Useful external references

• Google Drive: Share files & folders 🔗
• Set file access expiration 🔗
• Shared Drives overview (Workspace) 🔗

Related reading

Calendar privacy when scheduling handoffs: Share Calendar Availability Without Leaking Details

Deliver downloads safely (one-time links): Send Encrypted Archives Safely

Bottom line

Share to named people, set expirations, keep it view-only, and use short-lived delivery for final files. That’s Drive sharing without surprises.

Secure One-Time Messages - Send confidential messages that self-destruct after being read once. Your privacy is our priority. →.