---
title: Review a file someone sent you
type: how-to
section: drive
summary: My tasks lists what is waiting on you. Open the item, then choose Approve, Request changes, Send back to author or Reject from its actions.
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-review-decision-dialog.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-review-status-panel.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/review-decision-availability.ts
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-item-preview-page-client.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/content-platform.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-drive
ttl_days: 45
related: [drive/request-a-review, drive/home, drive/publish-an-item]
---

Choose **My tasks** in the left rail, open the item you were asked about, and record your decision from the item's actions: **Approve**, **Request changes**, **Send back to author** or **Reject**. **Approve** and **Request changes** each open a dialog with an optional **Comment**.

## Find what is waiting on you

**My tasks** lists items currently waiting for your action, described as **Open and changes-requested tasks**. The columns are **Action needed**, **Name**, **Assigned**, **Location** and **Requested by**. **Action needed** reads **Review**, **Make changes** or **Approve**.

Narrow the list with the tabs **All**, **Review**, **Make changes** and **Approve**, or with the field labelled **Search tasks**. The same list appears on **Home** under the tab **Needs my attention**.

An empty queue reads **No items are waiting for your action.**

## Record a decision

1. Open the item from **My tasks**.
2. Open its actions menu.
3. Choose the decision:
   - **Approve** records your approval.
   - **Request changes** asks the author for a revision.
   - **Send back to author** returns the item to draft.
   - **Reject** closes the review. It records no comment.
4. For **Approve** and **Request changes**, add a **Comment** of up to 2,000 characters. It is optional, and the dialog notes that anything you write there is posted to the file's comments. The prompt reads **Add a note for the author (optional)** on an approval and **Tell the author what needs to change (optional)** on a change request.
5. Confirm. The button reads **Approving** or **Sending** while it saves.

## What the item's status means

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Draft** | Not yet sent for review. |
| **Pending review** | Sent, and waiting on reviewers. |
| **Changes requested** | A reviewer asked for a revision. |
| **Approved** | Approved by the reviewers required. |
| **Rejected** | Closed without approval. |
| **Published** | Released from its managed folder. |

Rows and pills collapse **Pending review** and **Changes requested** into **In review**, and show an unpublished item as **Draft**. The full value appears on the item's own status panel.

## Reading the review panel

The item's status panel shows **Status**, who created the draft, who requested the review, and, for an approved item, the line **The latest version of the file has been approved by all reviewers**. **Reviewers** lists everyone assigned, split into **Approved by** and **Awaiting decision**, with a count of how many of the assigned people approved. **Versions** lists saved revisions and offers **Upload new version**.

## When a decision is not available

A greyed-out decision names its reason. Common ones:

- **Send this item for review before recording a decision.** No review exists yet.
- **you are not assigned as a reviewer on this review** and your decision is not counted.
- **open review threads must be resolved first** before an approval is accepted.
- **this review has no assigned reviewers — assign one before deciding**.
- **the diff evidence is stale — request a new review against the current version**.
- **Already approved. Send a new revision for review to decide again.** or **This review was rejected. Send a new revision for review to decide again.**
- **Your approval is recorded — waiting for another reviewer's approval.** Your part is done.

## If it did not work

- **Couldn't record that decision.** means nothing was saved. Try the same decision again.
- **Couldn't load tasks. Try refreshing.** points at the service. Use **Refresh** above the list.
- A task that vanished was withdrawn or decided by someone else. Open the item and read its status panel.
- To send something of your own for review, see [Send a file for review](/help/drive/request-a-review).