The modern smartphone has become the main tool for working with documents, photographs and important projects. When it becomes necessary to transfer files to colleagues or relatives, using instant messengers often turns out to be inconvenient due to restrictions on the size of attachments and loss of quality. Cloud storage solves this problem by allowing centralized access to data without sending the files themselves.
Mobile application Yandex Disk for the platform Android provides powerful functionality for collaboration directly from the phone screen. You can provide access to individual files or entire folders by flexibly configuring user rights. This allows you to edit documents in real time or simply view shared photo albums, saving space on the devices of all participants in the process.
In this article we will look in detail at how to set up sharing, what levels of rights exist and how to manage connected users. Understanding these mechanisms will help you securely share information and effectively organize your workspace in the cloud.
Preparing to set up sharing
Before you start granting rights to other users, you need to make sure that your application is up to date. The developers regularly update the interface and security features, so an outdated version may not display new co-authoring options. Go to Google Play Market and check for updates for the service.
It is also critical to check the status of your account. To create public links or invite specific people by email, you must have an active account in the ecosystem Yandex ID. If you are using a corporate plan Yandex 360, some functions may differ from the personal version.
⚠️ Attention: Functions for collaborative document editing are available only for file formats supported by the built-in office suite. For archives or executable files, only download mode is available.
Make sure that you have a stable Internet connection. Although basic settings can be changed offline, synchronizing permissions and sending invitations requires an active connection to the server. Without a network, changes will not be saved and will not be visible to other participants.
☑️ Ready to work
Providing access via link
The fastest way to share content is to create a public link. This method is ideal for situations where you need to quickly send a file to a large number of people or publish material on social networks. You don't need to know the recipients' contact information, just copy the address.
To do this, open the application and find the desired object. Click on the three dots next to the file name or hold your finger on it to highlight it. In the menu that appears, select More → Copy link. The system will automatically generate a unique URL that will go to your device's clipboard.
However, it is worth remembering security. Anyone with this link will be able to access the content. If the file contains sensitive information, it is better to use another method. The link can be inserted into a messenger message, letter or note.
If you accidentally copied a link to the wrong file, immediately go to the access settings and delete it. This will make the old link invalid, even if someone has already saved it.
An important advantage is the ability to edit the link. You can revoke access at any time by simply disabling the publishing feature. After this, everyone who has the old address will receive an error message when they try to open it.
Inviting specific users
When you need stricter control over your audience, it is better to use a personal invitation. This method allows you to grant access only to specific people by specifying their email addresses. The system will send them a notification, and the file will appear in their own cloud storage interface.
The process begins the same way: select the desired file or folder and click on the add user icon (usually the plus sign). In the window that opens, enter the email addresses of colleagues or friends. You can add several addresses at the same time, separating them with commas.
After entering contacts, the system will prompt you to select the level of rights. This is a key setup step that determines exactly what invited users will be able to do. Carefully review the available options before confirming the action.
| Access type | User capabilities | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|
| View only | View and download | Sending reports, photo albums |
| Commenting | Viewing and leaving notes | Coordination of drafts, layouts |
| Editing | Full change content | Collaboration on documents |
| Full access | Deleting and changing rights | Trusted assistants, co-authors |
After sending the invitation, users will receive an email with a link to the file. They do not need to have the application installed and can be accessed through a browser. However, for comfortable work with large volumes of data, setting the client to Android is preferable.
Rights management and revoking access
Situations change: the project is completed, an employee quits, or you simply changed your mind about sharing the file. In such cases, it is necessary to promptly revoke rights. The user list is managed through the same menu where you created access.
Go to the file settings and find the section Access. A list of all people and active links will be displayed there. Opposite each name or link there will be a button to delete or switch rights. Click on it to change the configuration.
If you remove a user from the list, he will instantly lose the ability to open the file. When he tries to follow the old link, he will see a message stating that access is denied by the owner. This guarantees the protection of your data at any time.
⚠️ Attention: If the user managed to download the file to his device before the rights were revoked, he will keep a local copy. You can only delete access to the cloud version, but not files already downloaded to other people's gadgets.
For public links, the procedure is even simpler. It is enough to switch the toggle switch to the “Off” position. The link will stop working for everyone at once, which is convenient for mass restriction of access. Do not forget to inform stakeholders about the change in status, if necessary.
Revocation of access occurs instantly and does not require confirmation from the user. The file owner has absolute priority in rights management.
Real-time document collaboration
One of the most powerful features of cloud storage is the ability to edit documents simultaneously. Several people can work on the same text, table or presentation, seeing each other's changes in real time. This eliminates the need to send versions of files by mail.
To begin this work, make sure that all participants have been granted access level Editing. When you open a file through the app or web interface, you will see other users' cursors and their avatars. Changes are saved automatically every second.
The system keeps a version history, which allows you to roll back to the previous state of the document if someone accidentally deleted an important part. This function works as insurance against errors and sabotage. You can view who made changes and when.
How to see the history of changes?
In the web version of the service, click on the file name at the top of the screen and select "Version History". In a mobile application, this function can be hidden in the “More” -> “Versions” menu.
For effective communication within a document, use the comments mode. You can highlight a piece of text and leave a note addressed to a specific colleague. He will receive a notification and will be able to respond directly in the context of the document, without being distracted by instant messengers.
Common problems and their solutions
Despite the well-functioning system, users sometimes encounter difficulties setting up access. Often the problem lies not in the service itself, but in the nuances of the operating system Android or network settings.
A common error is “Failed to send an invitation.” This is usually due to an incorrect format of the entered email address or temporary server failures. Check that the address is spelled correctly and try sending the invitation again in a few minutes.
Another common situation is that the recipient does not see the file in his list. Explain to him that shared files are often located in a separate folder Shared by me or Available by me, and not at the root of the disk. It’s also worth checking whether the file is in the owner’s trash.
⚠️ Attention: The mobile application interface may differ depending on the firmware version and device model. If you do not find the described buttons, try updating the application or using the full web version through a browser.
If the file is grayed out and cannot be opened, the user may have run out of space on their device for caching or is in offline mode. Check availability of free space and network connection.
Is it possible to set up access to an entire folder at once?
Yes, you can provide access to the entire folder. All files that you add to this folder later will automatically become available to users with the same rights. This is convenient for running long-term projects.
Will the user see my other files when accessing the folder?
No, the user will only have access to the contents of the folder that you opened. The rest of your Yandex Drive will remain private and hidden from prying eyes.
Is there a limit on the number of people for sharing?
There are practically no technical restrictions on the number of users for one folder, but with a very large number of participants (hundreds of people), synchronization performance may decrease. For mass distribution, it is better to use a public link.
What will happen to the file if I delete it from my phone?
Deleting a file from your cloud storage will make it disappear from all users who have access to it. The file is stored in one copy on the server, and other people only have a link to it.
Is it possible to limit access by time?
In the mobile application there is no automatic link expiration function yet. You will have to manually revoke access or delete the link when it is no longer needed.