--- title: How to Share Direct Preview and Download Links for Google Drive Files description: "Do you want to send a client a link that opens a file straight away, or downloads it with one click? You can easily do this with **DriveHub**, right from your WordPress dashboard. This is super useful because you do…" url: "https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-share-direct-preview-and-download-links-for-google-drive-files/" updated: "2026-10-07" category: DriveHub / File Management --- # How to Share Direct Preview and Download Links for Google Drive Files Do you want to send a client a link that opens a file straight away, or downloads it with one click? You can easily do this with **DriveHub**, right from your WordPress dashboard. This is super useful because you do not have to open Google Drive, hunt for the file and dig through its sharing menu. You copy the link in DriveHub and paste it into an email, a chat, a button or a page on your site. DriveHub gives you two kinds of links: - **Preview Link:** opens the file in the Google Drive viewer, so people can read or watch it in their browser. - **Download Link:** downloads the file to the visitor's device straight away. Here is an easy, step-by-step guide to help you share them! ## Step 1: Find Your File in the File Browser - Go to **DriveHub** > **File Browser** from your WP-Admin. - Open the folder that holds your file. Need a refresher on getting around? Read [How to Manage Your Google Drive Files from the WordPress Dashboard](https://sovlix.com/docs/how-to-manage-your-google-drive-files-from-the-wordpress-dashboard/). ## Step 2: Copy a Link From the Right-Click Menu This is the quickest way to grab a link: - **Right-click** the file (or click the **⋮** button at the end of its row). - Click **Copy Links**. - Click **Direct Download Link** or **Preview Link**. [![The Copy Links menu with Direct Download Link and Preview Link](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-01-copy-links.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-01-copy-links.webp) You will see the message **Copied to clipboard!** at the bottom of the screen. The link is ready to paste anywhere. [![The Copied to clipboard! message](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-02-copied.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-02-copied.webp) **Tip:** Want to check the file first? Click **Open in Google Drive** in the same menu to open it in a new tab. ## Step 3: Or See the Link Before You Copy It If you want to see the full link before you share it, use the **Direct Link** window: - Tick the box next to the file. - Click **Link** in the toolbar. [![Clicking Link in the toolbar after selecting a file](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-03-link-button.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-03-link-button.webp) The **Direct Link** window opens on the **Preview Link** tab: - Check the address under **Direct URL**. - Click **Copy**. The button changes to **Copied!** for a moment. [![The Direct Link window showing the preview link](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-04-direct-link-preview.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-04-direct-link-preview.webp) To get the download link instead: - Click the **Download Link** tab. - Click **Copy**. [![The Direct Link window on the Download Link tab](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-05-direct-link-download.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-05-direct-link-download.webp) Click **Web Link** to open the link in a new tab and try it yourself, and **Close** when you are done. ### Sharing a Google Doc, Sheet or Slides file? Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are not ordinary files, so Google turns them into a file at the moment someone opens the download link. You get to pick which kind: - Click the **Download Link** tab. - Choose a **Format**: **PDF (.pdf)** is picked for you, or choose **Word (.docx)** for a Doc, **Excel (.xlsx)** for a Sheet or **PowerPoint (.pptx)** for Slides. - Click **Copy**. [![Choosing Word (.docx) as the download format for a Google Doc](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-09-export-format.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-09-export-format.webp) The link updates as soon as you change the format. The **Direct Download Link** in the right-click menu always copies the PDF version. **Note:** Visitors can only download a Google Doc, Sheet or Slides file when it is shared as **Anyone with the link** in Google Drive. Step 4 shows you how. The **Preview Link** works for every file. ## Step 4: Make Sure People Can Open the Link Google only lets people open a file they have permission to see. If the file is private, visitors who click your link land on a Google "request access" page instead of your file. To let anyone with the link open it: - Right-click the file and click **Share**. - On the **Link Sharing** tab, choose **Anyone with link** under **Who can access**. - Leave **Permission Level** on **Reader**, so people can view the file but not change it. - Click **Create Permission**. [![Choosing Anyone with link and clicking Create Permission](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-06-share-anyone.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-06-share-anyone.webp) You will see **Permission created successfully**, and **anyone** with the **Reader** role now appears under **Current Access**. [![The file is now shared with anyone who has the link](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-07-permission-created.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-07-permission-created.webp) **Important:** Anyone who gets the link can open the file. Only share files you are happy to make public, and pick **Domain restricted** instead if the file should stay inside your organization. ## Step 5: Embed the File on a Page (optional) Want the file to show right inside a page or post instead of opening in a new tab? DriveHub gives you a ready-made embed code: - Open the **Direct Link** window for your file (tick the file, then click **Link**). - Click **Embed Code**. The code is copied to your clipboard. [![Copying the embed code from the Direct Link window](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-08-embed-code.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-08-embed-code.webp) - Edit your page or post and add a **Custom HTML** block. - Paste the code into the block and update the page. The embed code is a small iframe that shows Google's own preview of the file, so the same rule applies: people can see it only if the file is shared with them, for example with **Anyone with link** from Step 4. You can also copy it from the **Embed Code** button in the **Share** window. ### Post the Link on Social Media (optional) Want to share the file on Facebook, X or WhatsApp? Turn those channels on first: - Go to **DriveHub** > **Settings** > **Security**. - Under **Sharing channels**, click **Facebook**, **Twitter** and/or **WhatsApp**, then click **Save changes**. A **Share to** row now appears in the **Share** and **Direct Link** windows. Click a button and that network opens in a new tab with your file's link ready to post. [![The Share to row with Facebook, X (Twitter) and WhatsApp buttons in the Share window](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-10-share-to.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-10-share-to.webp) ## Step 6: Share the Link Now paste your link wherever you need it: - In an email or a chat message. - As the link of a button or a text link on any page or post. - In a menu item, so visitors can reach the file from your site navigation. When someone opens a **Preview Link**, the file opens in the Google Drive viewer in their browser. When someone opens a **Download Link**, the file downloads straight to their device. [![A visitor opening the Preview Link of Onboarding Pack.pdf](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-11-preview-page.webp)](https://sovlix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/drivehub-direct-links-11-preview-page.webp) This is the preview page your visitor sees: the file opens right in their browser, with nothing to download or install. And that's it! Now you can share any Google Drive file with a single link, straight from WordPress. ## Benefits of Sharing Direct Links With DriveHub - **Fast:** Copy a link in two clicks without leaving your dashboard. - **Clear choice:** Pick a preview link for reading, a download link for saving, or an embed code to show the file on a page. - **Safe sharing:** Set who can open the file before you send the link. - **Light hosting:** Files stay in Google Drive, so big downloads never touch your web server. With **DriveHub**, sharing a Google Drive file is as easy as copy and paste.