Google Drive is 1 of the all-time file-sharing tools out there, making it easier than ever to share data with others. You can share anything ranging from uncomplicated documents to larger video files while using the platform.

Google Drive also offers options to integrate your cloud storage and Mac storage. This is offered through the Google Bulldoze desktop app for Mac, which allows you to select certain Google Drive folders to keep stored on your Mac. Today nosotros'll cover how to install and employ Google Drive for Desktop on your Mac.

Google Drive for Desktop

Google Drive allows y'all to share documents and files online. As Drive is integrated with the rest of Google's services (Google Sheets, Google Docs, and so on), you can create, edit and share everything directly online, without e'er having to use a local app on your Mac.

Many people besides rely on Google Drive for file backup and sync, which is where Google Bulldoze for Desktop comes in. The app allows you to sync your Google Drive folder with your local Mac folders, keeping your files updated.

Thus, yous can hands admission your Google Bulldoze files directly through Finder, eliminating the need for a browser. You can likewise piece of work the other mode effectually, transfering files from your Mac to your Google Drive.

How to Utilize Google Drive for Desktop

To start using Google Bulldoze for desktop, make sure you accept a Google account and that yous accept Google Bulldoze gear up. And so follow these steps:

  1. Download Google Drive for Desktop on your Mac from Google's website.
  2. Install the app, which takes up approximately 410MB on your Mac.
  3. One time yous've installed the app, you'll be prompted to log in to your Drive account.
  4. After you've signed in, the app will automatically sync with your business relationship and be set for employ.

Google Bulldoze volition ask you for permission to access your files on your storage bulldoze. This is so it can create its own network access folder, which you'll utilise to admission Google Drive directly from Finder.

How to Access Google Drive for Desktop

If you just desire to access your Google Drive files, you can exercise so from the Google Bulldoze folder in Finder'south sidebar. This will instantly requite you admission to your Drive files, which you lot can and so open or use every bit desired.

Google Drive Access in Finder

If you lot want to use the actual Google Drive app (to change certain settings or bank check the sync status), the quickest fashion to do so is from the bill of fare bar. You'll run into a Drive icon, which gives you quick access to the Google Drive folder located on your Mac. It displays all recently uploaded or updated documents, lets y'all know about the cloud sync status, and too includes a link to open up Google Bulldoze in your browser. You can also Intermission Syncing at whatsoever fourth dimension by clicking on the Settings icon if needed.

You lot can access the Google Bulldoze app from your Applications folder (Finder > Applications) or from Spotlight.

Google Drive App from Menu Bar

Choose Your Sync Method

Google Drive for Desktop syncs your Mac with your Google Drive folder automatically. This is a continuous procedure that will go on working in the background. Y'all can ever check the sync condition and recently synced files from the Drive icon in the Bill of fare Bar.

Yous'll want to cull a sync method before you properly utilize the app. Yous can cull to keep all of your Google Drive files on the cloud and simply make select items bachelor offline (streaming files). This frees up storage on your Mac. All the same, the downside of it is that files need to exist streamed or downloaded from the net if you want to employ them. This tin can be troublesome if yous don't accept an active net connection.

Google Drive Sync Options

The other pick is to relieve a copy of all your files both on Google Bulldoze and your computer (mirroring files). This essentially takes up double the storage amount (files are being saved on both your Mac and Google Drive), merely everything is readily bachelor locally on your system.

You tin access these settings by pressing the Settings icon in the Google Drive icon in the M enu bar. Select Settings followed past Google Drive. Cull your desired sync method here. Depending on the size of your Google Bulldoze folder, it may accept some time for all the files to fully sync and be available in Finder.

Support Specific Folders on Your Mac

Some other pick you have is to back upward a specific Mac binder to your Google Drive. Doing this allows yous to keep a re-create of your information available in the cloud, which you can access from some other estimator if y'all need to.

Folders can exist added from the Google Drive Preferences window. To admission this, select My Mac in the Preferences pane, followed past Add Folder. When adding a binder, Drive volition inquire you if y'all'd like to back up that folder to Google Drive or Google Photos. You can choose to organize all your documents and other files in Google Drive, whilst keeping your photos in a split identify. It'southward totally up to you.

Add Backup Folder to Google Drive

Once you've selected all the folders that you lot want to support to your Google Drive, press Save.

Change Your Sync Settings

You can also change your settings from the Settings menu. Amidst these are options to control bandwidth, which is handy if you're using a slow connexion or have data rate caps. You tin can also set up Google Drive to automatically launch when you log in to your Mac, show file sync status, and display confirmation messages when removing shared items.

Google Drive Preferences

Google Drive Storage

In contrast to Apple's iCloud Bulldoze service, which has 5GB free, Google Drive offers 15GB of free storage to use. This is synced beyond Google services, meaning if yous use Gmail, Google Drive, and other services, all of them share the 15GB allowance. If that isn't plenty—which it often isn't for many users—y'all can upgrade your storage plan through Google I. The almost bones storage upgrade is 100GB for $1.99 per month, and it goes upwards to 30TB for $149.99 per month.

You lot can upgrade your Google Drive storage online through Google 1 or through the Settings pane in the Preferences window.

Google Drive as a Daily Resource

If yous are a frequent Google Bulldoze user, it's a good idea to integrate it into Finder on your Mac. Doing so allows you to hands access your files, open them on your Mac. Y'all can also go one step further, and back up specific Mac folders to your Google Drive business relationship. This will assist you keep a backup safe in case anything always goes incorrect.

Time Machine vs. iCloud Drive: What Should You lot Use to Back Up Your Mac?

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About The Writer

Shujaa Imran (76 Articles Published)

Shujaa Imran is a die-hard Apple user and loves helping out others with their macOS and iOS-related problems. Autonomously from this, he's also a cadet pilot, aspiring to become a commercial pilot one day.

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