Sharing Google Drive Files in Google Sites

Issue/Question

Why do people accessing my Google Drive files shared on Google Sites have "you need access" permissions issues?

Environment

Cause

Permissions can be set on both Google Sites (which shares with organization members automatically) and on Google Drive. When embedding or linking files from Google Drive into Google Sites, the permissions from Google Drive are in effect which are likely different than your Google Site permission settings.

Resolution

Set Permissions and Get Link

  1. Log into Google Drive.
  2. Right-click file needing permissions.
  3. Select Get Link.
    Note: If Restricted is displayed, click the drop-down and select either: Western Kentucky University or Anyone With The Link.
  4. Click Copy Link.
  5. Click Done.
  6. Proceed to Embed (for presentations or videos) section or Link (for documents or spreadsheets) section below.

Embed

Google Drive files can be embedded as interactive objects (recommended for video and presentation files).

  1. Log into Google Sites.
  2. Navigate to Insert panel on the right.
  3. Click Drive.
  4. Click Search Icon .
  5. Type file name in search box.
  6. Click the desired file.
  7. Click Insert in the lower right.

Link

  1. Log into Google Sites.
  2. Navigate to Insert panel.
  3. Click Text Box.
  4. Click Insert Link () above text box.
  5. Type desired text for the link in the Text field.
  6. Paste (either right-click and select Paste or press Command (⌘) + V (Mac) / CTRL + V (PC)) the Google Drive link (from Set Permissions and Get Link above) into the Link field.
  7. Click Apply.
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