How to Share a Google Doc as View Only
Share a Google Doc so people can read it but not edit it, by setting the Viewer role for named people or anyone with the link, and block downloading or copying.
View only means the other person can open and read the document but not change it. Google Docs controls this with the role you assign in the Share dialog, either per person or for everyone who has the link.
Click Share
Click the blue Share button at the top right of the document. The Share dialog opens.
Add people and set them to Viewer
Type email addresses into the Add people, groups, calendar events, and spaces field. A role dropdown appears to the right of the field; open it and choose Viewer. Leave Notify people ticked to email them the link, add a message if you want, and click Send.
Or make the link view only
To share with a link instead of by email, look under General access. Change Restricted to Anyone with the link. A second dropdown appears to the right; set it to Viewer. Click Copy link, then Done, and paste the link wherever you need it. Anyone who opens it can read but not edit.
Block downloading, printing, and copying
In the Share dialog, click the gear icon at the top right. Untick Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy. This hides those commands for viewers. It does not stop screenshots.
Change or revoke access later
Open Share again. Each person is listed with their current role. Click the role to switch between Viewer, Commenter, and Editor, or choose Remove access. For link sharing, set General access back to Restricted to disable the link for everyone who is not listed by name.
Commenter is the middle option. If you want feedback without edits, choose Commenter instead of Viewer. Commenters can add comments and suggested edits but cannot change the text directly.
For a public read-only page. Click File, Share, Publish to web, then Publish. This creates a plain web page that anyone with the address can read, with no Share dialog and no comments, and it updates as you edit unless you untick automatic republishing. In the mobile app, tap the person-plus icon at the top, add people, and pick Viewer from the role dropdown.