Google Drive’s formal approval workflow is available only to eligible accounts and should not be confused with ordinary comments or an email saying a document looks good. Check your account’s feature availability and the request’s editing rules before starting a review.
Confirm eligibility and the review copy
Use the authorized work or school account and ask the administrator when Approvals is unavailable. Google’s current approval guide restricts the feature to eligible organizational accounts; do not assume a personal account or every Workspace plan includes it.
Identify the original file, intended approvers, review purpose, and deadline. Confirm the content is ready and decide whether editors should be able to change it during review.
Use the available approval controls
Open the file’s Approvals workflow where offered, add the intended reviewers, and inspect the request settings before sending. Google documents a setting requiring all approvers to review the same content. When enabled, edits reset approvals; when disabled, the behavior differs.
If the process requires a locked document, use the supported lock control deliberately. A lock prevents edits, comments, and suggestions while active, so coordinate with collaborators rather than assuming it only blocks final publication.
Verify the active request
Open the approval sidebar and check the requested reviewers, due date, and current status. Confirm the correct original is being reviewed. An invitation is not a completed approval, and an approval does not transfer ownership or automatically provide a legal signature. If the request changes, use its supported change or cancellation controls and tell reviewers. Keep the reviewed version and applicable approval details clear before distributing a later edited copy.
References
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.