Problem
File previews don't render when using the Google Drive plugin. The file appears in the browser or gallery but the preview window stays empty or shows an error.
Cause
To generate previews, Google Drive files need the sharing permission "Anyone with the link can view". The plugin can set this permission automatically, but only when the relevant settings are enabled in the plugin's Advanced tab.
Solution
1. Check the plugin's permission settings
On the plugin's options page, open the Advanced tab and confirm:
| Manage Permissions | Yes |
| Your Google Apps Domain | Empty |
With these in place, the plugin will adjust sharing permissions automatically whenever a file needs to be previewed.
2. Set sharing permissions manually
In some setups (organizational Google Workspace policies, restricted sharing settings) the plugin can't change permissions even with the above enabled. In that case, set the sharing permission manually via the Google Drive web interface: select the file, click Share, and set "Anyone with the link" to Viewer.
3. Still not working?
If neither path resolves the issue, something else is going on. Submit a support ticket and include your license key or purchase code, plus a temporary WordPress admin login so we can debug it safely.