Google Shared Drives: when some files shouldn't be edited

Google Shared Drives are designed for collaboration and file retention. When members of a Shared Drive are a Contributor or Content manager, they can create, edit, and organize files freely and it reinforces the idea that the work belongs to the team, not an individual. A common challenge with shared drives is when most files should be editable, but a few files should not be changed at all. 

In Google Shared Drives, you cannot set different permissions on files or folders. Permissions are applied at the entire Shared Drive level, not at the folder or file level. That means:

• You cannot make a single file read-only
• You cannot make a folder read-only
• Everyone's role applies to everything in that Shared Drive

Here are two ways to handle this situation.

Option 1: Use a separate shared drive for read-only content

This option keeps permissions consistent and prevents accidental edits.

• Shared Drive A: Collaborative work that allows editing (contributors / content managers)
• Shared Drive B: Reference files (viewers for most people)

You can then:

• Link to files in the read-only Shared Drive from the collaborative one (create a shortcut)
• Label the read-only Shared Drive as Reference Only or Final Documents

Option 2: Rely on version history

This option requires monitoring and should be used when the risk is low and expectations are clear to members of the shared drive.

Version history can undo mistakes, but:

• It doesn't prevent edits
• It requires someone to notice the problem
• It's not appropriate for critical files

You can:

• Use clear file names like "Reference Only" or "Do not edit"
• Be explicit about where final documents should live

In Google Shared Drives, you can't protect individual files with unique permissions. If you need different permission levels, create another Shared Drive. Learn more about Google Shared Drives.