How to Share Google Docs

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

This article has been viewed 201,944 times.

Google Docs is a powerful online word processor that makes it easy to share and collaborate with others. You have a wide variety of sharing options that allow you to set specific sharing permissions for those you give access. You can also share your document with anyone on the web, allowing for true global collaboration. This wikiHow teaches you how to share a Google Document from your computer, phone, or tablet.

Sharing with Specific People on a Computer

• To access the file in your Google Drive, go to https://drive.google.com in a web browser. If you're not signed in to your Google account, sign in, and then click the file to open it.
• To open the file from Google Docs, go to https://docs.google.com in a web browser, sign in to your Google account if you aren't logged in, and then click the file to open it.

Click the blue Share button. This button is at the top-right corner of Google Docs. [2] X Research source

• If you have a group set up in your Google Contacts, you can type the group's name to share with the group.
• If the recipient is not a Google Docs user, they will be invited to create a free account before accessing the document.

• Choose Editor if you want to give full editing access to the people you share with.
• Choose Viewer if you just want the people you share with to be able to see, but not modify or delete, the document.
• Choose Commenter if you don't want the person or people you share with to make changes to the file, but you want them to be able to view and leave comments.
• Click the gear at the upper-right corner to set more advanced settings, including whether you want to allow editors to change permissions and share with others, and/or allow viewers and commenters to download, print, and copy the document.

• If you choose to notify people, you can type a message into the "Message" box to explain the document or provide further info.

• If you chose the Notify option, the recipient will receive an email containing a link to the document.

Sharing a Link on a Computer

• To access the file in your Google Drive, go to https://drive.google.com in a web browser. If you're not signed in to your Google account, sign in, and then click the file to open it.
• To open the file from Google Docs, go to https://docs.google.com in a web browser, sign in to your Google account if you aren't logged in, and then click the file to open it.

Click the blue Share button. This button is at the top-right corner of Google Docs. [4] X Research source

• Anyone with the link means that anyone who you send the link (or who gets the link from anyone else) can view the document. If you choose this option, you can select a permissions level from the second drop-down menu:
  • Choose Editor if you want to give full editing access to anyone with the link.
  • Choose Viewer if you just want people with the link to be able to see, but not modify, the document.
  • Choose Commenter if you don't want people with the link to make changes, but do want them to be able to leave comments.

  

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  \n"> Click Copy link . It's next to the link itself. This copes the link to your computer's clipboard.

  

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  Paste the link into an email, message, or document. When you're ready to share the link with someone, you can right-click the typing area of any message, post, or document and select Paste to enter the link.

  Advertisement Method 3 of 4:

  Sharing with Specific People on a Phone or Tablet

  

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  Open the Google Docs app on your phone or tablet. It's the icon of a blue sheet of paper with white print.

  

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  \n"> Tap the document you want to share. This opens the document for editing.

  

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  Tap the sharing icon. It's the outline of a person with a plus sign in the upper-right area of the screen.

  

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  • If you have a group set up in your Google Contacts, you can type the group's name to share with the group.
  • If the recipient is not a Google Docs user, they will be invited to create a free account before accessing the document.

  

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  \n">
  • Tap Editor if you want to give full editing access to the people you share with.
  • Tap Viewer if you just want the people you share with to be able to see, but not modify or delete, the document.
  • Tap Commenter if you don't want the person or people you share with to make changes to the file, but you want them to be able to view and leave comments.

  

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  \n">
  • If you don't want the recipients to receive a notification email, tap the three dots at the top-right corner and select Skip sending notifications.

  

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  Tap the send button. It's the paper airplane at the bottom-right corner. The document is now shared with person or people you entered. [7] X Research source

  Advertisement Method 4 of 4:

  Sharing a Link on a Phone or Tablet

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n">

  Open the Google Docs app on your phone or tablet. It's the icon of a blue sheet of paper with white print.

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n"> Tap the document you want to share. This opens the document for editing.

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n">

  Tap the sharing icon. It's the outline of a person with a plus sign in the upper-right area of the screen. [8] X Research source

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n">

  Tap the Link icon. This icon is a circle containing two overlapping silhouettes of peoples' heads and shoulders. This opens the "Who has access" menu.

  

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  • Restricted means that only people you've shared the document with can use this link to view it.
  • Viewer means that anyone with the link can view but not modify the document.
  • Editor means that anyone with the link can modify or delete the document.
  • Commenter allows anyone with the link to view and comment on the document, but not make any changes.

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n">

  Tap Copy link . It's at the bottom of the menu. This copes the link to your phone or tablet's clipboard. [10] X Research source

  

  Fair Use (screenshot)
  \n">

  Paste the link into an email, message, or document. When you're ready to share the link with someone, tap-and-hold the typing area where you want to insert the link, and then select Paste.

  Advertisement

  Community Q&A

  When I share a document, does it only share that one document? Community Answer

  Yes, you must set permissions on each document to allow it to be seen and/or edited by others. Sharing a document does not change personal permissions on any other documents.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Where is the saved doc stored? Community Answer

  If you are looking for the document you shared from your account, it doesn't move. It stays in your Google Drive. If you are looking for a document someone shared with you, then go into Google Drive and click on the side "Shared with Me".

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  When a document is shared with me to edit, will I have to reshare it back with them or will they automatically see the edits?

  Top Answerer Google Documents that are shared to you to edit will allow owners to see current edits.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Advertisement

  You may not be able to share documents that you are not the owner of. Your permissions are set by the original owner of the document.

  These sharing steps work for other types of Google Drive files as well, such as Sheets and Slides. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Please provide your name and last initial Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

  

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  Overlay Pictures in Google Docs Advertisement References
  1. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
  2. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
  3. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494893?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
  4. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
  5. ↑https://www.hampshire.edu/it/user-support/software-and-hardware/software/software-tutorials-and-tips/google-workspace/tips
  6. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid#zippy=%2Cshare-with-specific-people
  7. ↑https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2494822?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid#zippy=%2Cshare-with-specific-people
  8. ↑https://www.hampshire.edu/it/user-support/software-and-hardware/software/software-tutorials-and-tips/google-workspace/tips
  9. ↑https://www.hampshire.edu/it/user-support/software-and-hardware/software/software-tutorials-and-tips/google-workspace/tips

  About This Article

  Written by: wikiHow Technology Writer

  This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 201,944 times.

  How helpful is this? Co-authors: 9 Updated: March 27, 2024 Views: 201,944 Categories: Featured Articles | Google Docs

  1. Go to https://docs.google.com.
  2. Click a document.
  3. Click Share.
  4. Enter an email address.
  5. Select a permission.
  6. Click Send.
  

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  Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Written by: wikiHow Technology Writer Click a star to vote % of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 9 Updated: March 27, 2024 Views: 201,944

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