You can share Google Docs with multiple people, but only one person at a time can be the owner. If circumstances change and you need to transfer ownership of a document to another collaborator, there’s a quick process for doing so using Google Doc’s Share functionality.

What to Know

  • Click Share. Enter the new owner’s name or email and select Transfer Ownership > Send Invitation.To undo a change, click the dropdown menu next to the person’s name and select Cancel Ownership Transfer.Only one person can own a Google Doc document at a time.

How to Change Ownership of a Google Doc

If you know who you’d like to transfer ownership of a Google Doc to, you can do so by opening the document on a PC or Mac. This functionality is not possible with the Android or iPhone apps. 

  • Navigate to docs.google.com in your web browser and open the document you want to transfer.
  • Click the blue Share button in the top-right corner of the screen.
  • If you haven’t shared the document with the person you want to be the new owner, you’ll need to do this first. Enter their name or email address in the Share window and click Send.
  • If the person’s name doesn’t appear in the Share window, try closing and re-opening it.
  • Select the dropdown menu to the right of the new owner’s name and click Transfer Ownership.
  • Click Send Invitation.
  • Sending an invitation doesn’t instantly complete the transfer process. The pending owner will be notified of the transfer request by email and until they accept, you’ll remain the owner of the document.
  • If you’d like to cancel the invitation, click the dropdown menu to the right of the person’s name and select Cancel Ownership Transfer.

How to Accept a Google Docs Ownership Transfer Request

If you are the recipient of an ownership transfer request, you should get an email in your inbox inviting you to accept the request. However, if you accidentally lose or delete the email, you can find pending ownership transfer requests in your Google Drive.

When you send an ownership transfer request, the recipient will be automatically upgraded to a document Editor (unless they’re already an editor). Once the ownership transfer is complete, you’ll be downgraded to Editor.

Navigate to docs.google.com in your web browser and open the document you want to transfer.

Click the blue Share button in the top-right corner of the screen.

If you haven’t shared the document with the person you want to be the new owner, you’ll need to do this first. Enter their name or email address in the Share window and click Send. 

If the person’s name doesn’t appear in the Share window, try closing and re-opening it.

Select the dropdown menu to the right of the new owner’s name and click Transfer Ownership.

Click Send Invitation.

Sending an invitation doesn’t instantly complete the transfer process. The pending owner will be notified of the transfer request by email and until they accept, you’ll remain the owner of the document.

If you’d like to cancel the invitation, click the dropdown menu to the right of the person’s name and select Cancel Ownership Transfer.

  • Open Google Drive.
  • Type pendingowner:me into the search bar at the top.
  • Right-click the document you want to respond to and select Share.
  • Click Accept ownership?
  • Click Accept to confirm.

Open Google Drive.

Type pendingowner:me into the search bar at the top.

Right-click the document you want to respond to and select Share.

Click Accept ownership?

Click Accept to confirm.

  • How do I see the owner of a Google Doc?
  • A document’s owner will have “(owner)” next to their name in the Share menu. They’ll also be at the top of the user list.
  • How do you make yourself the owner of a Google Doc?
  • The only way to make yourself the owner of a Google Doc is to create it yourself. Otherwise, the current owner will have to initiate a transfer request, as in the steps above.

A document’s owner will have “(owner)” next to their name in the Share menu. They’ll also be at the top of the user list.

The only way to make yourself the owner of a Google Doc is to create it yourself. Otherwise, the current owner will have to initiate a transfer request, as in the steps above.

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