Overview
This guide explains how you can identify the owner of a Google Drive file or folder that was shared with you. This is useful for planning ahead and preserving files before a file owner leaves. You must follow this guide before the file owner leaves: once they leave, their Google account is disabled and their files become inaccessible.
What happens to Google Drive files when the owner leaves USC?
Once an individual leaves USC, their Google account is disabled and their files become inaccessible:
- Faculty and staff: Google account is disabled as soon as they leave.
- Student: Date that Google account is disabled depends on their reason for leaving the University (refer to the ITS page: Google Changes—Students).
What happens to Google Drive files when the owner remains at USC but their affiliation or status changes?
- File owner is changing affiliation to another USC unit: No change to Google account or file access. However, DTS still recommends saving or transferring file ownership.
- File owner is changing status to emeriti or affiliate (iVIP): Google account is disabled and files are inaccessible.
Identifying the owner of a shared file
Quick guide
- Go to https://usc.edu/googledrive.
- In the left menu, click Shared with me.
- The list of files and folders shared with you by others appears.
To view the owner of a shared file:
- Right-click the file, and select File information > Details.
- A pane opens on the right. Scroll down to the Owner field to identify the file owner.
- If there is no Owner field and the name in the Shared by column is University of Southern California, the file is located in a Google shared Drive and is not tied to an individual's Google account.
To search for all files shared by a specific person:
- At the top, click People and type the person's name.
- Select the person and then select Owner.
- The list of files and folders shared with you and owned by the person appears.
Detailed guide (with screenshots)
- Go to https://usc.edu/googledrive.
- In the left menu, click Shared with me.
- The list of files and folders shared with you by others appears.
To view the owner of a shared file:
- Right-click the file, and select File information > Details.
- A pane opens on the right. Scroll down to the Owner field to identify the file owner.
- If there is no Owner field and the name in the Shared by column is University of Southern California, the file is located in a Google shared Drive and is not tied to an individual's Google account.
To search for all files shared by a specific person:
- At the top, click People and type the person's name.
- Select the person and then select Owner.
- The list of files and folders shared with you and owned by the person appears.
Saving a shared file
Option 1: Download or make a copy of the file
Right-click the file and select an option:
-
Download: This option saves a copy of the file to your Downloads folder. If the file is in a native Google format (such as Google Docs or Sheets), it is converted to a Microsoft format. Some formats, such as Google Forms, do not have a download option.
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Make a copy: This option creates a copy of the file in your Google Drive. The copy is not shared with anyone and is not linked to the original file (any changes made to the original file will not affect your copy).
- No option to download or copy: If you do not see these options, the file owner has disabled them and you must contact the file owner directly.
Option 2: Ask the owner to transfer file ownership to you
The file owner can also transfer the file to you. This has some benefits such as retaining the file's version history. To transfer a file, the owner can follow our guide: Using Google Drive > Transfer files to a colleague.
Contributor: Brandon Chau.