Google Drive for Desktop
Google Drive for desktop is an application that enables you to access your files and folders in Google Drive from your computer. Drive for desktop replaced the previous Google Drive desktop application. If you currently use your desktop computer to access Google Drive, you’ll need to install Drive Drive for desktop.
This affects you only if you access Google Drive via folders on your desktop.
Features
Drive for desktop allows you to:
- Access your files through a folder on your computer
- Organize your files without downloading them (access them “on demand”)
- Open files in common applications like Microsoft Office
- Make files available offline (the cached files will sync back to the cloud when you are online)
When you install Drive for desktop, you’ll see folders called My Drive and Team Drives in your Finder or Windows Explorer. You’ll also see “Google Drive ” on the left hand side of Finder or Explorer.
System Requirements
- Windows: Google Drive for desktop requires Windows 10 and up. Windows Server editions are not supported.
- Mac: Google Drive File Stream requires OS X 10.11 El Capitan and up. Click here for instructions on using Drive for desktop for High Sierra (10.13) and higher.