Someone requests one document, and it lives in a folder containing reservations, identity documents and receipts. Before copying the first link you see, separate the file they actually need. Good sharing begins with deciding what leaves your control and who receives it.

Confirm the file and recipient

Ask which document, pages and format are required. Verify the email address or channel with the person or organisation requesting it, particularly if the request came from a new address. Avoid adding extra personal information just in case.

If you decide to remove unnecessary details, make a copy and use an appropriate redaction tool. Drawing a rectangle over a PDF does not guarantee the underlying text is gone. Inspect the resulting file and keep the original private. If the recipient requires an intact document, agree an appropriate transmission method.

Understand the permission

Google Drive distinguishes viewer, commenter and editor roles. Someone reading a receipt generally needs viewing access. Editing permissions can allow changes and other actions you did not intend to grant. Also check whether general access is restricted or available to anyone with the link.

Inspect the parent folder too. Folder permissions can be inherited by their contents, including files added later. Do not assume an individual-file setting removes access already granted higher in the folder structure. A separate private folder may be easier to understand than a complicated hierarchy.

Test without opening access too widely

Sending a link does not establish that the recipient can open it. Check that access was granted to the right account. A private browser window can test whether the link is publicly open, but it cannot prove that a particular person has permission. Ask for receipt confirmation when the document matters.

If they see “request access”, check the account they are using first. Do not automatically make the document public to solve the problem. For work accounts, ask support about restrictions on sharing outside the organisation.

Finish the exchange properly

  • Review the filename and actual contents before sending
  • Grant the smallest permission that fulfils the request
  • Note why you shared it and with whom
  • Review or remove access when it is no longer needed

Revoking permission does not delete a copy someone has already downloaded. Consider that before sending. To prepare a readable, complete file, see our phone scanning guide. For printing, make a separate copy containing only the necessary pages.