Google announced this week that its Drive app is getting an important update that adds the ability to restrict access to folders. Normally, Google reveals new changes to its apps when these changes are rolled out to everyone, but this seems to be an exception.
This particular update comes as a beta, but it can still be accessed by admins managing Google Drive. But what exactly this update does? According to Google, the latest version of Drive allows shared drive managers to restrict folders to specific users within a shared drive.
The new feature is meant to offer shared drive managers more flexibility when it comes to keeping relevant content within a single shared drive, while restricting access to shared folders that might contain sensitive information.
Once the update lands, admins can turn limit access to specific folders. The folders with “limited access” can only be opened by people who have been added to it directly. This means that Google Drive users with general access to the shared drive or shared folder will be able to see the restricted folder in Drive, but they will not be able to open it.
As mentioned earlier, this feature is only available in beta. However, admins who want to start using it before it reaches “stable” status, can use the form that Google made available in order to express interest in the beta.
Google says that all eligible customers will receive an email confirmation prior to the feature being enabled in their specified domain. The search giant will start accepting domains into the program in the coming weeks.
It’s also worth noting that folders with limited access are available in both shared drives and My Drive. This means that shared drive managers will always be able to access folders with limited-access, while folder owners will always be able to access limited-access folders in their My Drive.
As far as availability goes, this feature is eligible for Google Workspace customers with Business Standard / Plus, Enterprise Standard / Plus, Essentials Starter / Enterprise Essentials / Enterprise Essentials Plus, Education Fundamentals / Standard / Plus / the Teaching & Learning upgrade, and Nonprofits.
