Review who can access shared cloud files

Start with the right item and account

In OneDrive, links, direct access and inherited folder or site access are different routes. Microsoft says the displayed controls also differ between personal and work or school accounts. Start by identifying which account holds the item and which permissions you control. Microsoft: access routes and inspection

1. Select one OneDrive item, open its Details or Information pane, then Manage access. Inspect the people and links shown. The instructions distinguish removing a sharing link from changing direct access and inherited permissions. Reviewing the pane does not require deleting the file. Microsoft: access routes and inspection

Inspect Google Drive on Android or a computer

On Android, Google documents More, then Manage access, to inspect the owner and people with access. General access is a separate section. Work or school administrators may restrict available audiences. Google: Android access inspection

1. In the Android Drive app, open More beside the item, then Manage access. Review both the named audience and General access before selecting a change. Google: Android access inspection
2. On a computer, open the item's Share menu and inspect its General access and roles. If Drive identifies inherited access, examine the parent folder rather than assuming a file-only edit can reduce it. Google: sharing and folder inheritance

Check the complete limited-access picture

Google recommends checking both People with access and General access for limited-access folders. A person may retain access through a permitted group or broad General access even if another route appears under Access removed. Google: limited-access folders

1. For a limited-access folder, inspect those two lists and the parent-folder context. Google documents different management powers for My Drive owners and shared-drive roles. Use the account's current help before changing a folder that other people depend on. Google: limited-access folders

Inspect existing iCloud Drive sharing

Apple's iOS 27 guide distinguishes People you choose from Anyone with the link, and editing from viewing and downloading. A change to everyone's sharing options affects the shared audience. Apple: iOS 27 shared-file guide

1. In Files on iPhone, touch and hold the already shared item, open Manage Shared File or Manage Shared Folder, then Sharing Options. Review the current audience and permissions. Use the linked iOS 27 guide if the installed version has different labels. Apple: iOS 27 shared-file guide

Review a published Google document separately

Google's publication help lists File, Share, Publish to web, then Published content & settings. That panel has a separate Stop publishing control. Read the current state before choosing it; stopping publication can affect embedded versions used by other people. Google: publication is a separate control

1. For a document known to have been published, inspect Published content & settings in its computer editor. Keep the publishing decision separate from the collaborator-access review. Google: publication is a separate control

Plan the access change and its limits

Google's help explains download, print, copy and editor-sharing controls, while warning that content can still be shared in other ways. Decide which live access route needs changing and what collaborators still need. These documented controls do not establish that previously saved copies have been recalled. Google: sharing controls and content-copy limits