Share a file with the right access
Choose recipients and permissions, test the link and know how to remove access later.
Follow the method ↓
The answer in 30 seconds
A sharing link is convenient, but a viewer, commenter and editor can do different things. Folder permissions and organisation settings may also affect the result.
Decide who needs the file and what they must do with it, give the narrowest suitable permission, test with the intended recipient and note where access can be changed or revoked.
Examples to adapt
Give a named colleague comment access if feedback is needed but editing the original is not.
Check whether anyone with the link may view it and whether personal details are present.
Review old collaborators and public links, then remove access that is no longer needed.
Prepare a transfer
How long will your file take to upload?
Enter the total file size and available upload speed. The tool estimates a theoretical minimum at constant speed; it does not measure your connection.
Network conditions, other traffic and the service may extend the transfer. Local calculation, with no file upload, network test or saved values.
Follow the method
- 1Check the file
Remove details the recipient should not receive and verify you selected the current version.
- 2Choose recipients
Prefer named people or a defined group when a public link is unnecessary.
- 3Set a role
Give view, comment or edit access according to the work the recipient must perform.
- 4Test access
Open the link from the recipient's perspective or ask them to confirm it works without exposing more than intended.
- 5Review and revoke
Find the sharing settings again after the task and remove unneeded people or broad link access.
Workshop: test the link as its recipient
Create a test file, share it with the narrowest useful permission and open the link while signed out. Check whether the recipient can view, comment, edit or reshare, then revoke access after the trial.
An 'anyone with the link' setting can spread beyond the intended group. For sensitive files, prefer named recipients and inspect expiry, copying and download permissions.
A closer look
Estimate the scale of an upload
Theoretical exercise: a 100 MB file contains 800 megabits using decimal units. Minimum duration equals size in megabits divided by upload speed in Mbit/s.
| Upload speed | Calculation | Theoretical minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Mbit/s | 100 × 8 ÷ 5 | 160 seconds, or 2 min 40 s |
| 20 Mbit/s | 100 × 8 ÷ 20 | 40 seconds |
| 100 Mbit/s | 100 × 8 ÷ 100 | 8 seconds |
This assumes a constant speed fully available to the file. Protocol overhead, competing traffic, interruptions and service processing are excluded. Download speed alone cannot determine upload time.
Does a completed upload guarantee recipient access?
Uploading and permissions are separate checks. Verify the authorised account, viewing or editing role and link expiry. Test with the recipient or an authorised test account before treating sharing as successful.
A checklist to keep
Use these checks to record what you found. The grid supports a decision; it does not make one for you.
| Check | What to examine | Action |
|---|---|---|
| File | Correct version and no unnecessary details | Check |
| Audience | Named people, group or anyone with link | Choose |
| Role | View, comment or edit | Limit |
| Test | Can the intended person open it? | Confirm |
| Review | Where will access be removed? | Record |
Read the checklist directly in the table.
What to check
Sharing a folder can grant access to files inside it.
An editor may be able to change more than the document text, depending on the service's settings.
A link sent privately can still be forwarded if access is set to anyone with the link.
Common questions
Should everyone get edit access?
No. Use the least powerful role that lets each person complete the task.
Does deleting the message revoke access?
Usually the file's sharing settings control access. Review or remove permission there rather than assuming the message is the only copy of the link.
Sources and documentation
Documentation consulted on . Examples are illustrative; interfaces and results may change.