Google Drive is a great way to share files in the cloud. Upload files or drag them to a special Google Drive folder on your computer and they are instantly available on other Macs, Windows PCs, iPhone, iPad and Android devices. It’s also great for sharing files with others – simply share a link to a file or folder and forget about sending large attachments.
Google Drive is free for up to 15 GB of files, or 30 GB with Google Apps accounts. Upgrade to 100 GB for $2 a month or 1 TB for $10 a month. Larger plans are available. Google Drive integrates with all your Google services, so if you have Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube or others, adding Google Drive is a snap. Learn more about Google Drive here and watch a short video.
Where do I start?
- Borrowing a computer or in a hurry? Access your files in your Google Drive from a web browser (below).
- Use the same computer frequently? Install the Google Drive app on your Mac or Windows PC. Sign in with your Google account and you’ll have a special folder on your computer that automatically syncs with the web & devices.
- Use an iPhone or iPad? Share files between your computer, iPhone and iPad.
- Collaborate on projects? Share items in your with colleagues and see files other have shared with you.
- Edit online documents (word processing, spreadsheet & slideshows) with Google Docs.
Accessing Google Drive on the web
- Sign into Google. Make sure you’re using the correct account.
- Switch to the Drive app.
- Click My Drive to show all your files or click the arrow to show folders.
- Select a file or folder to perform an operation. Or drag files to folders to move them. Add files to your drive by dragging them from your desktop to this page.
- Double-click a file or select it and click the eye icon to view it. Google Docs can be edited in your browser. Learn more.
- Click the trash to delete the file. It’s filed in the trash on the left sidebar where you can retrieve it later or delete it permanently.
- Click dots icon for more tasks, including the option to download the file to your computer.
- Display files in a list or grid and sort them.
- Search for files with the Search box.
- Share an individual file with someone by clicking the link icon. Copy the link and paste it into an email or web page.
- For ongoing collaboration, select a folder and click the Share button.
- Type the email addresses or names of people or groups in your organization.
- Choose whether people can edit or simply view (read-only).
- Click Shared With Me to see files people have shared with you and add them to your drive. Learn more.
- View deleted files, permanently erase them and keep an eye on your available space.
For further assistance, check out Google Drive help.
Learn more about Google web apps.
