Want to share a Google Drive file or folder with a password?
One of Google ‘s most used services is Drive . By default, this is the platform that most Internet users use to store all their files in the cloud and access them .
Given that one of the most useful features of Google Drive is sharing files and folders , the doubt of many users lies in the possibility of protecting these documents . Luckily, there is a way to do it with a password.
Although Drive does not have this native option to protect items with a password , the truth is that it does not require third-party apps. The trick is to create a link and protect it with a certain password . Here are more details about it.
Benefits of putting a password on your Google Drive files
Google Drive, the technological giant’s file hosting service, is a platform that offers the possibility of storing all kinds of elements (photos, videos, music, documents, etc.) with ease. In terms of security, it is identified as an excellent service, since the uploaded files are stored in secure data centers and the company is responsible for keeping them private at all times, unless you share them with other users.
However, the fact of protecting the files of your Drive by means of a password is advantageous. Since, it consists of a method that helps you increase security and privacy as a user on this platform . With this, there is less chance that the hosted data will fall into the hands of malicious third parties, as it works as an extra layer of security.
Now, specifically, we present to you the main pros of using a password in your Google Drive files:
- Increases confidentiality: The fact of protecting the files with a password is ideal to prevent them from being read or modified by anyone. As your confidentiality increases, it will also prevent third parties from accessing the information contained in Drive.
- Minimizes the risks of losing information: Another highly relevant benefit is that it is ideal for reducing the danger of information leakage or loss of your own data, which can be seen or used against you, without prior authorization.
- Prevent files from being copied or duplicated: With this added layer of security, it is almost impossible for your documents or files to be duplicated or copied. Therefore, there is no danger that your most sensitive information will be usurped by a person for malicious purposes, against your identity.
- Ideal to choose who can see the hosted content: It is also an advantageous method to choose who can see, or not, the information stored in your Google Drive account. So, with your permission, another Internet user has the possibility of viewing what they need within the platform, only at the time you determine.
- It is a free trick and easy to implement: Because the option is contained within the Google service, there is no need to install third-party applications or have to pay to share folders and files with a password. In addition, it does not present any difficulties, even for less experienced users.
Learn how to share files with a password on Google Drive
Do not look any further! The procedure that we explain below is the most effective solution to protect your information stored in Drive and share files previously protected with a password to other users .
Here, all the steps to complete:
Create link to share
Although, at the beginning of the post, we indicated that this method is based on using a Google Drive link and then protecting it with a certain key . So, the first thing to do is create this link that you will share with all the people you select .
Here is the procedure to follow:
- Go to your Drive and find the file or folderyou want to share.
- After locating the element in question, right click on it and in the list of options that appear, click on “Get link”.
- Once the pop-up window that says “Send X’s link”appears , scroll to the bottom and select the “Copy link” option . Automatically, the message “Copied link” will appear .
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Put a password on the file or folder
The next step is to raise the security level of the link you have saved. This trick has more ingenuity than it seems, since it is a tactic to share the first link through a different link .
Without further ado, here’s what to do:
- Once the above is done, proceed to create a new Google Form in Drive. To do so, right-click and choose the “Google Forms” option .
- In the new tab, specify a title and description for the form. Also, by the first question, you signal that you must figure out a password. In Answer mode, click on “Short Answer” and at the bottom, mark the question as required by activating the “Required” tab . Apart, click on the three vertical points and select “Validation of answers” .
- Now, new options will be enabled below the first question, that is, the one you added. In the first menu, click on “Text”(so the answer to guess will be a specific text). Next, type the password to access the link , in the field that says “Text” from the side. Optionally, in the “Custom error text” field , you can write a message that you want to appear when the person fails.
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- In the Settings section,you can adjust various aspects. In this step, the most important thing is to click on the “Presentation” option , click on “Edit” in the Confirmation message field and enter the link of the document or folder to protect . After doing so, click on “Save” .
- Next, go to the upper right cornerand click on the three vertical dots , to click on “Get pre-filled link” . This will allow you to create another link to share the form and thus provide the first link confidentially.
- Finally, you will be redirected to a new tab and in it, you have to click on the “Get link” buttonto share it with whoever you want, through a more secure method than usual.
From this method, if other users type the password correctly, they will receive the link to the folder or document automatically . This is a similar mechanic to password protecting the folder itself. However, it’s not entirely foolproof, so don’t trust it completely and continue to implement your own security measures.
