For the longest time, web-based text processors weren’t primary work and education options but Google Docs changed the narrative. Millions of users write, edit, and share important documents online and store them in the cloud. Many of them are wondering if they can make a Google Doc view only so no collaborator (or themselves) can make any changes. We made sure to answer the question below.
How do I protect a Google Doc from editing?
This question gets two answers — one if you’re the one who’s accessing the document and the other if you share the document and it’s accessed by others. You can protect a Google Doc from editing it yourself on your PC as it’s already View Only on smartphone apps.
On Android and iOS, Google Docs are always View Only unless you tap the Edit button (pencil icon). This is different on PC where you need to choose the mode from View > Mode. Just select Viewing and you are good to go.
On the other hand, if you are sharing the document and don’t want your collaborators to change anything, you can do that in the sharing menu. There’s an option to choose between Commenter, Editor, and Viewer. As the description implies, Commenters can only leave comments on the document, Viewers are limited to only viewing it, and Editors have the same permission as you do.
Here’s how to protect a shared Google Doc from editing by others on your Android:
- Open the document.
- Tap on the Share button at the top right corner and choose with whom you want to share it.
- By default, the collaborator role is Editor. Tap on it and change it to Viewer.
The procedure is similar on your PC. Once you click File > Share and choose the collaborator, you get to choose the level of permission they have.
You can always revoke access and change permissions in the Share menu in each document. And, that should do it. Thank you for reading and we hope that this article answered your questions. In case you have something to add to the conversation, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
