Gained great popularity. This trend is mainly associated with the need for modern man store large amounts of information“at hand”, because such storages make it easy and free to save and share information with other people without taking up extra space on the gadget.
Today, one of the most popular cloud storage is Google Drive 2019. As you might have guessed from the name, this cloud storage was developed by the corporation Google. What makes this program stand out, how to use it and where to download google drive on computer? More on this later.
Program interface
Where to download Google Drive?
Downloading Google Drive for Windows for free is not a problem. Google provides an opportunity to download this cloud storage absolutely free of charge from your official site. Just need to find this program, click the "download" button and wait for the download.
How to use Google Drive?
- Logging into your account, you will find a section "My Disc". It is in it that they will store all files that will be uploaded to the cloud.
- To add file to your storage drive, you should click on "+" button in your account and select the desired file.
- We should not forget that you can allow other storage users to view your files from Google Drive, but only if you wish (by default, all files are available only to you).
- It is also not clear to everyone how to download files from google drive. To save any file from the storage from Google, you only need to click on the "functions" button, which represents three dots, and select the item there "download".
How to download a file from Google Drive Pros and Cons of Google Drive
Google Cloud Drive is closely related to other Google products. Also he has offline mode, and access to files on your disk can be restricted. These are the main positive aspects of this repository.
The first among the minuses is to mention the poor security of files on the cloud. There are not isolated cases of account hacking, so it is not recommended to store important files on Google Drive. The second negative aspect is that despite Google allocating 15 GB to each account, they are also consumed by Gmail, Google Docs documents, and so on.
What devices and systems support Google Drive?
Available google opportunity disk download to a computer, the tablet or mobile device that support OS Windows 7, 8, 10 (etc.), MAC, Android, iOS. With all of the above operating systems, Google's cloud drive works.
Conclusion
Summing up, it should be said that storing information and files on a cloud drive is very convenient in our information age. And Google Drive, despite its shortcomings, in the form of poor file security, is still one of the the best programs of a kind. After all, it's not in vain for two years of their work in this repository already numbered about 240 million active users.
Remote data storage in virtual google The cloud is undoubtedly a very effective auxiliary method for any modern user who has to deal with a large number of files and various types data. At the same time, it is desirable that they can be accessed from anywhere, without being tied to a home or work computer.
Thus, creating a convenient and multifunctional program Google Drive (google drive for computer), a well-known developer company, pleased the vast majority of its regular users and customers with the opportunity to transfer a huge number of their files from hard drives And removable media to a more practical and reliable platform - the Google cloud, freeing up a decent amount of free space on their "machines" for other important needs.
Using cloud storage google drive, you can access your personal data archive at any time through desktop computer, the tablet, mobile phone or a laptop, provided the Internet is connected (if you need to constantly synchronize data with the cloud). Otherwise, such information can be stored on the local computer until it goes online, after which user files will be synchronized with the cloud storage.
Thus, in any life situation, you will not remain cut off from the files that are extremely important to you, wherever you are: at home, at work, in a cafe with friends, or standing in a traffic jam in your own car.
It is important to know that files that are in the cloud can be "shared", granting access to another user for editing or reading. This will allow you to work collectively on common projects by uploading data to the repository. This approach makes cloud service Google Drive is even more useful and important for a common cause (for example, for business partners, work colleagues, or just for home users who like to share their ideas with friends by giving them access to their data).
How to use the service?
There are 2 options which help you fully and free of charge to use the storage on a personal PC(suitable for Mac and PC):- just follow the link https://drive.google.com/drive/my-drive (provided that you have already registered Google mail, then you can use the storage for free, the size of which is 15 GB) and work with files through an Internet browser. You will be able to create and edit files in such common formats as .doc, .xls, .txt (more than 30 file types are supported in total) and be able to edit them directly from the browser. The editor's interface will resemble the good old Word, Excel (depending on the type of file being edited). Additionally, users will be able to view and PDF documents, as well as many other common file types that are supported by the web version of Google Cloud.
- The second option involves using special program for PC. For this it is necessary download the Google Drive program for your computer from our website(link at the bottom of the article) or from an official resource (the method is shown in the screenshot below), and then perform its standard installation on your operating system. As a result of the installation, you will be prompted to log in to Google Drive, after which you can already start working with the cloud (upload and download different files, share access, etc.).
And although local program may seem more familiar and convenient compared to the web interface, many users often resort to working with the cloud through a browser. So you can double-check your future presentation for a business project or study, create a new business meeting schedule for work, correct errors in a spreadsheet, and the like.
At the same time, many users will notice that the tools offered for working with files are very similar to Google Docs, which greatly simplifies the task for those who do not want or are not able to install the necessary software on their PC, but want to do everything remotely using Google's available tools.
If you suddenly need previous version document that you worked with earlier, then, by analogy with the popular Dropbox, Google Drive saves all versions of the modified file for 30 days. Quite a useful and practical feature for those who frequently make changes to documents.
However, for most tasks and more convenient interaction with cloud storage, it is preferable to use the official free program Google Drive for PC. In this case, the time it takes to study it will be limited to a couple of minutes, and any PC user will be able to figure it out.
After installing it on the computer, the necessary system folder Google Drive, which will always automatically sync with the cloud service.
Separately, it is worth noting that if the 15 GB of disk space allocated to you is not enough, then there is a paid version of Google Drive called Google Drive for Work, which has more advanced tools for work and advanced functionality aimed at improving security when working with the cloud. However, for most users, the basic features are enough. free version storage.
In this article, I will share my experience of using google apps Drive for Windows.
It turned out that most people use only the web version of this service. However, I decided not to waste the opportunity and test the Google Drive desktop app. If you would like to download the app for personal computer, follow this official link and choose the desktop version of the Google Drive app that's right for you. So, I downloaded the app for Windows.
By clicking on the link, you will receive an online installer file, approximately 1 MB in size. double click on the installer will start the process of downloading the app. The total size of the installation package is not specified, but the Drive application itself can be over 30 MB. However, setting up all the necessary configurations will take you no more than a few minutes.
After installation, the program opens a login window. Next, you need to provide your Gmail username and password.
Google Drive syncs your online files with the desktop app. In the Google Drive folder, you will see online folders and files. In total, the application will create 4 desktop shortcuts. One for myself and the rest for Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Sheets. The Google Drive home folder is automatically included in the Favorites section, to the left of the Computer folder interface.
When you click on the Google Drive shortcut, a folder will open in front of you. The other three shortcuts will take you to the web page of Google's online document creation service. For example, the Google Docs shortcut opens an online tool for creating word documents. The Google Slides shortcut redirects you to the page for creating presentations, while Google Sheets directs you to the page for creating Google spreadsheets.
The same thing happens inside Google folders drive. Here you will see a list of documents and files. Double clicking on any of these documents will take you online where you can edit the documents. You can share any data from the Google Drive folder.
It turned out that documents created with Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides that appear inside the Google Drive folder (displayed as shortcuts) cannot be opened using Micorsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel applications. Files are stored here as shortcuts, and if you want to access them, you must go online.
However, if you have uploaded an MS Word file to Drive, you can edit and view it offline from your PC. Right-clicking on such a file will also allow you to view such a file on a web page, as I said earlier.
As soon as you place the file inside the Google Drive folder, it will start syncing with the server and will be available on your other connected devices. When a file is in transition, a sync icon is visible on the file thumbnail. This feature is also displayed on the Google Drive taskbar icon, including animation and mouse notification. When the sync is complete, a check mark appears on the thumbnail and the Drive taskbar icon stabilizes.
The Google Drive desktop app contains several options to customize the user experience. When an application is running, its icon appears on the Windows taskbar. Right-clicking on an icon will open its menu. You can also pause the synchronization processes on Google Drive by clicking on "Pause" from the menu list.
This menu also provides options to open storage online, increase space, view shared files, documents, etc.
Under ‘Settings…’ you can see ‘Sync Settings’, ‘Account’ settings and ‘Advanced’ settings. In the first case, you will be able to select the folders that need to be synchronized. Settings account allow you to disconnect an account Google entry or increase the space on the cloud.
And finally additional settings allow you to choose whether to automatically launch the Google Drive app when Windows startup, send crash reports, show sync icons, etc.
To be honest, I'm ambivalent about using the Google Drive app for Windows. Now let's look at the pros and cons of this program.
BEHIND
- The application is stable. It gave me a flawless user experience.
- Fast synchronization process. I liked the 'Pause' and then 'Resume' options.
- Easy and fast file sharing with the Google Drive app.
- Instant creation of documents using shortcuts.
Against
- It would be nice if Google offered an offline installer for their Drive app on the download page.
- The online installer simply did not respond several times and "hung" during the installation.
- No offline editing mode for Google Docs, spreadsheets, and presentations using the desktop app. This would allow users to have greater mobility.
- The app provides a file sharing option, but the partition window made several attempts before it started working.
- The Drive app lacks the version history of the files in the folder.
Finally
The Google Drive app for PC does have some limitations, though. However, the app still provides a range of features that you would expect from this kind of service. I hope that Google will add even more features in the near future.
In the following articles, I will try to talk about the competitors of Google Drive. I hope that all my articles will be useful to you. Thank you for attention.
For those who use Google Drive cloud storage, we recommend downloading Google Drive for Windows 10. Many are used to having access to the drive only through a browser or other browsers, but there is also a separate application on a computer that makes using Google Drive much more convenient. convenient.
Download Google Drive to PC
After you install Google Drive on your computer, a virtual cloud drive icon will appear in your explorer. This is not just an icon - it is a great tool to upload data directly to the cloud. Everything you put on this drive will be available to you on all computers where Google Drive is located. Of course, all this is available only after you go to your profile. Key Features Google Drive are:- You are provided with 5 GB of space;
- The service is absolutely free;
- Maximum upload and download speed = your internet speed;
As for speed, this is the most important issue in any cloud storage. Google does not limit the upload or download speed in any way, you can upload and download files as fast as your ISP allows. The advantage of this utility is that it is available not only for Windows 10 32/64 bit, but also for other operating systems, including iOS and Android. If 5 GB is not enough for you, then you can add space, but this is already a paid feature. Otherwise, everything is free, and in Russian.
Google, which operates mainly in the field of Internet technologies, has introduced many products that are particularly stable in operation and have a visually understandable graphical interface. What are they worth Chrome browser, used by millions of users, both for desktop and mobile devices. No less quality product is for storage user information in the cloud. Using this service, each user will be able at any time to use the data located in the cloud anywhere in the world, it is enough just to have access to the Internet.
It is immediately worth noting which version you would not use, you will definitely need a Google account. For example, if you have ever used Play market, then you probably already have a mailbox on the Gmail service, which you can use as an account, because the company specifically makes its own services for each mailbox and it can be used for any products.
If you do not want to install additional applications on your computer, you can follow this link, click on "Go to Google Drive" and, after going through the authorization procedure, open the cloud.
But it is much more convenient to use the application itself, because it is a created folder into which you can copy important files and open them while away from your own computer. For this:
- open the page with this service by the link;
- at the top of the page there will be several items, including the “Download” item, click on it;
- Next, you will be prompted to select the version of the program for mobile device or for a computer, but as we are trying to install the application on a computer, we click on the "Download version for PC" button;
- accept the terms of the license agreement and the download process will start;
- after the installation file is downloaded, just click on it, and the installation will proceed in automatic mode, and after installation you will be prompted to start working;
- in the next window you need to enter the address gmail and password for the profile;
- then windows with explanations will appear, the user can read the information, and then press the “Forward” button (three times in total);
- after that, you need to specify where the directory should be located: click on "Sync Settings" and specify the path. Also here in the advanced tab you can adjust the data exchange speed, etc.
Note: the disadvantage of this service is the fact that after that it is impossible to change the location of the files, which is why it is very important to specify the location of the files. Also, if you have a low data transfer rate, the best option would be to set limits for the synchronization of incoming and outgoing traffic.
Google Drive can run alongside the OS. At the same time, it should immediately be said that the service consumes a minimum amount of resources. If you often use the cloud to exchange information, you can safely leave it at startup, otherwise, it should still be removed. This can be done through the tray icon by right-clicking and unchecking the corresponding line.
Setting up and using Google Drive
Now, the Google Drive folder using Explorer, you can safely copy all the necessary files there, and they will be copied to the cloud. How quickly they appear there depends only on the speed of the Internet connection, but after the download is completed, they will be displayed instantly.
As an example, let's try to put an archive in the cloud. This is done by normal copying, as when working with files and directories on the local computer. After the archive has been transferred, an inscription will be displayed in the explorer that the file is being downloaded.
After some time, the download will complete and a message will appear on the screen that the file has been placed in the cloud and the synchronization has been successfully completed.
Everything is quite simple and does not require special skills or training. After reopening the Google Drive folder, the user will see that the copied archive is indeed located in it. If you decide to delete the file, it will be deleted in the cloud in parallel.
In this service, everything is done extremely simply, while it works like a clock, without failures. The only drawback is the fact that disk space in the cloud is limited to 15 gigabytes, although this volume is quite enough to fit all important information. If this volume is not enough for you, for a fee you can increase the disk space as much as you need.
Removing Google Drive
As a rule, few people can be found who have removed such useful service from a computer. But if the user needs it, this can be done quite easily, because Google Drive leaves practically no traces and this can be done with a standard tool:
- open the "Control Panel" ("Start" - "All Programs" - "System Tools" - "Control Panel");
click on the link "Uninstall a program";
- in the list of programs that appears, find Google Drive, select it and click on the "Delete" button;
- confirm the action by clicking on the "Yes" button in the dialog box;
- then it remains only to wait for the end of the progress, while remembering that all the files and folders that were previously in the cloud will remain.
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