Google Drive is a file synchronization and sharing service that allows you to store and organize assignments, documents, or class curriculum securely and easily access them from any device including tablets and smartphones, anywhere, at any time. With Drive, you can instantly view common formats including documents, PDFs, images, and even HD videos right from your web browser or mobile device. Teams can share files or whole folders, and with granular file permissions, it’s simple to control who can view, comment on or edit each file. Google Drive is available via your browser and has dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as apps to synchronize files from Windows and Mac computers
Access Google Drive
Open your Chrome browser
Select the Google Apps icon on the top right. Alternatively, you can type in the URL drive.google.com to open.
Adding files and folders
To add new files and folders, click New then select:
New Folder to add a new folder directly to Drive.
New file to upload one or more files from your computer.
New folder to upload one folder from your computer. Unlike files, you can only upload one folder at a time.
Did you know that you can do the above by right-clicking on any space on your Drive? Don't trust me? Try it out yourself!
If you upload a file with the same name as an existing file, Drive will add it as a new version rather than a duplicate. You can manage versions to see the previous version of that file.
When you see Upload complete, it means that your files have successfully uploaded and can be accessed in any browser or device that has Drive installed.
Offline Access
If you lose access to the Internet, do not worry! You can still access your files offline. You can turn on Available offline by right-clicking a file.
Alternatively:
Click the Settings button and then Settings in Drive.
Check the Create, open, and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files on this device while offline box in the Offline section.
Click the Done button.
Moving Files
To move you files or folders, right-click on the file or folder you want to move, Select Move to then select the destination you want to place the file or folder in.
Shared with me
Members of your organization can share files with you. Some of the members are even on the suggested list. This list contains members who frequently share files with you, and under each member are two of the most recent shared files.
Shared Drives
Creating new shared drives
Right-click on Shared Drives or on any space in your Shared Drives list and select New Shared Drive.
Give the new shared drive a name and click Create
Add members and access levels
Click Shared drives on the left, then select a shared drive to which you belong.
Click Manage members at the top.
Fill in the blanks with names, email addresses, or a Google Group.
New members are required to have a Google account. New members are automatically assigned the role of Content manager. They have the ability to upload, edit, move, and delete all files.
To change a new member's access level, click the down arrow and select an option.
To determine whether new members are notified, click Notify people.
Click the Send button.
Managing Shared Drive settings
You can manage access to your Shared drives by:
Selecting the shared drive you want to change settings
Click the down arrow next to the drive's name and select Shared Drive settings
Change the settings you want to allow or disallow and click Done
Workspaces
Add important or frequently used files to a workspace in Drive Priority to keep them at your fingertips.
Adding files to a workspace does not remove them from other locations or change their permissions; it simply places them in one location where you can find them quickly.
To create a workspace:
Click Priority on the left.
Click Create Workspace under Workspaces.
Click Create after giving the workspace a name.
Select Add files.
Choose where you want to add files from on the right, under Add to Workspace (Recent, My Drive, Shared Drives, and so on).
Locate and select the files you want to add.
Select Insert.
Click the Done button.
You can add files by clicking View Workspace on the one you want and then clicking Add files. Also, you can hide or delete a workspace by clicking the More button and then Hide Workspace or Remove Workspace respectively.
Drive for Desktop
Install Drive for Desktop if you want to work on files from your desktop. Your files are stored in the cloud, and you can access them whenever you want. This frees up hard drive space on your computer, saves network bandwidth, and means less time spent waiting for files to sync. You can also make files in Drive available offline, and they will sync to the cloud once you reconnect to the internet.
To install Drive for Desktop:
Click the Settings button > Get Drive for Desktop. You will be redirected to a new web page
Click Download Drive for Desktop
Sign in to install Google Drive
Click Open Preferences to customize your settings
After installing Drive for Desktop, you can access My Drive like any other folder in File Explorer (Microsoft Windows) or Finder (Apple Mac). You can then transfer your files to Drive, where they will sync to the cloud and free up space on your computer.
