Prevent users from downloading, printing, or copying files

As an administrator, you can use a data protection rule to prevent users from downloading, printing, or copying files in Google Drive.

These restrictions apply to My Drive and shared drives. The files are checked when the user or Gemini tries to access them. If you apply these restrictions using an action in a data protection rule when the user is already viewing a file, the restrictions won't take effect until the file reloads.

You can combine this rule with Context-Aware Access conditions.

About DLP IRM

The rule uses data loss prevention (DLP) Information Rights Management (IRM). Therefore, the Drive sharing settings are used as policies. Users can’t download, print, or copy Google Drive files from Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides on all platforms.

If you want to unshare a link in the file and apply IRM restrictions to the same content, create 2 policies using the same conditions but separate actions. For example, the first policy can block external access to content, while the second policy can apply IRM to the same content.

Gemini respects DLP IRM policies and can only access content that the user has access to. If a user isn't allowed to download, print, or copy files based on the IRM policy set with Drive sharing settings, then Gemini can't access those files or the content on the user's behalf.

Create the rule

Important: Restrictions in data protection rules do not prevent users from printing a file in Preview mode.

  1. In the Google Admin console, go to Menu and then Rules and then Create rule and then Data protection.

    Requires having the View and Manage DLP rule privileges.

  2. Enter the name and (optionally) a description for the rule.
  3. In the Apps section, choose Google Drive and click Continue.
  4. In the Actions section, select Disable download, print, and copy with one of the following options:
    • For commenters and viewers only—Prevents users from downloading, printing, and copying unless they have Editing access to the file.
    • For all collaborators (commenters, viewers, writers, and owners)—Prevents all users (including document owners and shared drive managers) from downloading, printing, and copying files. Users with Editing access can still copy and paste text and images within the document.
  5. Continue to create the rule. For further details, go to Create data protection rules.