New sharing dialog for Google Drive

The Google team announced a new dynamic for sharing files from Google Drive. A novelty that will reach G Suite users next month, and that will facilitate sharing files with users who do not have a Google account.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have different options for inviting other users to participate in editing a file. However, it is a requirement to have a Google account. This is about to change with the next update.

This is a feature that was long in beta, but will become part of the G Suite features. The dynamics is simple. If you want to invite a user without a Google account to edit a document, just send them the invitation.

Along with this invitation with permissions to edit the document, the user will see a code to verify their identity. The validity of the verification lasts about 7 days, so if you need more time to edit the document you will have to use the code again to pass the verification process.

Once you do this, you can view the document, comment, suggest changes, edit, depending on the permissions that the document owner has enabled. But as a “visitor” they will not be able to create files or folders, nor be considered to pass owner permissions.

And of course, their permissions can be revoked at any time, as happens with the rest of the collaborators that we invite to edit a file. And if you want to keep the permissions permanently, without going through a verification every 7 days, you can create a Google account. That way, you will also keep all your history on editing the file.