Transfer Google Drive Files to Another Account

Learn how to transfer Google Drive files from account to another. You can transfer both files you own and files that have been shared with you without having to download and upload any files. Google Drive files can be transferred using file permissions and simple copy and paste methods but the process is different depending on whether or not you own the file in question.
📋 Table of Contents
Intro: 0:00
2 Types of Files to Transfer: 00:30
Preparing “My Drive” Files for Transfer: 00:53
Transferring Ownership of Files: 01:55
Removing Permissions from Old Account: 02:58
The Challenge of Transferring Shared Files: 03:37
Fasest Method to Transfer Shared Files: 04:56
Recap of All Transfer Methods: 06:45
Outro: 07:39
🔗 Links Mentioned:
Google Drive:
drive.google.com
🧩 Related Content:
Google Drive Tutorials by AnsonAlex.com:
• Google Drive Tutorials...
💻 More Tips and Tutorials
AnsonAlex.com
📚 LinkedIn Learning Courses
/ anson-alexander
🔎 Request a Tutorial
forms.gle/sciVnK4tHno7sCcGA
☎️ Get in Contact with Me
/ ansonalexander
/ ansonalex
🎥 Behind the Scenes
/ ansonalex.c0m

[@elianecoelhozavala1805]

Thank you! I really appreciate your expertise. I did organized my files before the transfer, it took forever, 10 years of lessons. The transfer went easy after organizing the files.

[@SoniaTurner-rv9gx]

I was able to transfer documents away from my organization by tweaking a little bit your instructions. I had lots of folders inside of folders. So I went to my Drive and created a folder that I named 0 so that it would appear on top of all my folders. Then, I put all my folders in it. Once I had everything in only one folder (with folders inside) I shared that folder with my private Google account. Then I went to my private account and opened that folder. I created a new folder inside of this "0" folder and I named it 00. Then, since now I'm the owner of this new folder I dragged all the folders in "0" to "00" and I became the owner of all the folders and files in there. I right clicked on "00" and it gave me the option to "Organize". There I got the option to "Move" this folder to My Drive in my personal account.

[@atore]

Very interesting, Do you think you could share a short video capture of this? Or would you be willing to quickly help do it. This Google process is such a mess :(

[@globalcast]

Thank you so much. You are the first person who made this easy and did not instuct me to download everthing.

[@nicholasblock4469]

Unfortunately transferring ownership wasn't an option for me. "Sorry, cannot transfer ownership to xxx. Ownership can only be transferred to another user in the same organization as the current owner."

[@mi.canal.314]

Yes, same problem to me, that's a pity that it's not working from another user out of the organization

[@ShaBafana]

same here 🙁 I think it's Google's way of locking us in such that we are pretty much left with 2 options: painfully download & reupload - or simply upgrade for more space in current account.

[@stacysample5023]

uggg same here. boo... I guess thats what happens when your org has its own network

[@seandgruber]

The first example was exactly what I needed! Was trying to avoid copying since it adds “Copy of …” to all the file names. Thank you!

[@JeanMcElvain]

Thank you for repeating process quick time at end of video! Very helpful

[@StephenWong14]

The problem is that only the ownership of the main folder is transferred, but not the sub-folders and the files inside. I'm still looking for the method to transfer every file in a folder.

[@RafaelMarcosAderaldo]

Did you find a solution? I have the same problem!

[@gmikecarpenter]

The folder transferred ownership but none of the dozens of SUBfolders and and the thousands of files in the SUBfolders are still owned by the original account. Is that fixable?

[@kaylanek1]

Thank you SO much!

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@Mind-Epoch]

2:45 The 'Transfer Ownership' option does not appear but instead shows 'Add Expiry' - any suggestions??

[@iperky]

thanks! great guide

[@Serahan8828]

Youre my lifesaver thanks

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome, glad to help!

[@dungeonmasterelite2]

Great video!

[@tuckwahchin876]

yout are so great your explaination is so great

[@AnsonAlexander]

Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@occasionalreadr]

Hi, does this work for transferring a live Google site (from one super admin level employee to another super admin level employee)? The employee who created the site is leaving and wants to transfer the site out of their drive before they go but keep editing permission for a while. Will the site remain active during the change or need to be republished? Do the photos on the site get automatically transferred with it? Thanks. Your video is really helpful.

[@user-iv2ol5cp9u]

Thanks sir

[@SBESMartin]

Is there an easy way to put individual google slides into one folder and then transfer to a new drive? Do you have to click on each slide and move them one at a time into a folder?

[@raoufelhennawy700]

Thank you, really helped (Y)

[@melissachakra]

The owner transfer of the folder works but then all its contents are still owned by the previous account. Anyway to manage this

[@williammckeown2977]

same issue with me

[@PHCR809]

Hey Great video! However, I'd like to know if the method you're describing is used in the process of the whole organization migration. Lots of people are talking about Shared drives but I cannot find them neither in my Google Admin console, nor in Google Drive.

[@Eric-gg5op]

Was there an answer for this?

[@davidwitkowski7756]

This method does not work. It only seems to transfer ownership of the folder but none of the subfolders or files within the folder. Is this fixable?

[@Electric_Overland]

I agree!! ugh

[@BoltRM]

Thanks!!

[@AnsonAlexander]

You're welcome!

[@kathyholistic]

Hello! I tried this.. I tried to transfer a file from a gmail, to another gmail account which has my personal website as the @... it did not let me transfer because it said 'files can only be transferred between accounts from the same organisation' how do I get around this? Thank you!

[@GergelyVertes]

what happens if the folder is in a business accound and despite I am the admin I cant allow the ownership beyond the organization?

[@gabbytaylor7301]

I did this but now it says Account B is the owner of the folder, but Account A is still the owner of the files. Help please!

[@KamalDev]

it is the same issue that I am facing. I transferred the ownership of the folder with 1000 photos. To my surprose, I am still the owner of the photos. Can't multi-select the photos and the change the ownership. This is so messy. Anyone? @ansonalexander

[@nampita]

Thanks

[@ReadingLA]

How do you transfer files outside your own organization? I will be retiring from my position and need to know how to clean up my drive.

[@tcob32]

Great video! Is there a way to transfer files from GDrive to an external hard drive?

[@AnsonAlexander]

Yes, you can download files and entire folders right within Google Drive or your entire Google Drive using Google Takeout. When you choose a place to save them, just choose the external hard drive.

[@louisissalty6214]

you can also just download all the files and make a map on your new account and save them there, afther you have done that you can delete the files on your old account

[@user-ku6oc3cc5t]

does transferring ownership free you up with drive space? i tried it and the available space doesn't seem to be affected at all for both new owner and old owner of the files though the size of all the files are significantly large

[@AnsonAlexander]

That is a very good question. As far as I know, if they are one of the Google type of documents, the space they take up should shift immediately to the new owner's account. If they are not Google type documents, they must be shared and then a copy made on the new account or download and reuploaded. There is a thread with some more info on this here: support.google.com/drive/thread/49419963/transferring-ownership-of-files-and-folders-and-storage-space?hl=en

[@globalcast]

oh sad. the is what I was trying to avoid @@AnsonAlexander

[@globalcast]

So actually I was led to false hope but I still need to do the frustration process of downloading hundreds of files to get them out of my first Google Drive @@AnsonAlexander

[@CardNox]

It works, but it only transfers ownership for the main folder, all subfolders remain with the original owner. I have hunderds of folders, I assumed it would transfer ownership of all subfolders as well but it doesn't...Any tips? EDIT: nevermind, it needed a few minutes to set all permissions correctly I guess. Seems ok now. Major thanks! EDIT2: nopes, was on for a few folders. 30 min later still not everything has been transferred properly... :(

[@Electric_Overland]

same here, waste of time and now a mess

[@CardNox]

@@Electric_Overland I read it might take some time. It's been a month and it still hasn't changed. I want to delete the other account since I'm paying 5 euro per month for that but I'm a bit reluctant.

[@KamalDev]

Google drive functions seem so primitive. I am trying to transfer the ownership of 1000 pictures in a folder. I transferred the Folder ownership thinking it would change the ownership for the 1000 photos but so annoying to know that only the ownership of the folder has changed!🙃 Unable to multi-select the photos and change the ownership. I can only transfer ownership one photo/file at a time This is so unlike Google. Let me know if I am missing something over here or that is how Google plans to keep charging us for the storage that we want to free up. Thanks

[@Electric_Overland]

It has been several months for me. It is not going to work @@CardNox

[@stanleyrhee407]

so if i transfer OWNERSHIP from gmail account A to gmail account B - can i delete all of the transferred files in Gmail A? i need to do that for more space in Gmail A account. 😢

[@user-pz2hv5hf2o]

The size of transferred files will be subtracted from account A and added to account B. Files, shared with account A does not take space from it.

[@anmol.khandelwal_]

Best

[@garycalahan5176]

What is the purpose, logic or reason to transfer from Google Drive? I have been paying for Google Drive monthly for years. Do I have to pay additionally for the new account?

[@AnsonAlexander]

Well, there are quite a few scenarios where you may want to transfer files but a primary one, is when employees leave a company, they may have files in their accounts that need to be kept. Instead of keeping a bunch of old employee accounts around, you can transfer the files to a current employee's account. Google Drive is free up to 15GB so, if you're paying, you're probably paying for extra storage. You can have as many free Google Drive accounts as you'd like. You just have to create a Google account for each one.

[@garycalahan5176]

@@AnsonAlexander Thank you. So, if I am okay with my 200 gig account there is no need to worry?

[@BoltRM]

I have several free accounts. One is my main, one is my social media, one is _throwaway_ , but each has the 15GB storage I use.

[@AnsonAlexander]

Yes, no need to worry, this is just for those who are looking to transfer files for one reason or another. Thanks for watching!

[@kennyjohngrustan2715]

Education accounts are the concern

[@jaguarazul]

[@luckyspetfriends5588]

i have a problem with your way of explaining in half and im sure that im not the only one. Why didn't you complete transferring folder from one to other drive. Accepting ownership blabla, wasnt logical to just do it and show how to finalize and get all files correctly to a new drive? what you know is not what everyone else knows and you should make the step by step from the beginning to the end. your unfinished explanation is more confusing that helping out. For example, lets say transfer is complete, and we have access to them in the new drive. can i delete the old files on the first drive to make space? Does transfering means that the data are all gone to the new drive and my old drive now have free space? you dindt touch any of these scenarios. not a good teacher.