Access Control
Restricting a folder to specific people
Limit who can see a folder and everything in it to chosen people and groups.
Step 1
Open Manage Access
A top-level folder is open to the whole organisation, and a folder inside a restricted folder starts with that folder's restriction. To restrict one, right-click it, or open its three-dot menu, and choose Manage Access. You can do this for folders you created; Owners and Admins can do it for any folder.
Contracts
14 files
Marketing
9 files
Step 2
Choose Restricted
Under Access Type, press Restricted. You are added to the list straight away. A folder inside a restricted folder cannot be set back to Entire Organization.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Entire Organization
All members of your organization can access this folder and its documents.
Restricted
Only specific users can access this folder and its documents.
Search and select groups to grant access.
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 3
Add people
Search Allowed Users by name or email and press each person to add them. Press × on a name to take them off. The person who created the folder always keeps access.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Search and select groups to grant access.
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 4
Me means only you
The Me button is a shortcut that replaces the whole list with just you, so only press it when the folder should be yours alone.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Entire Organization
All members of your organization can access this folder and its documents.
Restricted
Only specific users can access this folder and its documents.
Search and select groups to grant access.
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 5
Or add whole groups
Search Allowed Groups the same way. Everyone in a group gets access, including people who join the group later.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 6
Hide it from other admins too
Admins can normally see every restricted folder. Tick Restrict from other admins to hide it from admins who are not on the list. The Owner can always see everything. Inside a folder that already has this ticked, it stays ticked.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 7
Save Changes
Press Save Changes. The restriction applies to the folder and every subfolder in it. People you add or remove get a notification.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 8
If someone cannot open the folder above
If you added someone who cannot open the folder this one sits in, a note explains they will only see this folder, and the button becomes Confirm & Save. Press it to go ahead.
Manage Access
Configure who can access Contracts
Some people you added don't have access to this folder's parent. They'll only be able to open this folder itself, not the parent or anything else inside it. Save again to confirm.
Search and select groups to grant access.
Restrict from other admins
Organization Admins who aren't explicitly listed above won't be able to see this folder. The organization owner can always access it.
Step 9
How it looks afterwards
A restricted folder shows a lock in the Folders panel. If you can manage its access, press the lock to open Manage Access again.
Folders
Try it in Secretary, or create an account to get started.
Related guides
Sharing access to an individual document
Limit one file to chosen people, or share it with someone who cannot open its folder.
Seeing who has access
Check exactly who can open a file or folder before you share it or put something sensitive in it.
Checking Documents activity and permissions
See who uploaded, downloaded, moved, shared or deleted what, and who has access to what.