Google Drive is a great tool for a variety of collaborative projects as it allows people to view, download, and edit files directly. It ensures everyone has the most up-to-date version of a file without having to download it onto your computer, edit it, then send around updated copies.
You can create and organize word documents, spreadsheets, and slideshows as well as upload photos and audio and video files.
Here’s what you need to know about sharing files on Google Drive.
How to share a file on Google Drive from a computer
1. On your internet browser, go to Google Drive.
2. Drag and drop the file directly into your Drive.
3. Once the upload is complete, open the file.
4. Click the icon with three dots arranged vertically, then click “Share.”
5. Type in the names or groups you’d like to share the file with. Tap “Done” and the recipients will receive an email with a link directing them to the file.
6. Alternatively, you can get a link to share with collaborators (to include in an email, text, or Chat, for example) in the “Get link” section.
Choose which option you want (Restricted, Anyone with the link) then click “Copy link.” For “Anyone with the link,” you can further specify if those that follow the link can view, comment, or edit the file.
7. If you have multiple files to share, you can drop an entire folder into Google Drive or create a folder in Google Drive, drop the files into the folder, and share the entire folder by right clicking on it and clicking “Share.” More details on folder permissions and what they entail can be found on this Google Drive Help page.