Google Drive Tutorial 2025: What Is Google Drive and How Does It Work?

You probably already use Google Drive - after all, Google's storage solution comes with every Google account. If you have a Gmail address or an Android smartphone with Google Photos, Google Drive is likely part of your daily life.

But what exactly can you do with Google Drive, and how does it work? We'll explain the basics of Google's cloud storage solution and show you how to get the most out of it.

Google Drive is Google's cloud storage service and works just like similar solutions such as Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive: Your files are stored online in the cloud and synced across your devices, allowing you to access them anywhere.

Documents, photos, videos, and other files can be uploaded to Google Drive and downloaded after logging in to your Google account - whether you're on a PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

One of Google Drive's greatest strengths is how well it works with other Google services like Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides. You can share any Google files with others and work on them together in real time. Thanks to syncing, your files are always up to date.

Here are some of Google Drive's main features:

Google Drive has tons of features, and even long-time Google users might be surprised by some of its capabilities. It's worth learning about what the platform can do since there's much more to it than just cloud storage.

Google Drive functions like any other cloud storage service: you upload your files and can then access them online anytime, anywhere. Our guide with screenshots walks you through the process of getting started, step-by-step.

First, you'll need a Google account. You probably already have one if you use Gmail or an Android phone. In that case, sign in with your login details.

If not, you can easily create a Google account. You'll only need to enter some personal information, choose a username - which will also be your Gmail address - and create a password.

After that, you can log in and open Google Drive's online interface.

It's a good idea to take some time to familiarize yourself with how Google Cloud works and its interfaces. You can access Google Drive's cloud storage through the web interface, desktop app, or smartphone app.

Google Drive's web interface is your main hub when using the platform in your browser. In it, you can upload, share, delete, and organize files.

You also have access to built-in Google tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, all of which you can work on directly in your browser. It isn't necessary to install any extra software. All that you'll need is an Internet connection and the ability to sign in to your Google account in your browser.

Here's how Google Drive's web interface is organized:

You can access your Google Drive files not only in your browser but also directly through your operating system's file manager - Windows Explorer or Mac's Finder. To do this, you need to install the Google Drive desktop app, which can be downloaded from the Google Workspace website.

After installation, an icon for the desktop app appears in the system tray at the bottom right of your Windows taskbar. Just click on it and sign in with your Gmail account, and your files will sync automatically.

The app's main feature is to sync your files in Google Drive and notify you about activities and changes.

As mentioned, this option gives you direct access to your files through your desktop's file manager, where Google Drive appears as a path. Windows Explorer displays it like a drive:

The ability to sign in with up to four accounts at once is also handy since it allows you to access files from four different Google Drives on your desktop.

There's also a mobile app that lets you take Google Drive with you on the go. It looks like a simplified version of the web app:

Google Drive syncs automatically. When you upload, modify, or delete files in Google Drive, these changes sync in real time across all devices linked to your account, as long as you have an internet connection. This gives you one central, always up-to-date file source (Single Source of Truth) that's accessible from any device.

However, there's a difference between using the web or desktop app. When you use the web app, you work directly with files in the cloud. Any changes you make here sync instantly with the cloud, and all connected devices take note of those changes right away.

Google Drive's desktop app offers two different ways to sync your files, which you can adjust in the settings:

The first option works well if you usually have a stable internet connection. Still, making important and frequently used files available offline often has benefits.

You can view and edit your Google Docs, Sheets, and presentations stored in Google Drive offline. They'll sync once you're back online.

Offline access in the web app is only possible if you're using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Step 1: First, you need to turn on offline access. To do this, click the gear icon in the top right, followed by Settings.

Step 2: In the "General" tab, scroll down to the "Offline" heading and check the box.

Step 3: You can now access and edit your Google Drive documents offline. This works automatically for recently used documents, but you'll need to manually make older documents available offline. To do this, click on the three-dot menu or right-click on the document and select "Make available offline":

If you've selected "Mirror files" as your sync method, documents are automatically stored locally and made available offline. However, if you're streaming files, you'll need to manually set up offline access for specific folders or files.

All you have to do is right-click on a file or folder and select "Available offline" under the "Offline access" option.

On your smartphone, offline access works just like in the web app. You can make documents available offline through the three-dot menu or the document's settings.

One advantage of Google Drive is that you can quickly share your files with others and work on them together. You can do this in the web, desktop, and smartphone apps:

Step 1: Click the three-dot icon on a folder or file and select "Share". You can directly copy a link to the folder or file or access more settings by clicking "Share".

Inside a document, the share button can be found in the top right:

Step 2: In the share window, enter the email address(es) of those you want to share the file or folder with. You can also add a message and choose whether to send a notification.

Under "General Access," you can specify sharing permissions. There are two options:

Step 3: Click "Done" to share the file or folder.

You can also easily share your folders and files in the desktop app. Right-click on what you'd like to share and choose "Share with Google Drive" from the menu. After this, the same sharing settings open as in the web app.

To share the link directly, click "Copy link to clipboard."

On your phone, sharing works similarly to Google Drive's web app.

Step 1: Open the three-dot menu of a file or folder and tap "Share". You can also select "Copy link" to copy a share link directly to your clipboard.

Step 2: Enter the email address(es) of the people you want to share the file(s) with and specify their access rights. Once you're done, tap the arrow icon in the top right.

Since Google Drive automatically syncs your files, you only need to delete them once to remove them from the cloud - and all your devices. Doing this is easy in any of the platform's interfaces:

Click the three-dot menu of a file or folder and select "Move to trash". As an alternative, you can click on the file and press the Delete key.

Note: This doesn't permanently delete files and you can restore them - more on that soon.

On your desktop, you can delete files or folders from Google Drive identically to how you would in Windows Explorer.

If using the Google Drive mobile app, open the three-dot menu of a folder or file and tap "Remove" at the bottom.

When you delete a file, it's not permanently removed right away. Instead, it goes to the trash folder for 30 days before being permanently deleted. During this time, you can recover and use it again.

Step 1: Click on Trash in the left navigation menu.

Step 2: Select the file you want to restore. Right-click on the file or open the three-dot menu and select "Restore".

You can also permanently delete the file by selecting "Delete forever".

Step 1: Tap the hamburger menu in the top left of Google Drive's interface to access the navigation menu, then open your trash folder.

Step 2: Tap the three-dot menu next to the file you want to keep and select "Restore".

Let's first clarify what we mean by "cancel" and "delete":

Google Drive is part of every Google account. All Google users have access to Google Drive and get 15 GB of free storage space. This storage space is also used by other Google services like Gmail and Google Photos. You can only completely delete your Google Drive by deleting your Google account.

If you need more storage space or want to take advantage of other premium benefits, you can sign up for a Google One subscription. You can cancel this subscription at any time.

Here's how to do both:

If you have a Google One subscription, you can cancel it anytime if you no longer need the extra storage space or features. After canceling your subscription, you won't lose your Google account but will only be reverted to 15 GB of storage.

Here's what to do:

Step 1: Open your Google account.

Step 2: Click "Data & privacy" on the left and scroll down to "Download or delete your data". Next, click "Delete a Google service".

You need to quickly verify your identity using 2-factor authentication.

Step 3: We recommend downloading your data before deleting any service. Then click the trash can icon next to "Google One".

Step 4: Read the notices and click "Delete Google One".

Your subscription will end immediately, and you'll lose access to storage beyond the free 15 GB. If you go over this limit, you won't be able to receive emails or save files until you delete enough data from your Google Drive.

When you delete your Google account, you won't just lose your files stored on Google Drive but also access to any linked Google services, like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Play, and YouTube.

In other words, all data and services connected to your Google account will be permanently lost. Only delete your Google account if you're sure you won't need any Google services in the future.

Here's what to do:

Step 1: Open your Google account.

Step 2: In the "Data & Privacy" section, scroll down to "More options". Click on "Delete your Google Account". You'll need to confirm your identity using 2FA.

Step 3: At the top, you can download your data before deleting your account – we strongly recommend doing this.

When you scroll down, you'll see a list of all Google services you use that will be affected by the account deletion. If you want to continue, check the boxes and click "Delete Account".

Your Google account will now be deleted, including your Google Drive and all other Google services and content. If you want to use Google Drive and services like Gmail again, you must create a new account.

Do you still have questions about Google Drive? Here are quick answers to some common questions:

There can be several reasons why your Google Drive isn't syncing. Here are some common problems and solutions:

You can find more detailed instructions and solutions on Google's website.

Have you maxed out your Google account's storage limit? Here are some ways to free up space:

It's simple: Google Drive is the cloud storage service itself, while Google One is a paid subscription that lets you expand your Google Drive storage.

Here are the details:

Google Drive and Google Photos are two different storage solutions offered by Google: