How to Organize Shared With Me Files in Google Drive (2024)

In this article, we will show you how to organize shared files in Google Drive. Simply follow the steps below.

How to Organize Google Drive Shared with Me

Below are the steps to organize shared files in Google Drive.

1. Locate the ‘Shared with Me’ Section

To start organizing, locate the ‘Shared with Me’ section in the left-hand menu. This area displays all the documents shared with you by others. 

2. Inspect and Identify Important Files in ‘Shared with Me’

Carefully review all the files within the ‘Shared with Me’ area to determine their relevance and priority. In our example, we will focus on the “Campaign Plan Overview” and “Budget and Expenses” files that are shared with us.

3. Create a New Folder in ‘My Drive’ for Organizing Documents  

Organizing files often involves creating new folders to keep everything neat and sorted. To do this in your ‘My Drive’, click on the ‘+ New’ button located at the top left corner of the screen, then select ‘Folder’ from the drop-down menu. 

Name this new folder as per your categorization needs. For example, we will name our new folder “Company Documents” to help organize our important shared files. After entering the name, click ‘Create’ to establish the folder.

4. Move Selected Files to the New Folder

After creating your new folder, move important files into this folder to keep them organized. Select and right-click on the “Campaign Plan Overview” and “Budget and Expenses” files in the ‘Shared with Me’ section, hover ‘Organize’, and then select the “Move” option.

A window will appear showing various locations where you can move these files. In our example, we will select ‘Company Documents’ from the list. Confirm the action by clicking the ‘Move’ button at the bottom of the window. 

This action transfers the selected files into the “Company Documents” folder.

5. Add Shortcuts of Key Documents to ‘My Drive’

If moving files isn’t suitable, adding shortcuts to your ‘My Drive’ can be a flexible alternative. To do this, select and right-click your documents. Then, hover over ‘Organize and select ‘Add shortcut.’

A window similar to the move operation will appear. In our example, we will select the ‘Company Documents’ folder. Once selected, finalize the action by clicking the ‘Add’ button. 

This will create shortcuts in the ‘Company Documents’ folder.

6. Star Frequently Accessed Files for Quick Access 

Starring files provides swift access to frequently needed documents. For example, let’s select and right-click on our files “Campaign Plan Overview” and “Budget and Expenses.” Then, hover over ‘Organize and choose ‘Add star’. 

This will place the documents in the ‘Starred’ section, making them easily accessible for us.

We hope that you now have a better understanding of how to organize shared with me files in Google Drive. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on how to share Google Drive link or our article on how to fix a shared drive not showing up in Google Drive.