How to Share Entire Google Drive with Another Account: 5 Ways
Google Drive is a file storage service that belongs to Google, through which files can be saved and stored in the cloud, allowing access from anywhere around the world for an individual or organisation. Additionally, you can enable other users to view your set of files by either sending them the link or granting access to all files, folders and pictures.
How Do I Share My Entire Google Drive?
If you have a Google Drive account for your business and a personal Google Drive account, you might be interested in sharing the entire contents of your business account with your personal account. How can anyone achieve this differently? What are the benefits or drawbacks?
This how-to guide will demonstrate the quick steps required to share your entire Google Drive with another Google account in various methods.
Why You Want To Share Your Entire Google Drive?
- Centralised Access: If you have multiple accounts, sharing your drive lets you access all your files in one place.
- Seamless Collaboration: For large projects with numerous files, sharing your drive eliminates the need for constant syncing or sending attachments.
- Easy Migration: Moving your files to a new account or service is simplified when everything is shared.
- Backup Solution: Sharing your drive is a backup in case your primary account faces issues.
Method 1: How Do I Share Entire Google Drive With Another Account?
To share your entire Google Drive with another account, you need to follow these steps:
1. Log in to the Google Drive account that you want to share.
2. Using the left sidebar, click on My Drive.
2. Press the Ctrl+A (or Command+A on Mac) buttons to select your drive’s files and folders.
4. In the table of the selected items, right-click on them and Choose the Share button.
5. Again click on the Share Button
6. In the “Share with people and groups” window, type down the email address of an account you would like to share this document.
7. Ensure the Editor’s permission is selected.
8. Click ‘Send‘ or click the prompt to indicate that that sending is complete.
Following these steps, you have effectively shared your drive’s contents with the other account. However, this doesn’t mean the different account has full access to your drive. Individuals with whom you have shared specific files and folders can access only those items.
If you add new files or folders to your Drive later, they won't automatically be shared. However, if you share a folder and subsequently add new files to that folder, those new files will indeed be accessible to the individuals with whom you have shared the folder.
Method 2: How Do I Share Everything Via Shared Folder
This method involves creating a shared folder within your Drive and adding all your existing files. This approach offers more control over specific file permissions within your shared space.
1. Open Google Drive.
2. Click “New” in the top left corner
3. Choose “New Folder” from the menu.
4. Give your folder a descriptive name like “Shared Folder.“
5. Right-click on the Shared Folder and select Share in the pop-up menu.
6. Again Click on the Share button
7. Type the email address of the account you want to share this folder.
8. Choose the desired permission: Editor or Viewer.
9. Click “Send.” will send the invitation to the receipt email account.
10. Drag and drop existing files from your Drive into the shared folder.
Creating a shared folder gives you more control over specific file permissions within your shared space. This method is advantageous when you want to share everything systematically and have flexibility in managing access to your files.
Method 3: How Do I Share File-by-File in Google Drive
Using this method, one can send single files or folders, dividing the access level for other users. It is perfect for scenarios where you must give varying access to several individuals.
1. Open Google Drive and Locate the folder or files that you wish to share.
2. Right click on the selected folder and select Share button.
3. Again select Share button
4. Type the email address of the account you want to share.
5. Select the editor permission or any other as per your choice.
6. Click “Send.” It will send an email notification and give access to the files.
This method allows you to selectively share individual files or folders, allowing for precise control over access levels. This is ideal for scenarios where varying access levels must be granted to different individuals.
Method 4: How Do I Share the Entire Account with the Shared Drive
This method gives the other account full editing privileges on your Drive, letting them add, edit, and delete files as if they were their own.
1. Open Google Drive in any web browser.
2. Right-click on the “Shared Drives” icon on the left side.
3. Give your shared drive a Name something like SEO Team
4. Click on the Manage Members.
5. Types the email address of the account you want to share this drive.
6. Set the permission to Content Manage or as required.
7. Click on the Send button.
8. Review the altert and click on Share anyway button
9. Now you can start place the files and folder in side this Shared Drive and access with your another gmail account.
Shared Drive is a feature specific to Google Workspace. Shared Drives allow teams to easily store, search, and access their files anywhere, from any device. Note that your organisation needs Business Standard or higher to use admin security, sharing, and user settings for Shared Drives.
Method 5: How Do I Share the Entire Google Drive with Third-Party Tools
While Google does not officially allow directly sharing or syncing your entire Google Drive account with another account, a few third-party tools can help you achieve a similar outcome:
- CloudHQ: This popular tool facilitates data migration and syncing between various cloud storage platforms, including Google Drive. You can use CloudHQ to set up one-way or two-way syncs between your Google Drive and another Google Drive account. Using this for specific folders or datasets is generally recommended rather than migrating everything simultaneously.
- MultCloud: Another robust option, MultCloud, allows you to connect and manage numerous cloud storage services from a single interface. You can set up sync or transfer tasks between any connected accounts, including syncing all Google Drive accounts (one-way or two-way).
Important Considerations:
- Security: Sharing your entire Google Drive account password with any third-party tool has inherent security risks. Always choose reputable tools with solid security measures and consider alternative methods for syncing sensitive data.
- Data Transfer Limits: Many free plans on these tools have data transfer limitations. Ensure you choose a plan that accommodates the size of your Google Drive account.
- Compliance: Sharing copyrighted material or exceeding Google Drive’s storage limits through these tools might violate its terms of service. Use them responsibly and ethically.
What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Sharing Your Entire Google Drive?
Sharing your entire Google Drive with another account you own has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the conditions under which you make this setup.
Benefits:
- All your files are available in one location, and jumping from account or service is unnecessary.
- You can work with someone on a big project with many files and folders without syncing or sending attachments.
- It is also easy to migrate your files to a new account or another service provider without manually downloading and re-uploading them.
- Backing up your files in this way implies that, in case anything happens to the primary account (e.g. if it is hacked or deleted), you have a safeguard in place, including preventative measures like suspension.
Drawbacks:
- You may lose some control over your files, as the other account can view, edit, add, or delete any files or folders in your shared drive.
- You may encounter file ownership, permissions, or compatibility issues, as some files or folders may belong to different accounts or services.
- You may use up more storage space in both accounts, as sharing your entire drive means duplicating all your files and folders in both drives.
- You may compromise your privacy or security, as sharing your entire drive means exposing all your files and folders to another account.
That’s it! You have successfully shared your entire Google Drive to another Google account. Now, they can see your folders and files and edit or download them when you continue sharing. If you need to unshare the whole of your Google Drive with them, withdraw their access from folder-sharing settings. Besides, you can delete or transfer the folder from your drive if it has no new purpose.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, sharing your entire Google Drive with another account offers a convenient solution for centralising access, promoting collaboration, and serving as a backup. Whether through sharing the entire drive, creating shared folders, sharing file-by-file, or utilising third-party tools, each method has its benefits and drawbacks, requiring careful consideration of file ownership, permissions, storage space, and security.
However, it’s essential to remember the specific limitations and conditions associated with each sharing method. For instance, Shared Drives in Google Workspace provides robust collaboration features but requires an appropriate subscription. Third-party tools offer flexibility but necessitate careful consideration of security and compliance.
Regularly review sharing settings, manage permissions, and stay informed about security best practices to ensure a smooth and secure collaborative experience with your Google Drive.