Google Drive: Share Google Files as Templates or View Only

By Anonymous -
I've learned a lot lately about what can and can't be done with a Google doc to manage what happens when I share it with other people. In most instances, I use the built in sharing settings when I want to collaborate or convert my docs to PDF and share that so that my original can't be changed by anyone. Recently, I found that this was not the only way to do this and really it probably wasn't the most convenient way to share my documents.

I've tried publishing my Google docs, but have found mixed success with the formatting. It seems that publishing works best with Google Slides, but other file types are not as friendly. To get around these hurdles, adjusting the URL can be a really useful way to  make your work or your students' work available.

Required Settings
Be sure to set either the global sharing settings or the individual sharing settings to the desired access level before proceeding.

To do this on any document type: 
  1. Click on the blue Share button  
  2. Adjust the global settings from the Link Sharing section or Click on Advanced
  3. Select the desired global share settings or add people to the list with the correct access level (for this purpose, you may not want to send an email notification upon sharing)


 Sharing the File as a Template
This will be used when you want to share a file to someone else as a template and force them to make a copy of the file before using it. Be sure to remember that any changes you make to the master document will not have an effect on their version once they make a copy.


  1. Start by grabbing the file URL to share (you can find this in the omnibox in Chrome - also called the address bar in other web browsers - copy this link. 
  2. Paste it into the email message that you would like to send or create a hyperlink on your website, depending on how you plan to share this link with others. Before you send it, find in the URL where it says “edit” and replace that with “copy”. This will tell Google to force the end user to make a copy of the file before being able to view it or use it.
  3. Send that message or save your link and you’re good to go!


Sharing the File as View Only
Sometimes, we would like to be able to restrict the ability for anyone to make a copy of a file that we are working on. If this is the case, you can use the same ideas as above with a quick modification and give someone just a preview of your file. This is good when making newsletters for parents, assignment pages, or even help guides.

To do this, follow the same steps as above, but instead change “edit” to “preview” and send or create a hyperlink on your website.


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