How to Add Google Drive to File Explorer

Google Drive deserves all the love for the right reasons. And now, it’s even possible to add it to your computer so that you can access it even without the internet. You also save time by not having to open the browser and locating files inside Google Drive. 

So, let’s quickly jump to learn how we can add this best friend to our File Explorer along with other tips. 

How to Add Google Drive to File Explorer on Windows 10/11?

Adding Google Drive to the File Explorer on Windows 10 or 11 is as easy as downloading it like any other file. So, here’s how you can do it: 

1. Download Google Drive for desktop. 
2. Once the download process is complete, go to the setup file in your Windows File Explorer. 
3. Open and run the Setup file. Windows will ask you for permission. Allow it and click on Install Google Drive. 
4. Click on Sign in with Browser and sign in with your account. You will now notice that Google drive is loading your files.
5. If you selected adding shortcuts to the desktop, you’d notice that along with Google Drive, there are other apps, like Docs, Sheets, and Slides as well. 
6. You can also find Google Drive on the left sidebar, pinned to Quick Access when opening your File Explorer.
   

Now, when you open the Google Drive app, you can find all your existing files with the account. You won’t have to worry about updating it since all new changes to the Drive on your browser will be synced to your Drive for desktop. 

How to Add Google Drive to Mac?

If you want to add Google Drive to your Finder on Mac, you can use the exact same process above for Windows 10/11. 

How to Backup files to Google Drive from File Explorer?

After the above step, you can follow these steps to set up Google Drive and back up your files. 

1. Find the Google Drive icon on your taskbar and right-click on it. 
   
2. Click on the gear icon to open the Settings. 
3. Then, click on Preferences.
    
4. If you want to back up your files, go to My Laptop and click on Add folder. Now, select the files you want to backup. Doing so will easily sync and save your files to Google Drive.
   

How to Give Google Drive Sharing Permissions on Pc?

Since your Google Drive may contain confidential files, it’s best to wisely set sharing permissions. You can choose to share files with selected users and only allow access to certain actions. So, if you’d like to change sharing permissions for Google Drive on desktop, you can follow these steps: 

1. Locate your My Drive folder. 
2. Right-click on it and select Properties. 
3. Click on the Sharing tab. Then, click on the Share button.
   
4. You’ll notice a new pop-up option. Type in a User’s name and click on Add to share your drive.
     
5. Once you’ve added the user, you can also click on the Permission Level and allow the user to read or write only. 
6. Then, click on Share. 

How to Make Google Drive Files on PC Available Offline?

As mentioned previously, your files will remain saved online if you’ve selected the Streaming option instead of Mirroring. You can choose selected files to make them available for offline use through this setting. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open File Explorer and open Google Drive from the left sidebar. 
2. You can either make your whole drive or several files available offline. Files saved to the cloud will have a cloud logo attached to the file.
3. Right-click on any folder or file and select Offline Access. Then, select Available Offline. 
   
4. Files that are available offline will have a green tick logo attached. 

If you ever want to make a file available online only, then right-click on the file and select Offline Access. Then, select Online only. 

What Is Streaming and Mirroring Google Drive on PC?

Streaming and mirroring are methods of viewing your files from Google Drive on your PC. So, you can choose to select one option. 

Streaming is a handy feature that you can use to view/access all your files on a virtual drive. Your files will remain in the cloud so that you can save some space on your PC. You can set certain folders available for offline use. 

Meanwhile, mirroring files will make a copy of all existing files on your computer. So, this might take a considerable amount of space on your PC. Mirroring files allows you to view and make changes to your files even without the internet.

To stream or mirror your files, you can follow these steps: 

1. Click on Google Drive from the icon on the taskbar. 
2. Go to Settings > Preferences. 
3. Click on Google Drive from the left panel. 
4. Select either Stream files or Mirror files. 

How to Make Google Drive Files Available Offline on Mobile?

For the Google Drive app on your phone, it’s fairly easy to make your files available offline. The following steps work for both Android and iPhone:

1. Open Drive and select your desired folder. 
2. Tap on the three dots next to the file. 
3. Tap on Make Available Offline.