How to Share Google Doc as Link: Complete Sharing Guide

Need to share a Google Doc with someone? There are several ways to do it, from sending a private link to making your document publicly accessible. This guide covers all the options.

Quick Steps to Share a Google Doc

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Click Share (top-right corner)
3. Choose sharing settings
4. Copy the link
5. Share the link

Let's dive into each method in detail.

Method 1: Share with Specific People

Best for: Private documents, team collaboration

Steps:

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Click the blue Share button
3. Enter email addresses of people you want to share with
4. Choose their permission level:
   • Viewer: Can only read
   • Commenter: Can read and comment
   • Editor: Can make changes
5. Click Send

Pros:

• Most secure option
• Recipients need to sign in
• You control exactly who has access

Cons:

• Recipients need a Google account

Method 2: Share as "Anyone with the Link"

Best for: Sharing with people outside your organization

Steps:

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Click Share
3. Under "General access," click the dropdown
4. Select Anyone with the link
5. Choose permission level (Viewer/Commenter/Editor)
6. Click Copy link
7. Share the link

Pros:

• No Google account required to view
• Easy to share broadly

Cons:

• Anyone with the link can access
• Less control over who sees it

Method 3: Make Document Public

Best for: Documents you want searchable on the web

Steps:

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Click Share
3. Under "General access," select Anyone with the link
4. Click Copy link
5. Optionally, share to the web for search indexing

Warning: This makes your document findable by search engines. Only use for truly public content.

Method 4: Share as PDF (Recommended for External Sharing)

Best for: Professional documents, preserving formatting

If you want more control over your shared document, export it as a PDF first:

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Go to File > Download > PDF Document
3. Upload the PDF to LinkyHost
4. Get a shareable link with:
   • View tracking
   • Password protection
   • Expiration dates

This method is better when you:

• Don't want recipients to edit
• Need to track who views the document
• Want to protect sensitive content

Understanding Permission Levels

Permission	Can View	Can Comment	Can Edit
Viewer	✅	❌	❌
Commenter	✅	✅	❌
Editor	✅	✅	✅

Advanced Sharing Options

Prevent Viewers from Downloading

1. Click Share
2. Click the gear icon ⚙️
3. Uncheck "Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy"

Set an Expiration Date

1. Share the document
2. Click on the person's name
3. Click the dropdown arrow
4. Select Give temporary access
5. Set expiration date

Transfer Ownership

1. Share the document with the new owner
2. Give them Editor access
3. Click their name
4. Select Transfer ownership

Common Issues and Solutions

"You need permission to access this document"

• The link sharing might be turned off
• Ask the owner to share with your email
• Or ask them to enable "Anyone with the link"

Document Opens in Edit Mode When I Want View Only

• Change the link from /edit to /view
• Or reshare with Viewer permission only

Can't Find the Share Button

• Make sure you're signed into Google
• Check if you have edit access to the document
• Try refreshing the page

When to Use Google Docs vs PDF Links

Use Google Docs	Use PDF Links
Collaborative editing	Final documents
Internal team sharing	External sharing
Living documents	Professional presentations
Real-time updates	Need view tracking

Best Practices

1. Review permissions regularly - Remove access for people who no longer need it

2. Use viewer mode for sensitive docs - Prevent copying and downloading

3. Consider PDF for external sharing - More professional and trackable

4. Name documents clearly - Recipients see the title in their Drive

Convert Google Doc to Shareable Link with Tracking

For professional sharing with view tracking:

1. Export Google Doc as PDF
2. Go to LinkyHost PDF Link Generator
3. Upload your PDF
4. Get a trackable link
5. See when recipients view your document

Related Guides

• How to Upload PDF to Google Docs
• PDF to Link Complete Guide
• How to Embed PDF in Email