Make someone else the owner of your file

When you send an ownership transfer request:

• The pending owner is notified by email that if they accept the transfer request, they become the file owner. Until then, you remain the owner.
• The pending owner is upgraded to an Editor, unless they’re already an Editor.
• If the pending owner accepts, you’re downgraded to Editor. The new owner can remove you.
• If the pending owner declines, you remain the owner.

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.

Change owners in a Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Vids 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, Slides, or Vids:

1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
2. Open a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Vids 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, Slides, or Vids:

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.

Accept or decline an ownership transfer request

You get an email when someone requests a file transfer. You can accept or decline the invitation. You can also search in Drive for files pending a response to an ownership transfer request.

1. Open Google Drive.
2. In the search bar at the top, enter pendingowner:me.
3. Right click the file or files you want to respond to.
4. Click Share Accept ownership? Accept or Decline.

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.