Question:

How can I track the deletion of files in a Google shared drive without administrator privileges?

I created a Google shared drive for my work project, but I suspect that some files have been deleted by someone else. I do not have an administrator account, so I cannot access the activity logs or restore the files. Is there any alternative method to identify the culprit or recover the files? The files are not essential for my work, but they are still important to me. I appreciate any advice or guidance.

Answer:

Google shared drives are a convenient way to collaborate on files with your colleagues, but they also come with some risks. If someone deletes a file from a shared drive, it is not moved to the trash bin of the owner or the deleter, but rather to a hidden location that only administrators can access. This means that if you are not an administrator, you cannot see who deleted the file, when it was deleted, or restore it yourself.

However, there are some possible workarounds that you can try to track the deletion of files in a Google shared drive without administrator privileges. Here are some of them:

• Check the email notifications: If you have enabled email notifications for your shared drive, you might receive an email when someone deletes a file from it. The email will show the name of the file, the name of the deleter, and the date and time of the deletion. However, this option depends on whether the deleter has also enabled email notifications for the shared drive, and whether they have chosen to notify others when they delete files. If they have not, you will not receive any email notification.
• Check the activity dashboard: If you have access to the activity dashboard of your shared drive, you might be able to see some information about the deleted files. The activity dashboard shows the number of views, comments, and edits for each file in the shared drive, as well as the names of the viewers, commenters, and editors. However, the activity dashboard does not show the names of the deleters, nor the exact date and time of the deletion. It only shows the last time the file was modified, which could be before or after the deletion. Also, the activity dashboard only shows data for the past 180 days, so if the file was deleted more than six months ago, you will not see it there.
• Check the version history: If the deleted file was a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms file, you might be able to see its version history. The version history shows the changes made to the file over time, including the names of the editors and the dates and times of the edits. However, the version history does not show the names of the deleters, nor the exact date and time of the deletion. It only shows the last time the file was edited, which could be before or after the deletion. Also, the version history only shows data for the past 30 days, so if the file was deleted more than a month ago, you will not see it there.
• Ask the administrator: The last resort is to ask the administrator of your shared drive to help you track the deletion of files. The administrator can access the hidden location where the deleted files are stored, and see the names of the deleters, the dates and times of the deletion, and restore the files if needed. However, this option might not be feasible if the administrator is too busy, or if the files are not critical enough to warrant their attention.

As you can see, tracking the deletion of files in a Google shared drive without administrator privileges is not easy, and might not even be possible in some cases. The best way to prevent this problem is to be careful about who you share your files with, and what permissions you grant them. You can also make backup copies of your files in another location, such as your personal Google Drive, or an external hard drive, to ensure that you always have a copy of your files in case they are deleted from the shared drive.

I hope this article was helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know. 😊

: [Restore deleted files or folders in Google Drive – Google Workspace Admin Help](https://support.google.com/a/answer/6052340?hl=en) : [Turn on notifications for Google Drive – Computer – Google Drive Help](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2375082?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en) : [Change notification settings for a shared drive – Computer – Google Drive Help](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/9155510?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en) : [View activity & file versions – Computer – Google Drive Help](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2409045?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en) : [View Google Drive activity – Google Workspace Admin Help](https://support.google.com/a/answer/4579696?hl=en) : [See the history of changes made to a file – Computer – Docs Editors Help](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/190843?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en) :

[View activity & file versions – Computer – Google Drive Help](https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2409045?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en)