Sharing files in Proton Drive via email to non-Proton users

Proton Drive lets you share files and folders with anyone by entering their email address, regardless of their email provider. 

For a detailed step-by-step guide on using Proton Drive’s email sharing feature, please refer to our article “How to share files and folders in Proton Drive via email”.

If you’re sharing with a non-Proton email address, you’ll need to follow the extra security steps below. This guide explains how to share your files and folders to maintain the highest security for your shared content.

How to share files and folders to non-Proton email addresses

To start sharing, first follow the first two steps listed in our email sharing guide. You’ll enter the recipient’s email address in the field like this:

When you invite non-Proton users to access your shared files or folders, they will receive an email containing a secure link that looks like this:

Recipients who do not have a Proton account need to create a free or paid Proton account to access the shared content. The email invitation includes a link to the Proton sign-up page.

Once account creation is successful, they will receive another email with the link that allows them to access the file. 

Confirming access for security

After signing up, your recipient will be invited to access the file or folder you shared with them. This process occurs automatically if you are logged in to your Proton Drive account in your browser. Otherwise, we will send you an email asking you to confirm access for the email address indicated in the email. This additional step ensures that end-to-end encryption of your files and folders remains uncompromised.

The email requesting you to confirm access will look something like this:

Upon accepting the item, your recipient will now be able to access the file or folder within the Shared with me section: