Can You Hide Folders in Google Drive? What You Need to Know

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Keep your files private with these simple steps
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Since your files and folders in Google Drive are protected from view by your Google account password, you don't need to hide them. However, you can prevent someone from seeing your folders and files by unsharing them. This wikiHow will teach you how to stop sharing and "hide" your files and folders in Google Drive using the web and your mobile app.

How to Hide a Google Drive Folder from Specific Users

On mobile, tap ⋮ > Manage access . Tap the users you want to hide the folder from and then tap Remove . On a computer, find the folder you want to be private, click the profile icons, and click the drop-down menu next to the person you want to remove.

Section 1 of 3:

Using the Mobile App

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  1. This app icon looks like a red, green, blue, and yellow triangle. You can find it on one of your Home screens, in the app drawer, or by searching.
  2. You'll be able to tell which folder is shared if it has multiple profile icons in the lower right corner of the folder's thumbnail. [1]
    • You can also tap the Shared tab at the bottom of your screen to filter the view to show you only folders and files that are shared with others.
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  3. 3
    Tap Manage access . It's usually the second item in the menu if you have the necessary permissions (if you don't own the folder, you'll need to have Editor-level permissions to change the sharing settings).
  4. If your folder is shared with multiple people, you'll have to repeat this process with everyone.
  5. It's next to an icon of an x and will remove that person from seeing your folder instantly. [2]
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Section 2 of 3:

Using a Web Browser

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  1. Go to drive.google.com/ . Log in if prompted. You can use any web browser to change your sharing settings to hide folders in Google Drive.
  2. The folder will load in the same tab with a list of all the files. [3]
  3. It's at the top of the folder next to "My Drive > FOLDERNAME >" and will open a sharing window.
    • Alternatively, you can right-click the folder and click Share > Share to view the sharing settings for the folder.
  4. 4
    Click the drop-down next to a name and click Remove access . If the folder is shared with multiple people, you'll need to repeat this process for everyone. [4]
  5. This will close the window and save your changes. The people you removed from the folder will no longer be able to see it. [5]
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Section 3 of 3:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    Why is there no way to hide Google Drive folders? Since Google Drive folders and files are only public if you share the link, there's no way for someone to see these files and folders otherwise. Therefore, the way to make a file or folder private again is to revoke access to that file or folder.
  2. 2
    Can I make a Google Drive file private? Yes, you can use the same sharing settings with both Google Drive folders and Google Drive files.
  3. 3
    How do I hide Google Drive in my PC's Quick Access? If you use the Google Drive for Desktop app for Windows, you might see your Google Drive synced to your computer as a virtual disk. This virtual drive can be hidden by editing the registry on your computer. [6]
    • Open RegEdit.
    • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Google\DriveFS . If these directories don't exist, you can create them.
    • Create a string key in DriveFS with the name "DefaultMountPoint".
    • Put the location you want to hide the shortcut in, such as within the Google Drive partition (i.e. C:\Users\%USERNAME%\GoogleDrive ).
    • Restart your PC.
    • If you’re using a Mac, you can hide virtual drives from your desktop or Finder sidebar:
      • Desktop: From your desktop or a Finder window, click Finder in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Settings , click the General tab, and uncheck the box next to External disks .
      • Finder sidebar: In Finder, go to Finder > Settings and select the Sidebar tab. If External disks is checked, uncheck it.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494893?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=iOS&oco=0#zippy=,stop-sharing-a-file-or-folder
      2. ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494893?co=GENIE.Platform=Android&hl=en&oco=1#zippy=,stop-sharing-a-file-or-folder
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494893?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop#zippy=,stop-sharing-a-file-or-folder
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494893?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop#zippy=,stop-sharing-a-file-or-folder
      5. ↑ https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494893?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop#zippy=,stop-sharing-a-file-or-folder
      6. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/gsuite/comments/pj0856/i_found_a_way_to_permanently_hide_google_drive/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open Google Drive.
      2. Tap the three-dot menu icon next to the shared folder you want to make private.
      3. Tap Manage people and links .
      4. Tap the users that you want to hide the folder from.
      5. Tap Remove .

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