Transfer Google File Ownership

Before you transfer ownership

• You can only transfer ownership to someone you shared the file or folder with. Learn how to share files from Google Drive.

• When you make someone else the owner of a folder, you still own the files inside. Learn how to share folders in Google Drive.

• If you transfer ownership of a lot of files and folders at once, it may take some time for you to see the changes.

• To transfer all your Google Drive files and folders to another account, you can download your Google data.

If you use your Google Account for work or school

• You can only transfer ownership of files and folders to someone in your organization.

• The transfer doesn’t require the new owner to accept.

After you transfer ownership

When you make someone else the owner of a file, you won’t be able to:

• Transfer ownership, even back to yourself.
• Permanently delete the file from Google Drive.

Change owners in Google Drive

Important: You can transfer ownership of a file to someone you previously shared the file with. Learn more about sharing files from Google Drive.

1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
2. Find the file you want to transfer then right-click.
3. Click Share > click Share
4. Next to the recipients name, click the Down arrow Transfer ownership.

Change owners in a Docs, Sheets, or Slides file

Important: You can transfer ownership of a file to someone you previously shared the file with. Learn more about sharing files from Google Drive. 

To transfer file ownership in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides:

1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
2. Open a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file.
3. At the upper right corner, click Share.
4. Next to the recipients name, click the Down arrow, Transfer ownership.

Cancel a transfer

Important: You can't cancel a transfer after the new owner accepts the request. 

To cancel file ownership transfer in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides:

1. On your computer, open a file.
2. At the upper right corner, click Share.
3. Next to the recipients name, click the Down arrow, Cancel ownership transfer.

Important:

• You remain the file owner until the pending owner accepts your request. After the transfer, you can edit the file until your permissions change.
• You can’t transfer a file from your personal Google account to someone with a work or school account.
• If you send an ownership transfer request to a personal account and that account becomes a work or school account, the pending owner can’t accept the request.
• If you send an ownership transfer request and your personal account becomes a work or school account, the pending owner can’t accept the request.
• You can cancel the request.
• The pending owner can decline the request.
• When you transfer ownership of a file, it's no longer in My Drive and doesn't count towards your storage. It'll count towards the storage of the new owner.