Can I let people download the whole album at once?

Yes. Galrivo can offer a full download as a ZIP, so guests grab everything in one tap instead of saving photos one by one.

If I turn downloads off, can people still screenshot?

Yes, on any platform. Turning off downloads stops the save buttons and signals your intent, but it cannot stop a screenshot. For truly private sets, combine view-only with a password and an end date.

Can different galleries have different download rules?

Yes. Each gallery has its own setting, so one can be fully downloadable while another is view-only.

Tips and how-to

How to let people download your shared photos, or turn downloads off

Sometimes you want people to keep copies, sometimes you only want them to look. Here is how to control whether viewers can download your shared photos and videos.

Mei Lin Tan

Marketing at Galrivo·12 March 2026·2 min read

A laptop showing a download in progress next to a notebook

Downloads are one of those small choices that change how a share feels. Sometimes the whole point is for people to keep the photos: the grandparents want the baby pictures saved, the team wants the match-day shots. Other times you want people to look but not save: a preview, a private set, work you are not ready to give away. The trick is being able to choose.

Two things people mean by download

1Saving one photo or video they like, the single-file download.
2Grabbing everything at once, usually as a ZIP of the whole album.

A good sharing setup lets you allow or block each of these, so you are not stuck with all-or-nothing.

What Google Drive does by default

On a normal Drive share, viewers can usually download. There is a setting to stop viewers and commenters from downloading, printing, or copying, which helps, but it sits among Drive's other controls and applies to the folder as a whole. It is not designed around the simple question most people are asking: can my guests save these or not?

Blocking downloads is not bulletproof anywhere

On any platform, someone determined can still screenshot what they can see. Turning downloads off raises the effort and signals your intent; it is not a vault. Treat it as a polite fence, not a bank door.

Hands holding a phone showing a photo gallery — Decide per gallery whether people can keep copies or just look.

Choosing per gallery in Galrivo

Galrivo makes this a clear, per-gallery choice. When you set up a gallery you decide:

Allow single-file downloads, so people can save the shots they love.
Allow a full download of everything as a ZIP, handy for guests who want the whole set.
Turn downloads off entirely, so the gallery is view-only.

Different galleries can have different rules. The wedding album can be fully downloadable for guests, while a private set you are only previewing stays look-only. Same account, different choices.

Pair downloads with the right access

If a gallery is downloadable and private, add a password so only the right people can save it. See password protecting an album.

Key takeaways

Download means two things: saving one file, or grabbing everything as a ZIP.
Drive can block downloads, but the control is folder-wide and buried.
Galrivo lets you choose per gallery: single-file, full ZIP, or view-only.
No setting stops screenshots, so think of it as intent, not a vault.

Frequently asked questions

Share your media the easy way

Turn the photos and videos in your Google Drive into one clean link, with a password and an end date if you want. Free to start, no app for the people you send it to.

Make my first gallery

Mei Lin Tan

Marketing at Galrivo

Mei Lin compares the many ways to share media so you do not have to. She likes an honest side-by-side that ends with a clear recommendation.