Google Drive: Making a copy
Someone just shared a Google Apps file with you. It looks great however you want to make a change? Or maybe you just want to be able to share it with your class? You must know how to make an editable copy. This is an important skill for Google Suite users. This will help you when using Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Drawings.
Basic Make a Copy
1. Look for the File menu in the upper left hand corner
2. Select “Make a copy.”
3. You will be prompted with options
- Rename the file: give the file a name that you can recognize it by. By default, it renames the file to “Copy of.”
- Location: choose the folder where your editable copy of the file will be placed within your Google Drive. Click on where it says “My Drive” and select the folder in your Google Drive that you would like to save the file to.
- Notes: You can add comments and notes to Google Docs and Google Slides. If you would like to have those copied over, then make sure to check the “Copy comments” box.
Sharing is Caring
If you want to share your Google Apps file, you have options.
1. Force Copy: Using the File menu allows people to manually create a copy (as mentioned above). However, if you want to force a copy when sharing a file you will need to modify the document URL. Your shared URL will end in "/edit". Change the ending to "/copy". This will automatically prompt the users to make a copy. This is a great way to share a single file to a large number of students all at once. They do not need to complete the steps above.
2. Disable Copies: Sometimes sharing isn't caring. You can actually disable the ability for others to make a copy. This is good if you want to provide an assignment to your students but do not want them to change anything on their own version. It is a way to limit the file to viewing only. Click on the blue share button in your Google Apps file and click on “Advanced” in the bottom right hand corner. At the bottom of the share screen are 2 check boxes. Select the option to “Disable options to download, print, and copy for commenters and viewers.” Note that you can not prevent collaborators and editors from making copies of a Google Apps file.
