Your cloud storage files and photos might not be private – here's how to check

Being able to upload your files to a cloud storage service is undeniably convenient. However, without the correct permissions in place, your files and personal information could end up exposed to people you never intended.

Files that you upload to the cloud can be accessed across all of your devices, and you’re free to create sharing links if you need to collaborate with colleagues or share with loved ones. It's crucial, however, that you configure your files so only the right people can see them.

Below, we explain in simple terms how to check your sharing settings. That way, you can guarantee that your personal files stay private and secure.

Jump to: Google Drive | Google Photos | iCloud Drive | iCloud Photos | Microsoft OneDrive

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Google Drive

From your computer, follow these steps to check your Google Drive sharing settings:

1. Open Google Drive by going to drive.google.com (sign in to your account if you aren't already logged in).
2. On the left-hand side, select My Drive to be presented with an overview of your files and folders.
3. Choose a file and on the right-hand side, click the three vertical dots, then File information > Details.
4. You can see who is able to view this file under the Who has access heading.
5. To adjust the permissions of a file or folder and to see who has access, select Manage access.

In the People with access box that appears, pay attention to the People with access heading and the associated emails beneath it. If you see an email you don't recognise, or one that you don't want to remain on the list, select the dropdown next to that email address and choose Remove access. Note that you can only do this if you are the owner of the file.

You should also check the General access section underneath. If it says Anyone with the link, that means anyone who gets hold of the link can open the file, even if you didn’t send it to them directly.

On a phone, try this: Open the Drive app, tab the Files tab, select the three dots on a file or folder and choose Manage access

Google Photos

In Google Photos, sharing and permissions are album-based - so you need to check who has access to your albums. From your computer, follow these steps to check your Google Photos sharing settings:

1. Open Google Photos by heading to photos.google.com (sign in to your account if you aren't already logged in).
2. Under the Collections menu on the left-hand side, select Albums.
3. You will see an overview of the photo albums you've created. Any that have been sent to another person will be tagged with Shared. If you don't see that tag, the album is private to you.
4. For albums that do have the Shared tag, click on them and select the three dots icon, then Options.
5. Under People, you will see a list of contacts that the album is shared with. You can select Remove person if needed.

From the same options menu, check Link Sharing. If this is enabled, anybody with the link to your album can see what's inside. For personal or sensitive albums, it’s safer to turn off link sharing and stick to named people only.

On a phone, try this: Open the Google Photos app, then head to Collections > Albums. Albums that other people can see are labelled as Shared. Tap a shared album and select Settings to configure it.

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iCloud Drive

From your Mac, follow these steps to check your iCloud Drive sharing settings:

1. Open iCloud Drive by heading to icloud.com/iclouddrive and sign in to your account if you aren't already logged in.
2. On the left-hand side, choose Shared to see which files have been sent to others.
3. To update the permissions for a file or folder,  click it once, then choose Manage Shared File in the top-right corner.
4. Now, you will see a list of email addresses that have access to the file. To remove a contact, click the three dots next to their name, then choose Remove Access. You can also choose Share Options > Stop Sharing to remove everybody in one go if the list is big.

While in the permissions editing screen, you can select the Share Options dropdown to see your settings for that file or album. Next to the Who can access text, you can choose Only people you invite or Anyone with the link.

Pay attention to the box that says Anyone can add people, too – if this is ticked, your personal documents could spread wider than intended.

On a phone, try this: Open the Files app and choose iCloud Drive > Shared. Tap and hold on a file, then choose Manage Shared File.

Scam alert: watch out for emails claiming your iCloud storage is full

 iCloud Photos

In iCloud Photos, sharing works through albums rather than individual photos. From your computer, follow these steps to check your iCloud Photos sharing settings:

1. Open iCloud Photos by heading to icloud.com/photos and sign in to your account if you aren't already logged in.
2. On the left-hand side, choose Shared Albums to see which images other people have access to. If this section is empty, all of your albums are private to you.
3. If you do have a shared album, hover over it, select the three dots and then choose Manage Sharing.
4. Within this menu, you will see a list of people who can view the album. Tap the minus icon next to a name to remove them, or choose Delete Shared Album to revoke access for all.

Within the Manage Sharing screen, be cautious with the Public Website option. Once enabled, the album can be viewed by anyone who gets the link, even if you didn’t share it directly.

On a phone, try this: Open the Photos app and go to the Albums tab, then Shared Albums. Tap a shared album, then tap the people icon to see who has access.

Microsoft OneDrive

From your computer, follow these steps to check your OneDrive sharing settings:

1. Open OneDrive by heading to onedrive.live.com (sign in to your account if you aren't already logged in).
2. Select Shared on the left-hand side of the window, then By you – this displays documents, pictures and videos that other people have access to.
3. Choose a single file or folder, hover over it, select the three dots and choose Manage access.
4. Take a moment to check the contact names and email addresses listed within People, Groups and Links. If you see an address you no longer want to have access to your file, click the X button.

On a phone, try this: Open the OneDrive app and tap My files. Browse your files and look for an icon featuring two people – that means the file is shared. Tap the three dots, then Share to access settings.

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