How to share files and folders in Proton Drive via email

In Proton Drive, you can share files and folders securely and directly with specific people using their email address. This guide will help you get started sharing quickly and easily.

Why share files by email?

Proton Drive offers two options to share files and folders stored in your account: 

• You can generate a public link that anyone can access, allowing you to quickly grant anyone the ability to view and download your files. Sharing links can be password-protected, set to expire, and turned off. Learn more about link sharing.
• You can also share files and folders directly by entering your recipient’s email address. This gives you more security and control because you can ensure only your intended recipients have access, and you can grant and revoke view and edit permissions anytime.

How to share files and folders by email

You can share files and folders with anyone, whether they have a Proton email address or not. We have a detailed guide on how to share with non-Proton users, as the steps vary slightly.

1. Sign in to Proton Drive(new window) and navigate to the files or folders you want to share.
2. Click the vertical ellipsis (⋮) icon at the end of the row, then select Share from the menu.

3. In the sharing popup, enter the email addresses of the people you want to share with.

You can also select their access permissions:

• Can view: Can view the files or folders but cannot make any changes
• Can edit (default): Can view and modify the contents of the files or folders. Editors can also manage access on your behalf: share the file or folder with others, change permissions for existing recipients, or remove access. Editors cannot modify or remove access for the owner. To prevent Editors from managing access, click the Settings ⚙️ icon and toggle off Access.

4. Click Share to confirm.

Recipients will receive an email invitation with a unique secure link to access the shared files or folders. Both Proton and non-Proton users must accept this invitation before they can access the shared item.

The invitation is valid for 60 days from the date the file or folder is shared. If the invitation is not accepted within 60 days, it will expire and the email address will be removed from the “Manage share” modal.

If this happens, you’ll need to share the item with the same email address again to generate a new invitation.

How shared files and folders work

Once a recipient accepts your invitation, the shared item appears in the Shared with me section of their Proton Drive. What they can do depends on the permissions you’ve given them.
Recipients with Can edit access can upload, download, and edit files, create subfolders, and delete files. Deleted files are moved to the owner’s Trash, so they can be recovered if needed.

Who owns shared files and folders

The owner of a shared file or folder is always the person whose Proton Drive storage it’s kept in. Shared items only count toward the owner’s storage, so recipients can access and collaborate on them with a Proton Free plan.
Uploading or creating a file in a shared folder doesn’t make someone its owner. However, the person who uploaded a file can delete it as long as no one has made changes to it.

What happens when you remove someone’s access

When you remove someone’s access, they immediately lose access to the shared item. Your own access and your files aren’t affected.

What happens if a collaborator deletes their Proton Account

Every change made in Proton Drive is digitally signed. These signatures are how Proton Drive shows who created a file or edited a version of it. Signatures are linked to the encryption keys of the account that made the change, so they can only be verified while that account exists.
If a collaborator deletes their Proton Account, you may see a warning that the author of a file can’t be verified. You can still open, download, and edit the file as usual.

To learn how encryption keys work when you share files, and why removing access or deleting an account doesn’t affect the encryption of your files, see The Proton Drive security model.

You can manage access to your shared files or folders at any time.