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Google Drive Security Update Could Break Some of Your Files

You might want to opt for the update

By Allison Murray Allison Murray Tech News Reporter Southern Illinois University Allison reports on all things tech. She's a news junky that keeps her eye on the latest trends. Allison is a writer working out of Chicago, IL, with her only coworker: her cat Norbert. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 24, 2021 05:02PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Internet & Security Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Come September, some of your Google Drive links may become inaccessible if you don’t opt in for new security enhancements. According to a Google blog post published on Wednesday, a new security update will apply to some Google Drive files to make sharing links more secure. Google recommends all users apply the update, but ultimately is leaving the choice of what to do with the files in question up to you. Getty Images/S3studio Google said it would send out email notifications to both organizations and people with personal Google Workspace accounts next month to inform them about which files would be impacted. Users have until September 13 to decide how the update is applied to their specific files. “Once the update has been applied to a file, users who haven't viewed the file before will have to use a URL containing the resource key to gain access, and those who have viewed the file before or have direct access will not need the resource key to access the file,” Google wrote in its blog post. It’s just one of the many changes Google users have had to endure this year with their content, including new limits on Google Photos storage that took effect at the beginning of this month. "Once the update has been applied to a file, users who haven't viewed the file before will have to use a URL containing the resource key to gain access." Google now charges users for storing more than 15GB of photos. The good news is, the images you had stored before June 1 don’t count towards that 15GB cap, but if you need more storage, you’ll have to pay $1.99 a month for 100GB. At least Google is making its new Workspace features available to anyone with a Google account. Previously, you could only access certain features, such as the ability to share smart suggestions in emails or documents, if you had a monthly subscription. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is Google One? How to Unshare a Google Doc Dropbox vs. Google Drive How to Use a Chromebook Offline Patch Tuesday (Most Recent: October 11, 2022) How to Share and Collaborate With Google Drive How to Upgrade Your Router's Firmware 17 Best Free Cloud Storage Services for Backup in 2022 How to Share Folders and Collaborate Using Google Drive How to Download and Watch Google Drive Movies How to Use Google to Find Files Online How to Update Chrome on a Mac How to Open Google Docs 3 Best Free Antivirus Apps for Android Phones How to Listen to Music in a Car From a USB Flash Drive A Full Review of Google Calendar and Its Features Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies