Public links, versions and the trash

Public links

When you need to share with many people, or with someone who is not in your workspace, you can create a link. In Share, find Anyone with the link and turn it on. A link opens the item for viewing only, with no sign-in.

Before you copy it, consider the options:

• Password (optional): visitors must enter it once to open the link.
• Expires (optional): the link stops working at a date and time you choose.
• Turn off downloading, printing and copying: viewers can read but not download, print or copy, where their browser allows this to be enforced.

Choose Copy public link to copy it. To stop sharing, choose Turn off, and the link stops working immediately.

If you share a link inside your company instead, Copy link gives a link that only works for people who already have access.

Tip: For anything sensitive, share with named people rather than a public link. A link works for whoever holds it.

Version history

Drive keeps older versions of files. Select a file, right-click it (or open its menu) and choose Versions. The dialog "Versions of" the file lists each version with its size, who saved it and when. You can:

• Restore an earlier version, which makes it the current one.
• Upload a new version (editors only) to replace the file while keeping the old one in history.

Use Upload a new version instead of uploading a file with the same name. Everyone with the link keeps the same address, and nothing is lost.

Docs and Sheets have their own Version history panel too, opened from the toolbar, with Restore this version.

Moving and organising

Choose Move to relocate items between your space and team folders. Use Star for things you open daily. The breadcrumb path at the top shows where you are, and you can click a parent folder to go back up.

Trash

Deleting sends an item to Trash. In Trash, select an item and choose Restore to put it back, Delete forever to remove it now, or Empty trash to clear everything. Items left in the trash are deleted for good after 30 days.

Request a signature

For a PDF file, the right-click menu has Request signatures, which takes you to the Sign app to ask others to sign it.

Good habits

• Name files clearly and keep them in folders.
• Prefer team folders for shared work.
• Add a password and an expiry to any public link.
• Check General access every time you share to be sure it says what you expect.