How to transfer a Google Drive folder to another person

To transfer ownership of a Google Drive folder, you open the folder, right-click it, select "Share," then click the three-dot menu next to the current owner's name and choose "Make owner." The person you're transferring to must have a Google account, and they'll become the full owner — able to delete, modify, or reshare the folder and everything in it. The original owner loses ownership but can remain as an editor or viewer if the new owner grants that access.

The transfer happens instantly once you confirm it. There's no approval step or waiting period. The new owner sees the folder in their "My Drive" section immediately, and you'll see it move to their ownership in your own view.

Key Takeaways

  • The person receiving ownership must have an active Google account before you can make them owner.
  • Only the current owner can transfer ownership — you cannot transfer a folder you only have editor access to.
  • Once transferred, the new owner has complete control and can delete the folder, change permissions, or remove the previous owner entirely.
  • The transfer is permanent and immediate; there is no undo button, though the new owner can transfer it back if they choose.
  • Shared folders with multiple editors can only have one owner at a time, and transferring ownership does not affect other people's access unless the new owner changes permissions.

Step-by-step: transferring ownership on desktop

Open Google Drive in a web browser and locate the folder you want to transfer. Right-click the folder name and select "Share" from the menu. A sharing window opens showing who currently has access.

Look for the owner's name at the top of the sharing list — it will have "Owner" written next to it. Click the three-dot menu icon next to the owner's name. A dropdown appears with options including "Make owner." Click "Make owner," and Google will ask you to confirm by typing the email address of the person who should become the new owner.

Type the email address of the person you're transferring to. If they're already in the sharing list as an editor or viewer, their name will appear as a suggestion. Select their name or finish typing their full email address. Click "Make owner" to confirm. The transfer completes immediately.

Step-by-step: transferring ownership on mobile

Open the Google Drive app on your phone or tablet and find the folder. Tap the three-dot menu next to the folder name, then tap "Share." The sharing screen opens showing current access.

Tap the three-dot menu next to the owner's name. Select "Make owner." A text field appears where you enter the email address of the new owner. Type their email and tap "Make owner" to confirm. The transfer happens immediately, and you'll see the ownership change reflected in the sharing list.

What happens to the original owner after transfer

Once you transfer ownership, you are no longer the owner. You become whatever access level the new owner assigns to you — usually editor or viewer. The new owner can see that you were the previous owner, but they control whether you keep any access at all.

If the new owner removes you from the sharing list, you lose all access to the folder and its contents. You cannot undo this yourself. If you need to keep working with the folder, discuss access with the new owner before transferring ownership, or ask them to keep you as an editor after the transfer.

Transferring ownership of folders with many files or subfolders

Google Drive transfers the entire folder structure when you change ownership — all files inside, all subfolders, and all nested content move to the new owner's account. You don't need to do anything separately for individual files. The transfer is one action that covers everything.

However, if the folder is very large (thousands of files or many levels of subfolders), the sharing permissions may take a few minutes to fully update across Google's servers. During this time, the new owner might see the folder but not be able to open it immediately. Wait a few minutes and refresh the page if this happens.

Transferring ownership when the recipient doesn't have a Google account yet

The person you're transferring to must have a Google account before you can make them owner. If they don't have one, they need to create one first — either a personal Gmail account or a Google Workspace account through their employer.

Once they have an account, you can proceed with the transfer using their email address. If you try to transfer to an email address that isn't connected to a Google account, the system will reject it and ask you to enter a valid Google account email.

Transferring ownership in Google Workspace (business accounts)

The process is the same for Google Workspace folders as for personal Google Drive folders. Right-click the folder, select "Share," find the owner's name, click the three-dot menu, and select "Make owner." The new owner must be another user in your Workspace domain or an external person with a Google account.

In Workspace, your administrator may have set policies that restrict who can be made owner of shared folders. If you see an error message when trying to transfer ownership, contact your Workspace administrator — they may need to adjust your organization's sharing settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer ownership of a folder I don't own but have editor access to?

No. Only the current owner can transfer ownership. If you have editor access but are not the owner, you cannot make anyone else the owner. You would need to ask the current owner to transfer it.

What if I transfer ownership by mistake?

The transfer is permanent and immediate. There is no undo button. However, the new owner can transfer ownership back to you if you ask them to. Contact the new owner and request that they make you owner again using the same process.

Does transferring ownership affect other people's access to the folder?

No. Everyone who had access before the transfer keeps the same access level after the transfer. Transferring ownership only changes who controls the folder — it does not automatically remove or change permissions for other editors or viewers.

Can multiple people own the same Google Drive folder?

No. A Google Drive folder can have only one owner at a time. If you need multiple people to have full control, the owner can give them editor access, which allows them to modify and share files, but only the owner can delete the entire folder or transfer ownership.

Will the new owner see the folder's history and comments?

Yes. All file history, version history, and comments stay with the folder when ownership transfers. The new owner can see everything that was there before, including who made changes and when.