There are 5 methods on how to upload files to shared Google Drive, just find the step-by-step guides to upload files to Google Drive shared folder and deal with Google Drive storage full while uploading.
If you have permission to add content, open the shared folder, click New > File upload, and select your files. You can also drag files directly into the open folder. First, check whether the destination is under Shared with me or in a Google Workspace Shared drive. The ownership and storage work differently.
“Shared Google Drive” can mean two different destinations. Identifying yours prevents the most common confusion about permissions, file ownership, and storage.
| Question | Folder under Shared with me | Google Workspace Shared drive |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns an uploaded file? | Usually the account that uploads it | The organization |
| Whose storage is used? | The file owner's storage | The organization's pooled storage |
| Access needed to upload | Editor | Contributor or higher on the web |
| What if the uploader leaves? | The file remains individually owned unless ownership changes | The file stays with the team |
Shared drives are generally available through eligible Google Workspace accounts. A normal shared folder can come from a personal account. Google documents current role requirements in its Shared drive file guide.
This is the most reliable method because you can confirm the destination before the upload begins.
Step 1. Go to drive.google.com and sign in to the account that received access.
Step 2. Choose Shared with me for a regular shared folder or Shared drives for a Workspace Shared drive. Open the exact destination folder.
Step 3. Click New, then File upload or Folder upload, and select the items on your computer.
Step 4. Keep the tab open until the upload status shows complete. Refresh the folder and confirm the files appear.
Open the destination in Google Drive and File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac. Drag the selected files into the browser window and release them only when the destination is highlighted.
For a large file upload, use a stable connection and split files into manageable batches. That makes a failed batch easier to identify and retry.
Google Drive for desktop lets you work with cloud files from File Explorer or Finder.
Step 1. Install the app and sign in with the account that can access the destination.
Step 2. Open Google Drive in File Explorer or Finder, browse to the shared destination, and copy your files into it.
Step 3. Wait for sync to finish before shutting down the computer or disconnecting the drive.
If you regularly add files from a Windows PC, CBackup provides a Basic Sync feature that can copy selected folders to a Google Drive location automatically. Unlike a file backup, Basic Sync keeps the files in their original formats, so collaborators can open them normally after Google Drive finishes uploading them.
Step 1. Download, install, and open CBackup on your Windows computer. Select Sync from the left panel, then choose Basic Sync.
Step 2. Click Select Source and choose the local folder that contains the files you want to upload. You can add more than one source folder if necessary.
Step 3. Click the destination box and browse to the shared Google Drive folder displayed in File Explorer. Check the folder name carefully so the files do not go to My Drive or another shared location by mistake.
Step 4. To run the upload regularly, click Schedule Sync below and select a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. If you only need to upload the files once, skip the schedule.
Step 5. Click Start Sync. After AOMEI Backupper finishes copying the files, wait for Google Drive for desktop to complete its cloud upload. Finally, open the shared folder at drive.google.com and verify that the files are available.
Basic Sync is best for one-way uploads from a local working folder. Be cautious with Mirror Sync or Two-Way Sync in a collaborative folder: depending on the settings, changes or deletions made on one side may also affect the other side.
Open Google Drive and sign in to the invited account.
Tap Shared or Shared drives, then open the destination.
Tap +, choose Upload, and select the files.
Wait for the upload to finish, then reopen the folder to verify it.
Open Google Drive and switch to the account that has access.
Open Shared or Shared drives and find the target folder.
Tap +, then File upload. Choose photos, videos, or items from Files.
Leave Drive open until large files finish uploading.
If Upload does not appear, insufficient permission is more likely than a phone problem.
For a shared folder, ask the owner for Editor access. For a Shared Drive, ask a manager for Contributor access or higher. If you use Drive for desktop, request Content Manager access.
Compare the address in your Google profile menu with the address that received the invitation. This is common when a browser contains both work and personal accounts.
In a regular shared folder, an uploaded file generally counts against its owner's storage. Free space in the uploading account, transfer ownership where permitted, or ask the folder owner to upload the originals. In a Shared drive, the organization needs enough pooled storage. See these fixes if your Google Drive storage is full.
An administrator can restrict external members, sharing outside the organization, or moving files between organizations. Send the exact error message and file name to the Shared Drive manager or administrator.
Try a smaller batch, rename files with unusual characters, disable a conflicting extension, or use a private browsing window. Make sure the connection is stable, and the file is not locked by another app.
Sharing is designed for collaboration, not as an independent backup. Someone with sufficient permission can move or delete content, and a permission change can remove your access. Keep a separate copy of important files in line with your organization's policies.
CBackup can back up supported Google Drive data to another cloud, such as OneDrive, without a manual download-and-upload cycle. Scheduled tasks, email notifications, and version management help with recurring protection.
Step 1. Create a CBackup account, sign in, and add the supported cloud accounts you plan to use.
Step 2. Create a cloud-to-cloud backup task. Choose Google Drive as the source and another supported cloud as the destination.
Step 3. Review the selected folders, set a schedule if needed, and start the backup. Confirm that the first run completes.
Yes, you can upload to someone else's Google Drive. The owner must give you Editor access to a folder, or a Shared Drive manager must give you Contributor access or higher. Viewer or Commenter access is not enough.
Usually yes, if it is a regular folder under Shared with me and you remain the owner. In a Workspace Shared drive, the organization owns the file and its pooled storage is used.
Normally, you must sign in to an account with permission to add files. Workspace visitor sharing supports some collaboration without a Google account, but availability depends on the organization's settings and does not guarantee upload access.
You probably have Viewer or Commenter access, or you opened the invitation with the wrong account. Ask the owner or manager to check your role.
Yes. On a computer, open the destination and choose New > Folder upload. For a large folder tree, a desktop browser is usually easier than the mobile app.
No. Never share your password. Ask for the correct permission, use an approved transfer method, or have the owner upload the files from their account.
Open the destination first, then use New or drag and drop. On a phone, browse to the shared destination before tapping +. Most failures come from the wrong account, insufficient permission, a storage limit, or an organization policy. Check whether the destination is a regular shared folder or a true Shared drive, because that determines who owns the files and whose storage they use.