Resource metadata required error when sharing folders via Google Drive API

Other Questions Google drive
1

I’m getting a frustrating error while trying to share a directory with another person through my mobile application that uses Google Drive API. Every time I attempt to grant access to a folder, the API returns this error response:

{
  "error": {
    "errors": [
      {
        "domain": "global",
        "reason": "required",
        "message": "Resource metadata required"
      }
    ],
    "code": 400,
    "message": "Resource metadata required"
  }
}

This happens consistently when I try to create sharing permissions for folders in my app. Has anyone encountered this issue before? What kind of metadata does the API expect when sharing resources? I’m not sure what I’m missing in my request that’s causing this 400 error.

2

This happens when your request body is missing required fields for permissions. You need at least ‘role’ (reader, writer, or owner) and ‘type’ (user, group, or anyone). Sharing with someone specific? Add their ‘emailAddress’ too. Check that your POST request has these fields in the body - the file ID in the URL isn’t enough.

3

had the same problem! make sure you’re providing the right fileId and include the necessary metadata like role and type. that should help resolve the error. good luck!

4

Had this exact problem six months ago building a document management feature. Turned out I was sending an empty request body - only had the file ID in the URL path. Drive API needs a proper JSON payload with permission details, not just query parameters. Check you’re sending a POST request with Content-Type as application/json and your request body has the permission object with required fields. Also verify you’re hitting the right endpoint: /drive/v3/files/{fileId}/permissions. The error’s generic but usually means your request body is malformed or missing.