When Google Drive was first launched, it acted as a place to download and store files in the Cloud so that they could be accessed from any PC. Over time, as technology progressed, the Google Docs service appeared, which now serves as a center for creating documents and office tools. Today you can even install applications in Drive to expand its functionality even more. To get the most out of the service, you need to learn in detail what Google Drive is and how to use it.
Initial settings
First of all, it needs to be configured. Sign in to your Google Drive website with your Google Account. If you do not have an account, you can create one for free. “Google Drive” provides the ability to store files in the “Cloud”, as well as create documents and forms via the web interface.
Upload files to Google Drive. How to use the download? There are two ways to do this. You have the option of creating documents in Google Drive directly or downloading files from your PC. To create a new file, click the "Create" button. To boot from the device, click the Up Arrow button next to the CREATE button.
Choose a way to display your files. You can see them in large icons (grid) or in the form of a list (sheet). List mode will show you the name of each document and the date and time it was last modified. Grid mode will display each file as a preview of its first page. You can change the mode by clicking on the button next to the gear icon in the upper right corner of the page.
How to use Google Drive on a computer? Using the navigation bar on the left, you can view the files. The My Drive menu item is the place where all your downloaded documents and folders are saved at any settings. "Shared access" contains files that other Google Drive users have shared with you. “Tags” are documents that you have marked as important.
You can transfer files and folders to Google Drive to organize them as you wish.
Google disk: how to use files?
Check the box to select multiple documents. After that, various actions for the selected files will become available to you. If you use the large icon view, a check box will appear when you hover over the document. More options can be found in the Advanced menu.
Click on the folder icon marked “+” to create a new folder in Drive. You can create directories inside others to organize files.
You can search through your documents and folders using the search bar located at the top of the Google Drive page on the right. Google Drive will search through names, content and owners.
Google Drive data storage: how to use on the phone?
If you want to use the service on a mobile device, there is a Google Drive application for iOS and Android, which provides access to files from a smartphone or tablet. It can be downloaded free of charge from the corresponding online store. However, such services may not have full editing functionality; this largely depends on the browser version. You can easily figure out how to use the “Google Drive” on the “Android”, as the menu is practically no different from the computer.
How to start working with documents?
Click the Create button. You will see a menu giving you the right to choose which of the documents you want to create in Google Drive. How to use existing file types? You are offered several default options, the rest you can add by clicking on the appropriate link at the bottom of the menu:
- "Folder" - creates a folder in My Drive to organize data.
- "Document" - a text-type document will open. You can format and customize the page using the tools at the top. It is possible to export data to Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, PDF and other types of programs.
- "Presentation" - suggests launching the equivalent of Microsoft PowerPoint for work. Data can be exported in a variety of formats: Microsoft PowerPoint, PDF, JPG and so on.
- "Spreadsheet" - provides an empty spreadsheet. Data can be exported to Microsoft Excel, PDF, CSV, OpenOffice and similar formats.
- "Form" - gives you the opportunity to work with forms that you can fill out on the Internet. They can be exported to CSV files.
Creating a file in Google Drive
After choosing the type of document, an empty file will open. If you selected “Presentation” or “Form”, the application wizard settings will open, which will assist in setting up a new document.
At the top of the page, click on the gray text “Untitled <file type>”. The Rename Document window appears, allowing you to change the file name.
Get started with the document. Google Drive has most of the basic features, but advanced services may not be available. Saving a document occurs automatically when it continues to work.
If you want your file to be compatible with similar programs, open the “File” menu and find “Download As”. A menu appears with a suggestion of the available formats. Make the right choice. You will be prompted to enter a file name and select a location to download. When the document is downloaded, it will be presented in the format you selected.
How to share a document?
Click “File” and “Share”, or the corresponding blue button in the upper right to open the general settings. You can specify who can view the file, and who can edit it.
Copy the link at the top of the document to share with the users you want to grant access to. You can use the buttons below to quickly share via Gmail, Google+, Facebook or Twitter.
You can change the settings for accessing the document by clicking the "Change ..." button. By default, the file is private and you must invite users to have access to it. You can change these options to allow everyone to view it.
To publish a document, presentation, or spreadsheet, click File and select Publish to the Internet. This functionality creates a copy of the file that anyone can view. It becomes a separate web page that is not associated with your original document. This allows you to share information with anyone without changing sharing settings.
The published document cannot be modified. You can still only edit the source file, which remains in the Google Drive. How to use the settings - described above.
If you have a printer installed or have access to a Google Cloud printer, you can print documents. Click on the “File” menu and select “Print” from the bottom of the list. You can specify which pages to print, as well as create a page layout.
The preview will open after clicking the “Print” button, and you can select your printer by clicking on the “Change” button. This can be useful if you are trying to access your Google Cloud printer from another location.
Rollback to an old version of a document
If you made many changes to the document and realized that you need to revert to the old version, you can use the History tool to view old copies. Open the document and select "File" from the menu. Click on “View Change History”, after which a frame will appear with a list of your edits on the right side of the page.
You can click on each change point in the list and view the file. If you find an old copy that you want to keep, click on the “Restore this link” tab.
Download Google Drive Sync for your computer
As you can see, the instruction about what Google Disk is and how to use it is not difficult. If you wish, you can synchronize your local files with Google Drive. If you want to install such a program, click on the link located on the main page of Google Drive.
After you download the application, install it and log in to your Google account. The folder will be placed on the desktop, it will give you quick access to all Google Drive files. Drag any files that you want to add to your Google Drive storage in it, and they will be automatically downloaded. When the document is successfully loaded, it displays a green checkmark on the icon.