Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To stop sharing a Google Doc, open its Share dialog and either remove a named person or change General access to Restricted. Those actions affect different kinds of access: restricting a link does not remove named collaborators, and access inherited from a parent folder may need to be changed on that folder.
Remove one person from a Google Doc
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In Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, or Slides, open or select the file and click Share.
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Find the person in the sharing list and open the dropdown beside their name.
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Choose Remove access, then save the change.
If the person’s permission comes from a shared parent folder, Google may direct you to manage access on that folder instead. Google explains these controls in its sharing and access help for computers.
Turn off access for anyone with the link
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Open the file’s Share dialog.
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Under General access, choose Restricted.
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Click Done.
This removes the broad audience granted by the link. It does not remove access separately granted to named people, so review the collaborator list as well if you want only a specific set of people to retain access. Google describes Restricted as allowing only people who already have access to open the file in its computer sharing instructions.
Share the file again
Give access to specific people
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Open Share and enter the recipient’s email address.
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Choose the least-permissive role that fits the task: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.
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Send or share the invitation.
Restore link sharing
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In the sharing dialog, change General access from Restricted to Anyone with the link, if that option is available.
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Select the role the link audience should have, copy the link, and click Done.
Work or school account administrators can limit external sharing, so the link option or ability to share with someone outside the organization may not be available. See Google’s computer instructions for sharing files from Drive.
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If someone can still open the file
Check the parent folder
Permissions on a shared folder can be inherited by files inside it. If you removed a person from the file or restricted general access but they still have access through the folder, review and change the folder’s sharing settings.
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Check whether the file is published to the web
Publishing a document to the web is separate from ordinary sharing. If it was published, use the document’s publishing controls to stop publishing; changing the usual sharing settings alone is not the same action. Google covers this distinction in its sharing help.
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Check your permission to change access
If you do not see the removal or sharing controls, you may not have the required permission. Google identifies the owner and people with edit access as able to change sharing permissions; ask the owner or an authorized editor to make the change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use the Drive app on Android
On Android, open the file’s Manage access panel in Google Drive. From there, remove a person or change general access to Restricted. The app’s controls differ from the desktop sharing dialog; Google’s sharing help includes Android guidance.
What stopping sharing cannot do
Removing access controls who can open the file through Google’s sharing permissions, but it cannot retrieve copies someone has already made or prevent them from sharing the content in other ways. Google lets owners limit in-product downloading, printing, and copying for some roles, but those settings are not a guarantee against redistribution. See Google’s Drive sharing guidance.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Deleting a file is not a reliable substitute for changing access. Google notes that if you delete a file you do not own, it is removed from your Drive but other collaborators may still be able to access it.
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