How do I create or find the folder you want to share?

Go to drive.google.com in a web browser, or open the Google Drive app on your phone. To create a new folder, tap the "+" button and choose "New folder." Give the folder a clear name, like "Family Recipes" or "Vacation 2026." If the folder already exists, find it in your Drive.

How do I open the sharing settings?

On a computer, right-click the folder and choose "Share." On a phone, tap and hold the folder name until a menu appears, then tap "Share." A sharing panel will open.

How do I add the people you want to share with?

In the sharing panel, type the email address of the person you want to invite. Press Enter or tap Add after each address. Below the address field, there is a dropdown menu where you choose their permission level — "Viewer," "Commenter," or "Editor." Choose based on what you want them to be able to do.

How do I send the invitation?

You can type a short message in the note field (like "Here is our family photo folder — feel free to add yours!"). When you are ready, tap or click "Send." Each person will get an email with a button that takes them directly to the shared folder.

How do I manage access later?

To see who has access to a shared folder, right-click it (or tap-hold on mobile) and choose "Share" again. You will see the list of people and their permission levels. You can change someone's permissions or remove their access at any time by tapping their name and selecting a new option or "Remove access."

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Google Drive is a free cloud storage service from Google where you can save files — documents, photos, videos, and more — and access them from any device. One of its most useful features is the ability to share a folder with other people so you can all put files in the same place.

This is great for families. You can create a shared folder called "Family Photos" and invite everyone to add their pictures to it. Anyone with access can see what others have added, and everything stays organized in one location that no one needs to email back and forth.

You can choose what kind of access each person gets when you share. "Viewer" means they can only look at files, not change them. "Commenter" means they can leave notes but not edit. "Editor" means they can add, change, and delete files just like you can. For a family photo folder, "Editor" access usually makes the most sense.

Sharing works by sending an email invitation. The person you invite gets an email with a link. When they click it, they will be asked to sign in with their Google account (or create a free one), and then the shared folder appears in their Google Drive.

Files in a shared folder count against the storage limit of the person who created the folder (the owner), not the people who have access to it. Google Drive gives everyone 15 gigabytes of free storage, which holds thousands of photos and documents.

Google Drive is available in any web browser at drive.google.com, and as a free app for iPhone and Android.

How to Share a Google Drive Folder with Family or Friends

Create or find the folder you want to share

Open the sharing settings

Add the people you want to share with

Send the invitation

Manage access later

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