How to delete a shared file in google drive

Apart from storing your files on Google Drive, Google Drive also offers you the option to share your files with other users online. Similarly, other users can share their files with you if they have your email ID. But what if someone has shared some files with you, and you don’t want them on your Google Drive? So the question is how to remove Shared Files from Google Drive?

Table of Contents Show

How to make someone else the owner of a file or folder?
Final Words
Why can't I delete a file in shared Google Drive?
Does removing a shared file from Google Drive Delete for everyone?

Removing shared files on Google Drive is a pretty straightforward job. But if you have never done it before, then you may not be sure what steps you should be taking.

Also, a lot of the users have different questions regarding deleting shared files or folders in Google Drive. Like if you delete a shared folder, will it get deleted for everyone? How to remove shared files from the mobile app?

In case you also have similar questions in your mind. Then let me just go ahead and guide you with every bit of information that you might need:

It is one of the common questions that many users have, and to be honest, there is no need to stress about you.

Since anything that you see in the shared with me section is just a link to the real file on the original owner’s drive. So if even if you removed shared files from your Google Drive, they would not get deleted. Or it will affect any other user who has access to the same file.

Also, even if you remove a link from the subfolder in Google Drive, you will continue to access the main folder and some subfolders in the main folder. As a result, if you remove a file shared with you, it removes it from your drive, and it will not affect the file or other users.

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In case if you are the owner of a shared file and delete the same shared document, spreadsheet, or any file that you own. Then it will get deleted from your Drive, and all the collaborators will lose their access to the file. This means they will no longer be able to work on the document or access the file.

But you can easily prevent this by making someone else the owner. So in that way, even if you delete the file, the file will still be visible and accessible to the new owner’s Drive.

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One of the best parts of Google Drive is that it comes with a Shared with me section where you can find all the files shared with you.

You can access the section by going to Google Drive and then clicking on the Shared With Me option from the sidebar.

In case if you are on mobile, then launch the Google Drive app and click on the person icon from the bottom menu.

Read: What does green checkmark mean on Google Drive?

Desktop:

Step 1: At first, go to Google Drive and sign in with your account if you haven’t done so already.

Step 2: Next, click on the Shared with me option from the sidebar.

Step 3: Over here, look for the file that you want to remove.

Step 4: Finally, right-click on the file or folder and select remove.

Also, if you wish to remove multiple files at once, then hold down CTRL from your keyboard and select all the files. And then right-click and select remove.

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Step 1: First of all, launch Google Drive app from your device.

Step 2: Then go to the shared section by tapping on the person icon.

Step 3: Next, tap on the three dots icon on the file or folder and select remove.

Also, if you want to delete multiple files at once, then you have to long-press on all the files and folders to select them, and then tap on the delete icon, and you are all done.

Sometimes even after deleting shared files from your Google drive, you would still see it. This is because when you remove shared files, it only temporarily removes the file from your view. But if you refresh the page, you will again get to see the file.

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This is another common question that many has. And the answer to this question is if you own the folder, then only you will be able to delete the folder. So in this case, the folder will get deleted for everyone. Also, if someone else has added their files to the drive, then it will also get deleted.

So if you are going to delete a shared folder, then make sure you are checking everything. Also, in case if you delete a file or folder mistakenly, then you can always restore the file or folder by going to trash.

Plus, you should also know that Google Drive keeps your deleted files and folders for 30 days in the trash. So make sure to restore the files before Google Drive permanently removes them.

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How to make someone else the owner of a file or folder?

If you are going to delete a folder or file, but before that, you want someone else to be the owner of it. Then you can follow these below steps:

Step 1: First of all, right-click on the folder or file in Google Drive.

Step 2: Then, enter the new owner’s email address and share the file with them.

Step 3: Again, right-click on the same folder or file and go to Share.

Step 4: Over here, you will find the user that you have just added. And from here, click on the drop-down menu and select Make owner.

Final Words

So that was the answer to your how to remove shared files from Google Drive question. Now go ahead and try the steps by yourself and see if they are working for you. Also, if you have any more questions to ask then do feel free to drop a comment below.

Shirley is a Content Creator. She has been in the industry for over 6 years now and has written on plathora of niches for different websites & blogs for various clients in the United States. She is here to bring you her expertise on Google Drive and help you understand more. Also, Shirley hopes to add meaning to what people read every day through her Google Drive tips and tricks.

Why can't I delete a file in shared Google Drive?

When you are sharing a file with someone on drive and you are not the owner of the file then you cant remove that file from your “Shared with me” folder. It's because you don't have the permission to do so.

Does removing a shared file from Google Drive Delete for everyone?

What happens if I delete a shared folder in Google Drive? Does it delete for everyone? ANSWER: Yes. If you delete a folder that you shared with others& you and others will lose access to it.