How to transfer a Google Doc to someone else
To transfer ownership of a Google Doc, you use the Share button to change who owns the file. The person you transfer it to becomes the owner, and you can choose whether to keep editing rights, remove yourself entirely, or stay as an editor. Google Docs does not have a separate "transfer ownership" button — you change ownership through the sharing settings by giving the new owner full access and then adjusting your own role.
The process takes about two minutes and works the same way whether you are transferring to a coworker, a family member, or a colleague at another organization. The new owner can then manage who else has access and make any changes they want to the document.
Key Takeaways
- Click the Share button, enter the new owner's email address, and set their permission level to Editor to give them full control.
- After you give them Editor access, click the three-dot menu next to their name and select "Make owner" to officially transfer ownership.
- Once someone becomes the owner, you can change your own role to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor, or remove yourself from the document entirely.
- The new owner will receive a notification that they now own the document and can manage all sharing settings going forward.
- You can transfer ownership to anyone with a Google account, including people outside your organization.
Step-by-step: transferring ownership
Open the Google Doc you want to transfer. In the top right corner, click the blue Share button. A sharing panel will open on the right side of your screen.
Type the email address of the person you want to make the owner into the text field that says "Add people and groups." If they are already in your sharing list, you can skip this step. Once you type their email, Google will show you suggestions — click the correct person to add them.
Next to their name, click the dropdown menu that currently says "Editor" (or "Viewer" or "Commenter" if they already had access). Make sure it is set to Editor. This gives them the permission level needed to become an owner.
Click the three-dot menu icon that appears to the right of their name. A small menu will pop up. Click "Make owner." Google will ask you to confirm — click "Make owner" again in the confirmation box.
That person is now the owner. You will see their name listed under "Owner" at the top of the sharing panel. They will receive an email notification that they are now the owner of the document.
What to do with your own access after transferring
After you transfer ownership, you have three choices about your own role in the document. You can stay as an Editor so you can still make changes, downgrade yourself to Commenter so you can only suggest edits, or downgrade to Viewer so you can only read it. You can also remove yourself entirely by clicking the three-dot menu next to your own name and selecting "Remove."
If you remove yourself, you will no longer see the document in your Google Drive unless the new owner shares it with you again later. If you stay as an Editor or Commenter, the document will remain in your Drive and you can access it anytime.
The new owner can change your role at any time, so if you downgrade yourself to Viewer and later need to edit, you can ask them to promote you back to Editor.
Transferring ownership to someone outside your organization
If the person you want to make owner uses a personal Gmail account or works at a different company, the process is exactly the same. Type their email address into the Share field, set them to Editor, and click the three-dot menu to make them owner. They do not need to be part of your Google Workspace or organization.
The new owner will need to accept the sharing invitation in their email before they can access the document. Once they accept, they will have full ownership and can manage all sharing settings, including removing you if they choose to.
What the new owner can do
Once someone becomes the owner of a Google Doc, they have complete control. They can add or remove other people, change anyone's permission level, transfer ownership to someone else, or delete the document entirely. They can also change the document name, move it to a different folder in their Drive, or read it in other formats like Word or PDF.
As the previous owner, you no longer have the ability to change sharing settings or remove other people from the document. If you need to make changes to who has access, you will need to ask the new owner to do it.
Transferring ownership of a shared folder
If the Google Doc is inside a shared folder, you can transfer ownership of the folder itself using the same method. Click Share on the folder, find the person you want to make owner, set them to Editor, and use the three-dot menu to make them owner. When you transfer a folder, the new owner becomes owner of all the documents and subfolders inside it.
You can also transfer ownership of individual documents inside a shared folder without transferring the folder itself. The document will stay in the folder, but the new owner will have control over just that one file.
Troubleshooting common issues
If you do not see the "Make owner" option in the three-dot menu, the person may not have Editor access yet. Go back to the permission dropdown next to their name and make sure it is set to Editor, not Viewer or Commenter. Only people with Editor access can become owners.
If the person you want to transfer to does not have a Google account, they will need to create one before you can share the document with them. You can send them a link to create a free Google account at accounts.google.com, and once they have one, you can add their email to the sharing settings.
If you transferred ownership but the new owner does not see the document in their Drive, ask them to check their email for the sharing notification and click the link to accept access. Until they accept, the document will not appear in their Drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer ownership to someone who does not have a Google account?
No. The person must have a Google account (Gmail, Google Workspace, or another Google service) before you can make them owner. You can send them a link to create a free account, and once they do, you can add their email and transfer ownership.
What happens to my comments and edits after I transfer ownership?
All your comments, edits, and revision history stay in the document. The new owner can see everything you did and when you did it. Transferring ownership does not erase or hide your contribution history.
Can I transfer ownership back to myself later?
Yes, but only if the current owner makes you owner again. You cannot transfer ownership back to yourself — the owner has to do it. Ask the current owner to use the Share settings to make you owner again.
Does the new owner get notified right away?
Yes. Google sends an email notification to the new owner's email address as soon as you make them owner. They will see the notification within a few minutes, though it may take longer depending on their email settings.
What if I transfer ownership by mistake?
Ask the person you transferred it to to make you owner again using the same three-dot menu method. They can reverse the transfer when ready. If you cannot reach them, you will need to contact Google support, though they may not be able to help if the new owner is not cooperating.