You want to create a link where people can send you files - like Dropbox File Request, but for Google Drive. You search "file request link Google Drive" and discover that Google Drive doesn't actually have this feature.
Dropbox has File Requests. OneDrive has File Requests. Google Drive? Nothing.
There are workarounds, but each has trade-offs. Here's what actually works and what's simpler.
Workaround 1: Shared folder with upload permissions
How it works: Create a folder in Google Drive, right-click → Share → change to "Anyone with the link" → set role to "Contributor."
The problem: - Uploaders must have a Google account and be signed in. If your client uses Outlook or doesn't have Gmail - they can't upload. - Contributors can see other people's files, not just add their own. - Contributors can also delete or modify files - not just upload. - There's no notification when someone uploads. You have to check manually. - The folder stays open forever unless you manually change permissions. - 30 people uploading into one flat folder = chaos.
When it works: Internal teams where everyone has Google Workspace. Not great for external people.
Workaround 2: Google Forms with file upload
How it works: Create a Google Form, add a "File upload" question type, share the form link.
The problem: - Uploaders must sign into a Google account - same dealbreaker as above. - Maximum 10 files per form submission. - Maximum 10 GB total per form (all respondents combined). - Files count against YOUR Google Drive storage. - The upload interface is clunky - it's a form field, not a drag-and-drop zone. - No progress bar for large files, no resume on failed uploads.
When it works: Schools and organizations where everyone already uses Google accounts. Small-scale collection with few files.
Workaround 3: Third-party tools with Google Drive integration
Tools like DriveUploader or FileDrop create upload pages that route files to your Google Drive folder.
The problem: - Requires setup and configuration - connecting Google Drive, setting permissions, configuring the form. - Free tiers are limited (time, submissions, or storage). - Adds a third-party dependency between your uploaders and your Drive. - Still counts against your Google Drive storage quota.
When it works: If you specifically need files to land in Google Drive and you're willing to pay for and configure a bridge tool.
The simpler alternative: a dedicated upload link
Instead of making Google Drive do something it wasn't designed for, use a tool built specifically for collecting files.
With 500files.com:
- Type a title describing what you need
- Click "Create upload link"
- Share the link - by email, text, QR code, whatever
- People upload without any account - no Google, no anything
- You download everything as a ZIP - or connect your Google Drive once and every upload is copied into a folder there as it arrives
No Google account needed for uploaders. This alone makes it better than every Google Drive workaround for external file collection.
No storage limit tied to your Drive unless you ask for Drive delivery. Files live on the upload page; your 15 GB Google quota is only touched by the copies you choose to receive.
No configuration. No permissions to set, no forms to build. Drive, if you want it, is one click on the dashboard.
But I want files in Google Drive
Then this is the file request link Google Drive never shipped. On the page's dashboard, click Connect Google Drive and approve the one permission Google asks for. From then on:
- Every upload is copied into a
500files / <page name>folder in your Drive right after the virus scan - no download step, no ZIP to unpack. - The people uploading still need no account of any kind. Only you sign in with Google, once.
- The app can see only the folders and files it created (Google's
drive.filescope). It never reads the rest of your Drive. - The originals stay on the upload page too, downloadable as a ZIP until the page expires, so nothing depends on the sync having worked.
The copies do count against your Drive quota - that is where they live. Pause or disconnect from the same dashboard at any time. The full walkthrough, including what happens when you delete the folder, is in Collect files into Google Drive from people without a Google account.
Comparison
| Feature | Google Drive (shared folder) | Google Forms | 500files.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uploader needs Google account | Yes | Yes | No |
| Upload-only (can't see/delete others' files) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Drag and drop | Yes | No | Yes |
| File checklist | No | No | Yes |
| Files land in your Google Drive | Yes | Yes | Yes (optional, one click) |
| Password protection | No | No | Yes |
| Resumable uploads | Partial | No | Yes |
| Auto-expiration | No | No | Yes |
| Max files | Unlimited | 10 per submission | Unlimited |
| Setup time | 2-5 min | 5-10 min | under a minute |
| Price | Free (15 GB) | Free (10 GB) | Free |
The bottom line
Google Drive is excellent for storing and collaborating on files. It's not designed for collecting files from external people. Every workaround introduces friction - account requirements, configuration complexity, or storage limitations.
If you need a file request link, use a tool built for that specific purpose. It's faster to set up, easier for uploaders, and it only touches your Google Drive if you ask it to deliver there.
Create a file request link at 500files.com - free, no Google account needed.