Public vs private cloud storage: where to keep files you don't want to share
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de-digger exists because a lot of files on Google Drive are public: templates, datasets, course material, reports. Most of them were shared on purpose. Some were not, and once a link is public, anyone who comes across it can open the file.
This guide explains the difference between public and private storage, how to check what you are sharing, and when it makes sense to move sensitive files to a service that encrypts them end to end.
Public, link-shared and private are three different things
On Google Drive, each file or folder has a "General access" setting:
- Restricted: only the people you add by email can open it. This is the default for new files.
- Anyone with the link: anyone who has the URL can open it, without signing in. The file is not listed anywhere by Google, but the link works for whoever gets it.
- Published to the web: Docs, Sheets and Slides can also be published as a web page, which is meant to be found and read by anyone.
The middle option is the one that causes surprises. A link-shared file stays private only as long as its link does. Once the link is posted on a forum, a public website or a social profile, search engines can crawl it, and the file can show up in search results, including the ones de-digger shows you.
Two more details catch people out:
- Sharing a folder shares everything inside it, including files you add later.
- Removing a link from a web page does not change the file's access. Only the sharing setting does.
Our step-by-step guide Unlocking Public Google Drive shows where these settings live.
A five-minute check of your own Drive
- Open the folders you have shared with others and check the "General access" line in the Share dialog. Set it to "Restricted" unless the folder really needs to be open.
- Look for documents that should never be link-shared: IDs, bank statements, contracts, medical records, password lists, customer data.
- If a sensitive file was public at some point, assume someone may have a copy. Changing the setting stops new access, but it cannot recall downloads.
- If you use a work or school account, check your organization's rules first: many organizations block or log external sharing.
- Put a reminder in your calendar to repeat this every few months.
When "encrypted" is not the same as private
Mainstream cloud services, Google Drive included, encrypt your files in transit and on their servers. That protects you against someone stealing a disk from a data center. It does not stop the provider itself from processing your files, because the provider holds the keys. It also does nothing if you share the file with the wrong setting.
End-to-end encrypted (or "zero-knowledge") storage works differently: files are encrypted on your device before they are uploaded, and only you hold the key. The provider stores data it cannot read. The trade-offs are real:
- If you lose your password and recovery key, the provider cannot get your files back.
- Some conveniences, such as full-text search, previews or editing in the browser, may be limited or missing.
- Collaborating with people outside the service is usually less smooth than on Google Drive.
For everyday shared documents, a well-configured Google Drive is fine. For identity documents, financial and medical records, legal files or research notes about people, end-to-end encryption is worth those trade-offs.
Options worth knowing
| Option | Who can read your files | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive | You, the people you share with, and Google's systems | Collaboration and sharing | Check "General access" on every shared folder. Client-side encryption exists only on some paid Google Workspace editions. |
| pCloud | Standard storage: like Drive. Files in its encrypted "Crypto" folder: only you | Large personal libraries, with an encrypted folder for sensitive files | Client-side encryption is a separate paid add-on and applies only to that folder. |
| Proton Drive | Only you and the people you share with | Sensitive documents, privacy-minded users | End-to-end encrypted by default. Has a free plan with limited storage. |
| Internxt | Only you and the people you share with | An encrypted alternative to a general-purpose cloud drive | End-to-end encrypted. Compare features and plan limits with your workflow first. |
| Cryptomator | Only you | Keeping the cloud you already use while encrypting selected folders | Encrypts files on your device before they sync to Drive, Dropbox or others. The desktop apps are free and open source. |
How we put this list together
We included services that offer end-to-end encryption, or an encrypted area, for individuals, plus Google Drive as the reference point. This is an overview of how each option protects files, not a hands-on test, and it does not compare prices, which change often. Check each provider's current plans and terms before you pay.
Some of the links above may earn de-digger a commission. We list Cryptomator too, which pays us nothing, because for many people encrypting the folders they already have is the simplest fix.
The short version
- "Anyone with the link" is public as soon as the link leaks. Use it for files you would be fine seeing in search results.
- Review shared folders regularly. Folder sharing applies to everything inside.
- Keep identity, financial, medical and legal documents in end-to-end encrypted storage, or encrypt them before uploading.