Beginning next week, Google is expected to email many U-M Google users about an update that will make file sharing even more secure. ITS is aware of the communication and is proactively alerting the university community about the update.
On September 13, 2021, Google will apply an update to Google Drive that will change the links used to share some non-Google files (e.g., Word, Excel, PDF) created before November 2017. Built-in Google file types such as Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms will not be impacted by this update.
Access to the impacted files won’t change for people who have already viewed them or who have direct access, but the update may cause owners of affected files to receive some new file access requests. Google will provide a link to view a list of files that will be impacted by the update in their email to affected users next week.
Refer to Update for Google Drive Shared Links FAQ for more information on who is impacted, what impact this will have on you, and what steps you should take.
