Google Drive “Make a Copy” Link Generator

Create a Copy Link for Online Documents

You can create a copy link in just two easy steps. Let’s take a look at it.

First, click “Share” to get the link. Then under Access, switch it to “Anyone with the link can view” and press Copy Link.

That link will let other people open and view your file. But we want it to prompt them to make their own copy. To do this, remove everything from Edit to the end of the URL (including “sharing”). After the last backslash, type Copy.

Now, when you share this updated link, it will open a page that says, “Do you want to make a copy of this file?”. Whoever you send it to can then click Make a copy, and it will be saved directly to their Drive.

2 Easy Ways to Copy a Document: How to Make Users Make Their Own Copy

Want to share your files while keeping the original version safe? Here’s a quick trick that forces people to make a copy of your document before they can edit it. I’ll show you 2 easy ways to set up a forced copy link that works with text files, spreadsheets, slides, and drawings.

Why make a document copy mandatory?

As a coach or service provider, you might share templates, worksheets, or presentations with clients. The challenge is that if you share a regular link, others can directly change your original file. And if you lock it down, you’ll often get constant requests asking for editing access.

Using the force copy method, each recipient must save their own copy to their Drive before they can work on it. This works perfectly for all file types:

• Text documents (worksheets, templates)
• Spreadsheets (trackers, planners)
• Slides (presentations, pitch decks)
• Drawings (visuals, charts)

Method 1: How to create a force copy link

This is the most popular way to ensure that people make their own copy. Follow these steps:

• Open your file in an editor.
• Click the Share option at the top right.
• Select Anyone with the link.
• Copy the link from the browser bar.
• Look for /edit at the end of the URL.
• Replace /edit with /copy (without the quotes).
• Share this modified link with others.

When someone clicks on the link, they will see a prompt asking them to make a copy. Their new copy will be automatically saved to their own Drive.

Method 2: How to Create a Template Preview Link

Would you like to let other people preview your file before copying it? This method is more user-friendly because it shows them the content first.

Why use a template preview?

With a force copy link, people have to copy the file before they can view it. This can lead to the following problems:

• A pile of unwanted files in their drive
• Frustration if the content isn’t useful
• Wasting time deleting unnecessary copies
• Template Preview Method

Instead of replacing /edit with /copy, use /template/preview at the end of your URL. This lets people preview the file first. If they like it, they can click the Use Template button in the top corner to save their copy.

Why force a copy of a file?

As a coach, trainer, or service provider, you may want to share templates, worksheets, or slide decks with clients. But here’s the problem – if you just share the link, people can change your original link. If you restrict access, you’ll constantly get requests for editing rights.

By forcing a copy, everyone automatically creates their own version in their Drive. This method works across a variety of file types:

• Documents (for templates and worksheets)
• Spreadsheets (for trackers and planning tools)
• Presentations (for slides and decks)
• Drawings (for visuals and graphics)

How to Force a Copy of a Document or Sheet Before Sharing

When I design templates, spreadsheets, and resources to save my clients time, I prefer cloud-based tools. They’re easy to use, accessible anywhere, and stored online, so nothing clogs up local storage.

But when I’m sharing a file with multiple people, I don’t want everyone to edit the original file. This is where forcing a copy becomes the perfect solution. It ensures that everyone starts with their own clean version without affecting the master file.

FAQs