Google Drive is an online cloud-based storage service provided by Google. As the times are changing and people are moving toward a digital world, the data storage means are evolving as well. Google Drive is perhaps the biggest cloud storage service that is currently available, in terms of popularity and efficiency Initially it comes with 15 GBs of free space, however, if you are willing to spend some money you can expand this storage.
Furthermore, Google Drive provides the ability to work with our peers in a collaborative manner, while utilizing Google’s services like Google Docs and Google Slides, etc. You can share your files with other people and can allow them to view or edit those files as well. People use Drive as a means of backing up a computer’s or a smartphone’s data, but it has various other uses as well.
Google Drive requires a stable internet connection, for us to access our uploaded files on Drive. Inconveniences occur when due to a connection issue we are unable to view or use our files. Especially when it’s a matter of urgency. However, Google Drive has a feature that allows us to save and view our files offline, both on a mobile device and a computer. We can save our important files on our devices and access them from anywhere at any time, without the need of being connected to the internet.
This article is going to focus on how you make your files available offline, on both mobile or a computer, and also how to access these offline files, in case you do not have an access to the Internet.
Use Drive Offline on a Computer
The web version of Drive allows a user to save their files, so they may be accessible when a computer is offline. In order to make any file available offline, you will require a stable internet connection. Try using a personal computer as offline files may be on the verge of a security breach. Follow these steps to allow files uploaded to the Drive to be accessible even when you are not connected to the internet.
Step 1: Access Google Drive from your Chrome Browser.
Step 2: Log in using a Google account.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Cog’ button to access the settings.
Step 4: In the ‘General’ section of the settings, scroll to reveal the ‘Offline’ option.
Step 5: Next to the ‘Offline’ option, check the box that says ‘Sync Google Docs, Sheets, Slides & Drawings files to this computer so that you can edit offline’.
Step 6: Wait for files to get synced, this process can take some time.
How to access these files? (Computer)
In order to access these synced and offline files on your Windows computer, you will be required to follow these quick and easy steps.
Step 1: Access ‘This PC’ from your ‘Desktop’ or ‘Start’ menu.
Step 2: Locate a ‘Google Drive’ folder, with the ‘Drive Triangle’ symbol next to the side navigation menu.
Step 3: This folder contains all the files that were on your Drive. When you check the option, all your data saved on Drive gets downloaded and organized on your computer.
Step 4: You can access any file you want to and it will open in its respective program.
- Use Drive offline on a Mobile Device:
The Drive Application
Handheld devices, such as smartphones are considered more convenient and easy to access, compared to computers whether they are laptops or desktops. A lot of people use the Drive mobile application along with Google’s alternative applications to access Spreadsheets, Slides, or Docs, to edit and use their files saved on Drive as it is less time-consuming. Even though you might not get the full experience of Drive and Google Docs etc, their efficiency cannot be denied. In case you want to access files save on Drive on a mobile device, without being connected to the internet, you may follow these steps.
Step 1: Access the ‘Google Drive’ application on your smartphone.
Step 2: Locate the files you want to access while being offline.
Step 3: On a file tap on the ‘Three Dots Icon’ and a menu will appear.
Step 4: Scroll down to reveal an ‘Available offline’ option, and tap the slider to make it blue, this will indicate that a specific file has been made available offline.
Google Spreadsheet, Doc, and Slides Applications
Step 1: Access your desired files on the respective application from Google Docs, Sheets, and or Slides.
Step 2: On your desired file choose the ‘Three Dots Icon’ and a menu will appear.
Step 3: Scroll down to reveal an ‘Available offline’ option, and tap the slider to make it blue, this will indicate that a specific file has been made available offline.
Step 4: In order to make recent files available you should access the menu by pressing the ‘Three Lines’ icon on the top left side of the application.
Step 5: Press the ‘Settings’ option.
Step 6: Press the ‘Make recent files available offline’ button.
How to access these files? (Mobile)
You can access your offline files by following these steps. The steps are similar on the Drive application along with the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides applications.
Step 1: Open your Drive Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides application and press the ‘Three Lines’ button in the top right to access a menu.
Step 2: Tap on the ‘Offline’ button.
Step 3: All your offline files will now be revealed and you can choose any one of them to view or edit.