Question 1

What does Drive Guard by 8apps do?

Accepted Answer

Drive Guard by 8apps scans your Google Drive and Shared Drives to help you identify who has access to your files and folders. It detects public links, external shares, and risky permissions - all directly within Google Sheets.

Question 2

Who is Drive Guard for?

Accepted Answer

Drive Guard is perfect for IT teams, compliance officers, team leads, and anyone looking to monitor and audit file sharing across their Google Drive ecosystem.

Question 3

How is Drive Guard different from other drive audit tools?

Accepted Answer

Unlike other Drive audit tools, Drive Guard runs directly inside Google Sheets, making it simple, familiar, and export-friendly. It doesn't require external dashboards and keeps your data private and secure within your own Google environment.

Question 4

How do I install Drive Guard by 8apps?

Accepted Answer

You can install Drive Guard directly from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Once installed, find it under Menu > Extensions in Google Sheets.

Question 5

Does Drive Guard work on personal Gmail accounts or only Google Workspace?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Drive Guard works on both personal Gmail and Google Workspace accounts.

Question 6

Do I launch Drive Guard in Google Sheets or Google Drive?

Accepted Answer

We have configured Drive Guard in such a way that you launch it from within Google Sheets. We recommend keeping a dedicated Google Sheet for running these audits from time to time, so that all logs are together.

Question 7

Can I scan both My Drive and Shared Drives with Drive Guard?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Drive Guard lets you scan files and folders in both My Drive and any Shared Drives you have access to, including nested folders.

Question 8

Will Drive Guard show me who outside my organisation has access to my files?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. It flags all external users based on their email domains, so you can quickly identify risky shares and take action.

Question 9

Does Drive Guard show file permissions at both file-level and user-level?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Scan results are split into two sheets: one lists each file and its permissions, and the other shows each user and what they can access.

Question 10

Can I filter scans by specific file types like PDFs or Google Sheets?

Accepted Answer

Definitely. You can choose to scan all files or filter by specific types, such as Docs, Sheets, PDFs, images, audio, and more.

Question 11

Can I export the scan results for audits or compliance?

Accepted Answer

Yes! All results are stored in Google Sheets and can be exported as Excel, CSV, or PDF files for easy sharing and documentation.

Question 12

Is there a limit to how many tasks or scans I can run?

Accepted Answer

In the free version, you can create up to 3 tasks and scan 50 files per day. Upgrading to Premium removes these limits and unlocks unlimited scans and tasks.

Question 13

How can I request a new feature?

Accepted Answer

You can request new features by reaching out to support@8apps.co. We would love for our users to contribute to the product roadmap.

Question 14

Is my data secure? Is Drive Guard by 8apps GDPR compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We don't store or access your emails - all processing happens within your Google Account's secure environment, and Drive Guard acts as a data processor ensuring your data stays within Google Workspace.

Question 15

Does your company look at or share my data?

Accepted Answer

No, all your data remains within your Google account (Drive, Gmail) and never resides on our servers.

Question 16

How can I upgrade to a paid plan?

Accepted Answer

You can upgrade directly within the add-on's settings or through our website.

Question 17

Why do I need a paid plan for Drive Guard?

Accepted Answer

The paid plan allows deeper scans, unlimited files, and full audit exports - perfect for teams managing sensitive data or compliance requirements.

Question 18

What happens after I make a payment?

Accepted Answer

Once your payment is successful, you'll receive a license key via email. To activate your upgrade, open the add-on and go to the Plans page, then simply enter your license key. Your existing settings and tasks will remain intact, and there's no need to reinstall anything.

Question 19

Is there a refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we do offer a 7-day refund policy.

Question 20

Can I switch between monthly and annual plans?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can switch between monthly and annual plans at any time, or upgrade to the Lifetime plan. If you downgrade, you will retain access to your current data, but your addon will be limited and will revert to the free plan.

Question 21

What payment methods are accepted?

Accepted Answer

We accept major credit/debit cards and use Stripe as our payment processor.

Question 22

Can I transfer my subscription or Lifetime license to another Google account?

Accepted Answer

No, subscriptions are linked to the Google account for which the license key was redeemed and cannot be transferred. We may, however, evaluate your request on a case-by-case basis. You can request by emailing support@8apps.co.

Question 23

I'm a student. Can I get a discount?

Accepted Answer

We currently do not offer a specific student discount. If you need help or support, please email us at support@8apps.co.

Question 24

When can I cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

You can cancel your subscription at any time through the account settings. If you face problems, you can reach out to us at support@8apps.co with your details.

Question 25

What should I do if the add-on is not loading?

Accepted Answer

Make sure that you are using the correct Google account, and log out of other Google accounts from your browser. If it still does not work, try refreshing your browser, clearing the cache, or reinstalling the add-on. Contact support if it persists.

Question 26

How can I contact support for billing-related questions?

Accepted Answer

You can reach out to us at support@8apps.co for any questions or concerns.

Question 27

I upgraded, but I don't see the premium features. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Make sure that you use the license key to activate the premium features, and try refreshing the app or logging out and back in. Contact support if it still persists.

Question 28

Will I get new features automatically, or do I need to update?

Accepted Answer

New features are automatically added to the add-on. You will receive an email notification for major updates.

Question 29

I found a bug. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

If you encounter a bug, please report it to support@8apps.co with details and screenshots.

Question 30

Can I enable domain-wide installation for all users in my organisation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you are a Google Workspace admin, you can enable domain-wide installation from the admin console. For bulk licenses, please email us at support@8apps.co.

Drive Guard – frequently asked questions