1月 9, 2025
Prevent the downloading, printing, or copying of files by all users with Enhanced IRM for Google Drive Data-Loss Prevention
What’s changing
Google Drive’s Information Rights Management (IRM) capability protects documents from data exfiltration actions, specifically downloading, printing, and copying. This is useful for making sure that sensitive content is protected from data leakage.
Historically, this feature has only been applicable to users with either the “viewer” or “commenter” role, which has left administrators unable to apply the setting to users with write permissions (see here for more information on Drive roles). To address this, we’re expanding IRM to be applicable to all users, including file writers and owners, when it is applied by a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rule.
The new Enhanced IRM action, as seen in the DLP Rule creation flow.
Additional details
When an editor or owner is affected by IRM, they will retain the ability to copy and paste document content, but they may only do so within that document. Attempting to paste content outside of the document will not succeed. For more information, please refer to the help center content.
Getting started
- Admins: DLP rules and CAA levels are applied per-file based on how these rules are configured.
- End users: Only administrators can set IRM for all user roles on a file. File owners may still only set IRM for viewers and commenters. If a file has both an administrator-applied IRM setting and a file owner setting on it, the administrator setting takes priority. Once this feature is enabled, all entry points for downloading, printing, and copying will be removed from Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides on all platforms. Visit the Help Center to learn more about stopping, limiting, or changing how your files are shared.
A view of the file owner’s IRM setting when an overriding administrator setting is present.
Rollout pace
- Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on January 9, 2025
Availability
- IRM controls are available for all Google Workspace customers
- Data Loss Prevention Rules and Context-Aware Access conditions are available for Google Workspace:
- Enterprise Standard and Plus
- Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching and Learning add-on
- Frontline Standard
- Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus
Resources
- Google Help: Stop, limit, or change sharing
- Google Drive Help: View security limitations on Google Drive files
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Combine DLP rules with Context-Aware Access conditions
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Prevent commenters and viewers from downloading, printing, or copying files FAQ
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Control access to apps based on user & device context