35 Google Drive features that make it the best cloud storage

Adding data

1. Scanning documents

Mobile application "Google Drive" for Android will help you easily scan documents, business cards, receipts and other pieces of paper. It will all be converted into readable PDFs and uploaded to the cloud.

Click on the plus button in the client and select the "Scan" option, then point the camera at the text. The app will automatically crop blank edges and lighten the background. If necessary, you can click on the "Crop" button and specify the desired piece of text manually.

The function does not work on iOS.

2. Web Clipper

Google Drive has an official extension that allows you to submit web pages, files and images directly to your storage.

You just need to right-click on the picture and select "Save Image to Google Drive". Or open a PDF document from the Internet in a browser and click on the extension icon. Everything will go to the cloud.

The extension saves web pages as a screenshot, HTML, MHT, or converts them to the entire Google Docs format.

3. Drag and drop files

It may seem obvious, but suddenly someone doesn't know. If you do not have the Google Drive client installed on your computer, you can open your storage in a browser and add files there by simply dragging and dropping.

4. Application "Startup and sync"

Install the application from Google "Startup and Sync", and you can save files and folders from "Google Drive" on your computer. Its principle of operation is the same as that of other cloud storage clients. You can work with the data whenever you want, all changes are automatically synchronized.

Unfortunately, Google has not released a Linux version of the client. But the built-in file manager Nautilus can connect to Google Drive itself. Click "System Settings" → "Network Accounts" → "Google Account", enter your username and password there, and a folder with the contents of "Google Drive" will appear on the sidebar of Nautilus.

5. Autosync for Google Drive app

"Startup and Sync" on Windows and macOS works just fine. But Google Drive clients on Android and iOS are a little disappointing. They don't know how to sync your folders, except to download selected files separately. This means that they can do little without the Internet.

But the alternative client Autosync for Google Drive works exactly on the principle of "Startup and sync". All your data or only selected folders can be saved in the phone memory, and changes in them will be synchronized in the cloud in the background. Unfortunately the app is for Android only.

6. Fast file creation

Save the following links to your browser bookmarks bar. One click and a new document will open in front of you.

- new document.
- new table.
- new presentation.
- new website.
- a new survey form.

Organizing files

7. Version control

Google Drive saves any changes you make to your documents, PDFs, images, archives, or audio files as versions. If you suddenly screw up, you can roll back. To do this, right-click on the file and select "Version Control".

By default, Google Drive only stores 100 versions, and all older versions are deleted after 30 days to save space. You can select the version you want, click on the ellipsis and click "Never Delete" - and it will be kept forever.

8. Customize folder color

Customizing the color of folders in Google Drive

A very handy feature that makes it easier to navigate your documents. Right-click the folder in the Drive web interface, then select Change Color and assign the desired one.

9. Bookmarks

A convenient way to quickly access your most frequently used files is to bookmark them. Click on the required file with the right mouse button and click "Add to Marked". The function is also present in the mobile client. To get to it, click on the ellipsis next to the desired file. Now the marked files will be in the side menu with an asterisk.

10. Commenting on folders and files

Commenting on folders and files in Google Drive

Select a file or folder on Google Drive and click on the pencil button on the right. You will be able to add a detailed description of the data stored there. However, it is impossible to view and edit comments from mobile devices.

11. Files on the home screen

Files from Google Drive on the home screen

In Windows or macOS, it is very easy to place a shortcut to a document or picture from Google storage on the desktop if you have the Startup and Sync client installed. Select the file you want in your Google Drive folder, right-click, create a shortcut in Windows or an alias in macOS, and you're done. This is a pretty obvious action.

But in the same way, you can create links to files on mobile devices. Find the file or folder you want in the Google Drive app, tap the ellipsis and select Add to Home Screen. Now the data you need is always at your fingertips.

Working with files

12. PDF editing

Do you have a PDF on Google Drive that you want to edit but won't copy text from it? You don't need to retype anything by hand. Right-click the PDF and select Open With → Google Docs.

The process may take a little longer than usual, but in the end you will see a document with editable text. This works with both scanned PDFs and those created with a smartphone or tablet camera.

13. Copy text from images

The same trick works with pictures as well. Take a picture of the text with the camera of your smartphone or tablet, send the picture to Google Drive. Then, on your computer, in your browser, right-click on the file and select "Open With" → "Google Docs". The text from the picture will be turned into a document.

14. PDF markup and signature

If you need to highlight text in a PDF document, comment on it, add a mark or sign it electronically, install the Google Drive app called DocHub. Then right-click the PDF in the Google Drive web client and select Open With → DocHub.

15. Converting documents

Google Drive can automatically convert all files you upload to it, such as DOCX, into Google Docs. This is useful because they do not take up storage space.

Click on the gear icon in "Google Drive", then go to settings and activate the option "Convert uploaded files to Google Docs".

But keep in mind: if you intend to store Microsoft Office documents or spreadsheets with complex formatting, it is better not to convert them in Google Docs.

16. Editing Office documents

Editing Office documents in Google Drive

If you want to edit Microsoft Office documents without converting them to Google format, install the special extension. It is especially useful if you don't have an Office suite on your computer. Modified files are saved correctly in DOCX, XLSX and PPTX formats.

17. Converting files

CloudConvert app can convert documents, images, audio and video recordings and e-books.

Install it, select the desired file on Google Drive and click Open With → CloudConvert. Specify the format, click Start Conversion. Wait a little and click on Show File - the converted file will be in your storage.

18. File encryption

If you store some particularly valuable data on Google Drive and want to provide additional protection for it, install the free Secure File Encryption add-on. It encrypts files using the AES-256 algorithm.

Click New → More → Secure File Encryption. Then come up with a password and drag the file into the browser window. In the future, it will not be possible to download or view it without entering a password.

Smart search

19. Text search

Search is one of the greatest strengths of Disc. Just type a keyword or phrase in the search bar and Google will find all documents containing it. And if you click on the arrow on the right side of the line, additional search options will open.

20. Search by text in images

If you remember, Evernote once stood out for its ability to find text in pictures. Well, Google Drive can do that too. Enter a word or phrase and you will find not only documents, but even scanned PDFs or photos with the specified text.

21. Search by file type

Enter the file type, for example


type: image


type: document

or extensions:


Jpeg

TXT


DOCX

… Also, if Google is showing extra files in the SERP, you can exclude them. Dial


-jpg

and you won't see any images in search results.

22. Search by pictures

Google Drive can search the content of your photos. For example, if you want to see all of your sunset shots, type


type: image Sunset

… However, this function does not work very accurately.

23. Search by person

If you frequently use Google Drive with your colleagues, you will receive many different documents that are shared with you. It happens that you remember the author of the file, but do not remember the name. Enter the person's name or email into the search box, and all the documents that he shared with you will be found.

24. Search on "Google Drive" via Gmail

One more little thing. If you type a search query in Gmail, the results will also include files from Google Drive.

File upload

25. Ability to share files and folders

Right-click on any Google Drive file and click Share. Then copy the link to the file and send it to anyone or enter the email addresses of the people you want to share it with.

You can set restrictions so that users can only view, comment, or edit the file. The algorithm works for folders too.

Likewise, you can share files and folders directly from Explorer, Finder, or through Google Drive mobile clients.

26. Sending via Gmail

Are you writing a letter and want to attach a document or picture from your repository to it? You don't have to switch to another tab and open Google Drive. Click on the icon at the bottom of the compose window and select the desired file right in the Gmail interface.

This way you can send large attachments. By default, Gmail will not allow attachments larger than 25MB. But attachments from Google Drive can be up to 10 GB.

Miscellaneous

27. Conditionally endless storage

Subject to certain conditions, you can practically not waste space on Google Drive and store as many files as you want there.

First, do not upload documents in Microsoft Office formats there, but convert them to Google Docs. They don't take up space.

Second, save your pictures to Google Photos. Photos up to 16 megapixels, of course, will shrink. But still, the quality will remain acceptable, and the storage space will not be taken into account. You can enable photo compression at. Alternatively, open the Client Settings "Startup and Sync", click on "Download photos and videos in original quality" and select the option "High quality".

28. Site control

Are you running out of free 15 GB and don't want to switch to a paid plan? Select "Storage" on the left, then sort your files by size. You can find the most voluminous ones and delete them or move them somewhere.

One more point. Dropbox users know that in free accounts, deleted files are permanently erased and cannot be recovered after a month. Google does not limit the time during which files can be recovered. It stores deleted data in the "Trash", and they continue to take up space.

So if you do not have enough storage space, then first of all look into the "Trash" and remove everything unnecessary from there. You can press Ctrl + A, then right-click and choose "Delete forever" if you want to erase everything in bulk.

29. Work offline

Sometimes you have to work where there is no internet. Google Drive can do that too. There are several options.

If you're using the Startup & Sync client for Windows and macOS, you don't have to worry about connecting at all. The client stores your files on a local drive. Any changes you make will be synced to the repository as soon as the internet comes up.

Prefer to work with Google Drive in your browser? Open and enable the "Offline access" option. You will be prompted to install the "Google Docs Offline" extension, do it. Now you can edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations without Internet access. True, this only works in Chrome.

In the Google Drive mobile client, select the file you want and click the ellipsis next to it, then activate the Turn Offline Access option. Now this file will always be in the menu, in the "Offline access" section.

30. Selective Synchronization

You may not need all of the files and folders in Google Drive on one of your computers. To select the ones you need, go to the client settings "Startup and sync" and open the "Google Drive" section. Select the option "Sync only these folders" and specify what to sync and what not to touch.

31. Android backup

Google Drive has a built-in tool for backing up messages, contacts, calendars, mail, settings, and app data. This comes in handy if you are restoring your smartphone after a system reset or want to transfer data to another Android device.

Go to the settings of the "Google Drive" app on Android and open "Backup and reset", then click the "Start copying" button.

32. Automatic download of photos and videos

On mobile devices, photos can be automatically uploaded to dimensionless storage via the Google Photos app. But the exact same feature is available on Windows and macOS computers. To do this, go to the client settings "Startup and sync" and enable the option "Upload recently added photos and videos to Google Photos".

Additional features

33. Mobile applications

Google Drive can be made even more useful by using various mobile applications that work in conjunction with it. Many word processors can save your documents and notes not to the device memory, but to Google Drive. For example, WPS Office and Jotterpad. And file managers, for example MiXplorer, can work with the contents of the storage.

Download MiXplorer →

34. Apps for "Google Drive"

Several other useful tools can be found among the Google Drive apps. There are text and image editors, PDF programs, note-taking and other gizmos.

35. IFTTT

Finally, don't forget about IFTTT. The service contains several ready-made recipes that allow, for example, to save photos from Instagram, articles from Pocket or YouTube videos to Google Drive, keep a diary or make copies of files. And if you wish, you can create your own recipes, limited solely by your imagination.