How to Use Google Drive on Android: A Beginner's Guide
Google Drive is a popular cloud storage and file synchronization service provided by Google. With Google Drive, you can store, access, and share your files from any device with an internet connection. This guide will walk you through the steps to get started with Google Drive on your Android device.
Step 1: Install the Google Drive app
- Open the Play Store app on your Android device.
- In the search bar at the top, type "Google Drive" and tap on the search icon.
- From the search results, select "Google Drive" by Google LLC.
- Tap on the "Install" button to download and install the app.
Step 2: Sign in to your Google Account
- Once installed, open the Google Drive app from your app drawer or home screen.
- If you have multiple accounts configured on your device, choose or add the account associated with your desired files.
- Enter your email address or phone number associated with your account and tap "Next."
- Enter your password and tap "Next."
Note: If you have two-step verification enabled for added security, follow the prompts to complete that process.
Step 3: Navigate through folders
Upon signing in to Google Drive, you will see a list of all files and folders stored within it. Here's how you can navigate through them:
- To open a folder or subfolder, simply tap on its name.
- To go back to a previous folder level, use either of these methods:
- Swipe right from left edge of screen towards center (gesture-based navigation).
- Tap on hamburger menu icon (three horizontal lines) at top-left corner of screen (button-based navigation).
Step 4: Upload files to Google Drive
To upload files from your Android device onto Google Drive:
Option 1 - Upload using "+" button:
- From inside any folder/subfolder in Google Drive, tap on the "+" button (bottom-right corner of screen).
- Select "Upload" from the options presented.
- Choose the desired files or folders from your device's storage and tap "Upload."
Option 2 - Upload using file manager:
- Open your device's file manager app (e.g., Files by Google, Solid Explorer).
- Locate and select the files you want to upload to Google Drive.
- Tap on the share/send button (usually represented by three dots connected by two lines) and select "Save to Drive" or "Send a copy" depending on the file manager app.
- If prompted, select a destination folder in Google Drive to save/upload those files.
Step 5: Download files from Google Drive
To download files from your Google Drive onto your Android device:
Option 1 - Download using "+" button:
- From inside any folder/subfolder in Google Drive, tap on the "+" button (bottom-right corner of screen).
- Select "Download" from the options presented.
Note: This will download all selected items as ZIP archive. You can extract individual items later.
Option 2 - Download using file manager:
- Go back to your Android device's home screen or open a file manager app.
- Navigate to where you want to save/download those files within your device's local storage.
- Return back to Google Drive app and long press on each desired item until they're selected. Tap on "√" icon at top-right corner of screen when done selecting.
Note: You can also long press on one item and then individually select multiple items afterwards by tapping them once without releasing long press gesture.
Alternatively, use checkbox icons appearing next to each item for selection instead of long pressing.
Step 6: Share files/folders with others
Sharing allows you to collaborate with others or give them access rights based on their needs. To share a file/folder via Google Drive:
- Open the Google Drive app on your Android device.
- Navigate to the file or folder you want to share.
- Long press on the desired item until it's selected. Tap on "√" icon at top-right corner of screen when done selecting.
- Tap on the "Share" button (represented by an upward arrow in a box) located at the top-right corner.
- Enter email addresses, select contacts, or choose from suggested people to share with.
- Set access permissions (view, comment, edit) for each recipient if needed.
- Optionally, add a message in the text box provided.
- Tap on "Send" to share.
Step 7: Access files offline
With Google Drive's offline feature, you can access files even without an internet connection. Here's how to make files available offline:
Option 1 - Offline individual files:
- Open Google Drive app and navigate to desired file/folder as usual.
- Long press on a file until it's selected. Tap on "√" icon at top-right corner of screen when done selecting.
Note: You can also long press one item and then individually select multiple items afterwards by tapping them once without releasing long press gesture.
Alternatively, use checkbox icons appearing next to each item for selection instead of long pressing.
- Tap on three-dot menu icon (vertical ellipsis) at top-right corner of screen and choose "Keep offline."
Option 2 - Offline entire folders:
Note: This method only applies for folders that contain no more than 2 GB total size with a maximum of 10k individual items inside them (including subfolders).
-To ensure entire folder is accessible offline:
- Open Google Drive app and navigate inside target folder/subfolder as usual until its contents are displayed in list view mode (not grid view icons).
- Long press within empty space between any two items or folders until a checkbox icon appears at top-left corner of screen.
- Tap on that checkbox icon to select all files and folders within current folder/subfolder hierarchy.
- Tap on three-dot menu icon (vertical ellipsis) at top-right corner of screen and choose "Keep offline."
Congratulations! You've now learned the basics of using Google Drive on your Android device. Remember, Google Drive offers more advanced features like document editing, file organization, and search capabilities. Feel free to explore these features further as you become more comfortable with the app's interface.