How to Share a Google Doc with View-Only Access

Learn how to share Google Docs securely by restricting access to View-Only mode. Prevent unauthorized edits with this precise configuration guide.

1. Open the document in your browser. Launch your preferred web browser and navigate to docs.google.com. Locate and click on the document you wish to share to open it in the editor.
2. Open the share dialog. Locate the blue Share button in the top-right corner of the interface. Click this button to open the document sharing settings window.
3. Add recipients and set permissions. In the Add people and groups field, type the email addresses of the users you wish to invite. Once added, locate the permission dropdown menu to the right of their name.
4. Select Viewer mode. Click the dropdown menu currently set to Editor. Choose Viewer from the available options to restrict the user to read-only capabilities.
5. Send the invitation. Ensure the Notify people checkbox is selected if you want to send an email invitation. Click the Send button to apply the permissions and share the link.
6. Confirm link access settings. If you prefer to share via a public link, navigate to the General access section in the Share window. Ensure the access is set to Restricted so only people with direct access can view the file.