---
title: "How to Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files and Grant ‘Read-Only’ Access Using GAT+ and Unlock"
description: "**Are you looking to transfer ownership of Google Drive files while ensuring the previous owner retains 'read-only' access?** [**GAT+**](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/gat-overview/) and its **File management** feature allow a domain administrator to request the change of the [Google Drive](https://accounts.google.com/AccountChooser?service=writely) files/folders. File management allows…"
url: "https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/how-to-transfer-ownership-of-google-drive-files-and-grant-read-only-access-using-gat-and-unlock/"
updated: "2024-05-27"
category: "Drive Audit & Management"
tags:
  - GAT+
---

# How to Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files and Grant ‘Read-Only’ Access Using GAT+ and Unlock

**Are you looking to transfer ownership of Google Drive files while ensuring the previous owner retains 'read-only' access?**

 [**GAT+**](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/gat-overview/) and its **File management** feature allow a domain administrator to request the change of the [Google Drive](https://accounts.google.com/AccountChooser?service=writely) files/folders.

File management allows changing the ownership of the files/folders and adding, replacing, or removing permissions: Contributors, Viewers, and Commenters.

Here are the instructions on how to change the ownership of the Drive File and assign the old owner the***Viewer*** permissions (aka 'read-only permission).

By default, the old owner receives ***Contributor*** rights, but the following steps will walk you through how to walk around it and assign ***Viewer / Reader*** rights only.

## Move the file to the new owner and deny the old owner Contributor rights

First, find and select the Drive file whose owner you want to change. Utilize the filtering options to identify the file quickly.

Next, select the file in question (1) and navigate to File Operations button (2).

![Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/File-to-manage.png)

**NOTE:** If applicable, select ALL records to be able to perform a bulk action:

![Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Select-all.png)

 Select the **File management** option to be able to make significant changes to this file: ![GAT File Management](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/File-management.png)

The File management window will be displayed.

To transfer the ownership to the new owner, select the '***Move file***' option AND deny the default access of the old owner as a Contributor of the file in question by selecting the '***Deny access for old owner***' option:

  ![GAT File Management](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Step-1.1.png)

## Add the old owner as a Viewer/ Reader - read-only access

![Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Step-1.2.png)

## Confirm the changes and send them to the Security Officer for approval

This step allows checking the changes to make sure there are no unwanted requests, confirming the process, and sending the request to the Security Officer for approval:

![Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Step-1.3.png)

## Security Officer approval

As part of the [**GAT Unlock**](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/unlock-overview/) functionality, that has to be enabled to allow changing the Drive files ownership, the [**Security Officer**](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/what-is-a-security-officer/)'s verification is required for security reasons.

Security Officers receive an email notifying them of such a request. Their consent is necessary to complete the task.

![Security officer approval](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/SO-approval.png)

## Results

Results after the Security Officer's approval and the completion of the task:

![](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Results-1.png)

The old owner has the read-only rights - Viewer/ Reader rights:

![Transfer Ownership of Google Drive Files](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Results-2.png)

## Relevant posts

- [Ownership Change Explained in Google Drive With GAT Unlock](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/ownership-change-explained-in-google-drive-with-gat-unlock/)
- [Change ownership of Google Drive Folder and its content](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/change-ownership-of-google-drive-folder-and-its-content/)
- [Change Ownership of a Google Drive file](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/change-ownership-of-a-google-drive-file/)
- [Transfer Ownership of ‘My Drive’ Folder with GAT Flow](https://gatlabs.com/knowledge/tech-tips/transfer-ownership-of-my-drive-folder-with-gat-flow/)