How to Create a Link for Photos in Google Drive

A Google Drive photo link works only when the photo has the right sharing access.

If you copy a photo link while the file is still private, the link will open for you, but the recipient will see a Request access page. To share the photo correctly, you need to open the photo's sharing settings, change who can open the link, and then copy the link.

In this guide, you will learn how to create a link for photos in Google Drive using three methods, along with guidance on when to use each one.

Table of Contents

Understanding Permissions Before You Share

Google Drive has a General access setting for every file and folder. This setting controls who can open the link.

When you upload a photo to Google Drive, that does not automatically make it shareable. Uploading only stores the photo in your Google Drive. Sharing controls who can open it.

For normal photo sharing, change Restricted to Anyone with the link. This prevents the recipient from seeing a Request access page.

After choosing who can open the link, choose the recipient's role.

Use Viewer for photo sharing. The recipient can open the photo without getting permission to change the file.

Note: Use Anyone with the link only for photos that are safe to share broadly, such as event photos, portfolio images, or client deliverables. For private photos, keep the file Restricted and share it with specific people by email.

If your photos are still on your device, first upload them to Google Drive. For the full upload workflow, see how to upload photos to Google Drive and share a link.

Now that you know which setting makes the link work, use the desktop method if you are sharing from a computer.

Creating a Photo Link Using Google Drive on Desktop

Use this method when the photo is already in Google Drive and you are working from a computer. The desktop sharing dialog is the clearest place to check General access, set the role, and copy the correct link.

The photo must be in Google Drive before you create the link. If the photo is still on your computer, upload it to Google Drive first.

1. Go to Google Drive.

2. Find the photo you want to share.

3. Right-click the photo.

4. Click Share > Share.

   

5. Under General access, click Restricted.

6. Select Anyone with the link.

7. Confirm the role is set to Viewer.

8. Click Copy link.

9. Click Done.

Your photo link is now copied to your clipboard. Paste it into WhatsApp, email, a document, or any other place where you want to share it.

When the recipient opens the link, they will see the photo in the Google Drive viewer. They do not need to install the Google Drive app when the file is set to Anyone with the link.

Tip: If the recipient sees a Request access page, the photo is still set to Restricted. Open the sharing settings again and change Restricted to Anyone with the link.

The desktop method works well for one photo. If you need to share several photos together, create a folder and share the folder link instead.

Sharing a Folder of Photos

Use a folder link when you want to share several photos together. A folder link gives the recipient one link instead of separate links for every photo.

Before you start, put all the photos you want to share into one Google Drive folder. If you do not have a folder yet, create a new folder and move the photos into it.

1. Go to Google Drive.
2. Right-click the folder that contains your photos.
3. Click Share.
4. Under General access, click Restricted.
5. Select Anyone with the link.
6. Confirm the role is set to Viewer.
7. Click Copy link.
8. Click Done.

Send the folder link to your recipient. They can open the folder, view the photos, and download the ones they need.

Important: A folder link shares every file inside that folder. If the folder contains documents, spreadsheets, or other files you do not want to share, move only the photos into a separate folder before sharing the link.

If you want only specific people to open the photo, keep the file Restricted. Enter each recipient's email address in the sharing dialog and click Send.

If you are sharing from your phone instead of a computer, use the Google Drive mobile app method next.

Creating a Photo Link Using the Google Drive Mobile App

Use this method when the photo is already in the Google Drive app on your phone. This is useful when you want to share a photo without moving to a computer.

If the photo is still in your phone gallery, upload it to Google Drive first. Open the Google Drive app, tap the + button, tap Upload, and choose the photo from your phone. For a full walkthrough, see how to upload photos on mobile.

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Find the photo you want to share.
3. Tap the three dots beside the photo name.
4. Tap Share.
5. Under General access, tap Restricted.
6. Select Anyone with the link.
7. Confirm the role is set to Viewer.
8. Tap Copy link.

You will see a Link copied message. The link is now on your clipboard. Paste it into WhatsApp, text message, email, or any other app.

Tip: If the recipient sees Request access, open the photo's sharing settings again and change Restricted to Anyone with the link.

If you want only specific people to open the photo, keep the file Restricted. Enter each recipient's email address in the sharing dialog and click Send.

The built-in Google Drive methods work well for one photo or one folder. If you need to upload and manage multiple photo links in a spreadsheet, use Drive Explorer Pro.

Creating Multiple Photo Links Using Drive Explorer Pro

Use Drive Explorer Pro when you need to list multiple photo links in Google Sheets.

The built-in Google Drive sharing method works well for one photo or one folder. For multiple photos, copying each link manually takes time and becomes hard to track.

This method works well for client photos, event galleries, product images, student submissions, and project photos where each item needs a clear row with its name, preview, and link.

Drive Explorer Pro lists photo details from Google Drive directly into Google Sheets. Each row can include a photo preview, clickable file name, file URL, and direct download link.

You can then review photos, copy links, or share the sheet with others.

Install it directly from the Google Workspace Marketplace:

Launching Drive Explorer Pro

Start by opening Drive Explorer Pro inside Google Sheets.

1. Open a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

2. Go to Extensions > Drive Explorer Pro > Open Drive Explorer Pro.

   

Drive Explorer Pro opens as a sidebar in Google Sheets. Next, configure the photo preview size, link access, and output columns before listing photos.

Configuring Access and Preview Settings

Set the sharing and preview options before listing photos. This setup controls who can open the photo links and how the image previews appear in Google Sheets.

1. Click the Settings tab in the sidebar.

   

2. Under Image Settings, set the Image Preview Size in pixels.

   Use 100px to 150px when you want the preview to be large enough for photo identification. Use a larger size only when someone needs to see photo details before opening the Drive link.

3. Under File Access Settings, choose who can open the photo links:

   File Access Setting	What it means
   Only me	The photos stay private in your Google Drive
   My organization	People inside your company or school can open the photo links
   Anyone with the link	Anyone with the link can open the photos

   For client, student, vendor, or external sharing, choose Anyone with the link. For private work, choose Only me until you are ready to share.

4. Click Save selected settings as Default.

Drive Explorer Pro saves these settings for future photo listing workflows.

Choosing Photo Details to Add to Google Sheets

Choose the details you want Drive Explorer Pro to add to the sheet. This matters because the sheet becomes your photo link index. Each row should help you identify the photo and copy the correct link.

1. Click the List files tab in the sidebar.

   

2. Under Start listing file from, choose where Drive Explorer Pro should place the results:

   Option	When to use it
   Currently selected cell	Use this when you want the results to start from the cell you selected
   Append below existing data	Use this when your sheet already has photo rows and you want to add new rows below them

3. Under Select File Attributes to list, enable these attributes:

   Attribute	What it adds to the sheet	Why to include it
   Image Preview	Adds a thumbnail preview of the photo	Helps you identify the photo without opening the Drive link
   File Name Linked to URL	Adds the photo name as a clickable link	Lets you open the photo directly from the sheet
   File URL	Adds the standard Google Drive link	Lets you copy and share the photo link
   Direct Download Link	Adds a link that downloads the photo directly	Useful when someone needs to download the photo instead of previewing it
   File Size (MB)	Adds the photo file size	Helps you identify large files before sharing or downloading
   Mime Type	Adds the file type, such as image/jpeg or image/png	Helps confirm whether the file is a supported image format

For photo sharing, enable Image Preview, File Name Linked to URL, and File URL. These columns let you see the photo, open it, and copy its link from the same row.

4. Click Save selected settings as Default.

Now the sheet output is ready. The next step is to create a link, select the photos from Google Drive and list them in Google Sheets.

Listing Existing Google Drive Photos in Google Sheets

Use this step when the photos are already stored in Google Drive. You do not need to upload them again.

1. Open the List files tab in the sidebar.
2. Click Select existing files from Drive and List in Sheets.
3. Select the photos or folder you want to list.
4. Click Select.

Drive Explorer Pro adds the selected photos to Google Sheets. Each row shows the preview, file name, and link based on the attributes you selected.

Sharing the Google Sheet or Individual Photo Links

After Drive Explorer Pro lists the photos, you can share the links in two ways.

Use the Google Sheet link when the recipient needs access to the full list of photos. They can scan the previews, check the names, and open the photo links they need.

Use an individual photo link when the recipient needs only one specific photo.

Important: The Google Sheets file and the photo files have separate sharing settings. Setting photo links to Anyone with the link does not automatically share the Google Sheet. Sharing the Google Sheet does not automatically change the photo file access. Share both when the recipient needs to open the sheet and the photos.

To share the Google Sheet:

1. Click Share in the top-right corner of the Google Sheets spreadsheet.
2. Under General access, change Restricted to Anyone with the link.
3. Set the role to Viewer.
4. Click Copy link.
5. Click Done.

Send the sheet link to your client, team, or recipient. They can open the sheet, scan the photo previews, and click the photo links they need.

Conclusion

To create a photo link in Google Drive, open the photo's sharing settings, change Restricted to Anyone with the link, and keep the role as Viewer.

• Use the Google Drive web app when you are sharing one photo from a computer. Use a folder link when you need to share several photos together.

• Use the Google Drive mobile app when the photo is on your phone.

• If you need to organize multiple photo links, use Drive Explorer Pro to list the photo previews, names, and links in Google Sheets.

This gives you one place to manage and share the links without copying each one manually.