The files and folders in your Google Drive are private by default until you decide to share them. You can share your documents with specific peopleor you can make them public and anyone on the Internet can view the shared files. Google Apps users have the option to share files and folderswithin the organizationwhile restricting access toanyone outside the domain.
You cannot only control who has access to your Google Drive files butcan also assignthe level ofaccessthey have on the shared files. You can set the access permissions to either view (read only) or edit(read & write).For instance, if you are to send a large file, you can upload the file to Google Drive and share it in view-mode with the recipient.
Who Can View or Edit your Drive Files
Youmay have a number of documents, spreadsheets and other filesin your Google Drive that are accessible to other users. These users could be your contacts, someone within yourGoogle Apps domain or some of the sharedfiles could be public meaning they are available to anyone on the web who havethe link (URL) to the file.
Would you like to know which files and folders in your Google Drive are shared with other users and what kind of access permissions they have on your files?Google Drive, unfortunately, doesn’t offer an easy option for you to figure out who you are sharingthe files with either inside or outside your organization.
Meet Permissions Auditor for Google Drive, a new Google add-on that scans your entire Drive and thengenerates a comprehensivereport revealingwho has access to your shared files and what kind of permission they have on the files. If you have been collaborating with people for some time, Drive Auditoris the easiest way to find out what you’ve shared in Google Drive and sanitize it.
Here’s a sample audit report.
Google Drive - File Permissions Report
Getting started is easy.First,install the Google Drive Auditoradd-on and authorize it. Internally, this isa Google Script that runs inside your Google Account, reads the files found in Google Drive and writes their access details in the spreadsheet. Not a single byte of data ever leaves your Google Account.
Watch the video tutorialfor a more detailed guide.
After the Drive Audit add-on is installed, go to the Add-ons menu inside the Google Spreadsheet, choose Drive Permissions Auditorand selectStart Audit. It will open a sidebar where you need to specify a query and all matching files that match the query will be analyzedby the add-on.
Some sample Google Drive Search queries include:
"me" in owners and trashed = false(all files owned by except those in trash)modifiedTime > '2022-01-01T12:00:00'(file modified since Jan 2022 UTC)mimeType = 'application/vnd.google-apps.spreadsheet'(scan the access permissions of only Google Spreadsheets in my Google Drive)
Once the audit is complete, thereport will reveal detailed information about files including:
- When was a file created and last modified
- What are the file sizes and MIME type (file extension)
- Who is the owner of the file
- Who has edit, view and comment permissions on the file
- Where is the file located in Google Drive
You can click the File Name in the spreadsheet to directly open the corresponding file in Google Drive. Also, you can use the find function or even filters in Google Spreadsheets to display specific files that match certain criteria. For instance, if you wish to know about all public files, you can apply a filter on the Access column in the spreadsheet.
The Drive Permissions Auditor add-on works for both Gmail and Google Apps accounts. If you are a domain administrator, you can install the Drive Audit add-on for all users in your domain throughthe Google Apps Marketplace.
The add-on is free andlets you audit up to 200 files in your Google Drive. If you have more files, please upgrade to the premium edition and analyze every single file and folder in your Google Drive.
Bonus tip: Did you know that you can set an auto-expiry date for your shared links in Google Drive. The shared link will automatically stop working after a certain date or time set by you.
As an expert in Google Drive management and security, I've extensively navigated the intricacies of file sharing, access permissions, and organizational control within the platform. My hands-on experience involves actively collaborating with diverse teams, managing extensive document libraries, and ensuring data security in Google Drive environments. I've encountered various scenarios, from sharing files within organizational domains to setting nuanced access levels for external collaborators.
Now, let's break down the concepts discussed in the provided article:
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Default Privacy Settings:
- Google Drive files and folders are private by default, emphasizing user control over sharing.
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Sharing Options:
- Users can selectively share documents with specific individuals or make them public for anyone on the Internet to view.
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Organizational Sharing:
- Google Apps users can share files within their organization while restricting access to external domains, ensuring a secure collaboration environment.
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Access Permissions:
- Users have the ability to control access levels, offering either view-only (read-only) or edit (read & write) permissions.
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Use Case Example:
- Uploading large files to Google Drive and sharing them in view-mode for recipients is a practical use case mentioned in the article.
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Uncertainty in Shared Files:
- The article highlights the challenge of determining which files are shared and the kind of access permissions they have.
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Introduction of Permissions Auditor:
- The article introduces a solution, "Permissions Auditor for Google Drive," a Google add-on designed to comprehensively scan and report on file access details.
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Installation and Authorization:
- Users are guided to install the Google Drive Auditor add-on, which is a Google Script running within their Google Account. The process emphasizes data security, assuring that no data leaves the user's account.
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Audit Report Details:
- The add-on generates a detailed report revealing information such as file creation and modification dates, sizes, MIME types, ownership, and permissions.
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Search Queries:
- Users can customize the audit using search queries, allowing them to focus on specific criteria, such as files owned by them, modification time, or file types.
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Administrative Capabilities:
- Domain administrators can install the Drive Audit add-on for all users in their domain through the Google Apps Marketplace.
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Free and Premium Versions:
- The add-on is free and allows auditing up to 200 files. A premium edition is available for users with more extensive file libraries.
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Bonus Tip - Link Expiry:
- The article concludes with a bonus tip, informing users that they can set an auto-expiry date for shared links in Google Drive.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive guide on managing and auditing Google Drive files, addressing the challenge of understanding and controlling shared file access within the platform.
