Ownership transfer depends on account type and organization boundaries. Granting Editor access is not the same as transferring ownership.
Check the current owner and file
Open Share on the exact spreadsheet and confirm who owns it. The proposed new owner must already have access. A folder transfer does not automatically transfer ownership of all files inside.
If the file is in a shared-drive arrangement, review that organization’s ownership model rather than assuming an individual My Drive transfer command applies unchanged.
Apply the correct account rules
Google’s guide limits work or school ownership transfers to someone in the same organization. It also states that a personal-account file cannot be transferred to a work or school account through the ordinary personal transfer path.
For personal-account requests, the recipient may need to accept. Until acceptance, the original owner remains owner. Work or school transfers follow the documented organization process and do not require the same acceptance step.
Verify the final ownership state
After the approved transfer, reopen Share and confirm the owner and your remaining role. A pending email request is not completed ownership transfer, and the new owner can later change your access.
Coordinate source connections, scripts, and operational responsibilities separately. Do not create an unrestricted copy as a supposed ownership workaround; a copy has separate identity, history, and access. If leaving an organization, use the administrator’s approved transfer process for applicable files. Preserve a record of the target file, recipient, and completed state so collaborators do not continue relying on a pending request as evidence that custody changed.
References
- Make someone else the owner of your file
- Share and manage access to files and folders in Google Drive
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.