What’s changing
Admins can now define specific audiences with whom their users can link-share Google Drive files. This can help keep your organizational data secure, and make it simpler for users to share files with the right colleagues.
The feature was previously available in beta. Based on your feedback from the beta, we’ve made two important changes:
- We’ve increased the maximum number of target audiences you can recommend from three to five.
- During the beta, only admin-created groups could be added to target audiences. Now, admins can add any group as a target audience, including groups belonging to different organizations.
Read more below, or visit our Help Center to learn more about best practices for deploying target audiences.
Who’s impacted
Admins and end users
Why you’d use it
Previously, admins could choose to allow users to link-share files to either their entire domain or anyone with the link. Target audiences allow admins to define and recommend more granular link-sharing options for users. This can help to:
- Improve your organization’s security posture by making it harder for information to be shared more broadly than is appropriate.
- Guide users to share with more specific and appropriate audiences.
- Save users time by reducing the need to manage sharing requests from multiple individuals.
- Make it easier for your users to collaborate with their colleagues simply, efficiently, and securely.
Getting started
- Admins: Find target audience settings at Admin console > Directory > Target audiences. You can assign target audiences at the group or OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing target audiences for your organization, and see best practices for deploying target audiences.
- End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. If enabled by an admin, users will see target audiences available to them as link-sharing options for Drive, as indicated in the image above. Learn more about how to share files from Google Drive.
Admins can create a target audience in the Admin console
Rollout pace
- Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (Up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 16, 2021
Availability
- Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus, as well as G Suite Business and Enterprise for Education customers
- Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, as well as G Suite Basic, Education, and Nonprofits customers