How to Share Photos and Videos on Google Drive

Being the default cloud storage app on Android, Google Drive is the most popular cloud service among consumers. Even though there are many Google Drive sharing features present in the Google Photos app, some still prefer Google Drive for sending photos and videos. Here’s how to share photos and videos using Google Drive desktop and mobile apps.

It’s all about comfort and adaptability. Thanks to its popularity and wide adoption, you are more likely to find others with a valid Gmail / Google ID. This makes sharing on Google Drive more seamless than ever.

Google Drive mobile apps

First, we will explain how to share photos and videos on Google Drive using mobile apps. Since Android and iOS have the same Google Drive UI, you can use Steps on any platform to get things done.

Upload photos and videos to Google Drive

Before you start sharing files, you must first upload photos and videos to the appropriate folder in the Google Drive app.

In the example below, we are using the Google Drive iOS app.

Step 1: Open the Google Drive app on the iPhone.

2nd step: Tap the + icon at the bottom and select Folder.

Step 3: Give it a relevant name and press the Create button.

Step 4: As for the customization, you can tap on the three dot menu next to the folder name and change the folder color from the default gray to any color (24 color options to choose from).

Step 5: Open the newly created folder and tap the + icon, then select Download.

Step 6: Select Photos & Videos, give the appropriate permission to access all media files on the phone, and open the photo library menu.

Step 7: Select the photos and video you want to share and hit the Upload button at the top.

Step 8: Depending on your internet speed, Google Drive will download the media in the original format without any compression.

You can also directly open the Photos app on iPhone or Android. Select the photos and videos you want to send and use the share menu to upload them to the Google Drive folder for the destination.

Once the media files are uploaded to the Google Drive folder, they are ready to be shared with friends and family.

Share the Google Drive folder

There are two ways to share the Google Drive folder. You can either generate a shareable link or add members directly. Here’s how to share the Google Drive folder.

Step 1: Open the Google Drive app and navigate to the folder.

2nd step: Tap the three-dot menu and select Share.

Step 3: Add other users’ Google Account IDs to join the case and start making changes. Or you can select the Copy link and directly share the folder invite link through any social media channel.

At any time, you can access the “Manage people and links” option and remove people from it or change the link settings from “Restricted to anyone with the link”.

With the Restricted option, only added people can access and view the media files in the folder. The “Anyone with the link” option opens three other permissions.

Viewer: Others with the link can only see the contents of the folder.

Commentator: Those who have the Drive link can leave a comment on their comments.

Editor: This gives anyone with the link complete freedom to make changes to the content. They can upload, edit and even delete photos and videos from the folder. Be careful when using the Editor permission.

It all depends on your use case. If you are planning to share photos and videos using Google Drive on the web for a large community, then Anyone with the link option will be appropriate for you.

Those who wish to share photos and videos with a specific group of people should stick to the Limit option.

Google Drive Web

You can also share photos and videos using the Google Drive web. It is convenient for those who have photos and videos saved on their PC.

Step 1: Go to Google Drive on the web and sign in using Google Account credentials.

2nd step: Click the New button on the left side and create a new folder that you want to share.

Step 3: Give it a relevant name, change the folder color and you’re ready to upload photos and videos to it.

Step 4: Access media files stored on the computer. Select these photos and drag them to the Google Drive folder on the web.

Step 5: Once they’re uploaded to the folder, you can go back to Google Drive home.

Step 6: Select the folder you want to share and click the Generate link or the Share button at the top.

The sharing options are similar to the ones we discussed for the Google Drive mobile app.

Enjoy smooth media sharing with Google Drive

We know how Google Photos beats Google Drive with partner sharing and better social integration like Likes and Comments. But the latter also has advantages. With Google Drive, you have more control over how you want to share photos and videos with others.

As for the future, we would like to see expiration links and password protection links in Google Drive for better security and privacy.