- Google Drive has a lot to offer...
but you already know that.
Whether it's Google Docs for writing reports or papers,
Google Sheets for all your spreadsheet needs,
or Google Slides for every presentation you've done lately,
we have a feeling you're using Google Drive all the time.
But, are you taking full advantage of
everything it has to offer?
Do you know all the tips and tricks?
Don't worry. We've got you covered.
Here's how to make the most of Google Drive.
One.
Make sure you don't lose your files.
Google recently announced a new storage policy
and, among other updates,
it says that
if you don't check in on your Google Drive files
every now and then, Google may delete them.
That applies to accounts that are either inactive,
or over their storage limit across Google Drive apps
and remain inactive for two years.
So, they're not going to delete your stuff randomly
but starting in June of 2021, the clock is ticking.
That said, Google is vague on whether or not
it will actually be deleting any of your precious files.
The easiest way to keep your data active, though?
Periodically visit Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive,
including collaborative content creation apps
like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
And even if you do end up at risk of losing something,
Google says it will attempt to warn users
using email and notifications
before throwing their documents in the trash
at least three months before the two year mark.
So, don't sweat it too much.
Two.
Know what to do when you forget document names.
We've all been there.
If you can't remember the name of a document
but you can remember who shared it with you,
click "Shared with Me" in the left menu of Google Drive.
You'll get a list of all the documents
people have shared with you.
And if you're really stuck,
Google offers natural language processing
when you search Drive.
That basically just means searching like you talk.
So, search "find my budget spreadsheet from December,"
and that should pop up.
Natural language processing will get much better
the more you search,
so it's definitely something to try out.
Three.
Determine which mobile app is needed.
Did you know you can use Google Drive on the go?
Well, good news.
You totally can.
There are just a few things to keep in mind.
There's been a Drive app for iOS and Android for a while,
but it was a mixed bag for file editing,
so Google moved that functionality to separate apps
for Docs, Sheets, and Slides on iOS and Android.
The Drive app lives on for viewing,
but when you need to edit you'll get sent over
to one of the other apps, if they're installed.
Four.
Scan with the mobile app.
There is one unique thing
about the Google Drive mobile app, though...
so, not the separate Docs and Sheets ones.
With the Drive app, you can upload a picture.
That's super useful because the words in the image
are scanned by Google and become searchable text.
It's great for taking a picture of a recipe, menu,
store hours...anything you need to find later,
but don't want to re-type.
One thing to note, though. Only Android lets you edit the
text. The iOS app doesn't.
Five.
Search even faster.
You know the feeling when the absolute last thing
you want to do is leave your page to do a new search?
Well, here's a quick hack exclusively for Google Docs.
Click "Tools" and "Explore" to access the research pane.
It makes it easy to insert a footnote citation
in your document that links to the results.
Use "Control + Shift and Y"
when your cursor is on a certain word,
and the pane shows the definition.
You can even use the explore pane to insert images it finds.
Six.
Sync all your files.
You can start a project on the PC
then pick it up on the phone, tablet, or your home laptop.
And, it works with any kind of document,
not just native Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Want the secret? Just install
Google's Backup and Sync program on the desktop
to automatically backup files from your computer, camera,
or SD cards to Google Drive.
Seven.
Organize your Drive.
There's a lot you can do to keep your Drive organized.
You can colorize your folders by right clicking any folder,
and selecting "Change Color" to get the menu.
You can also add stars to frequently used files and folders.
Same thing, just right click then select "Add to Star."
Eight.
View every single shortcut.
Look, we all love, and sometimes need, a good shortcut,
and it couldn't be easier to access them all on Drive.
No matter what Drive app you're in,
even the main Google Drive page, just type "control and /"
and the shortcut menu will reveal
every keyboard option available.
Yeah, it's that easy.
Nine.
Translate on the fly.
Got a document in a foreign language?
Upload it to Google Drive, open it as a Google Doc,
click "Tools," "Translate document,"
and you'll get a duplicate doc in your preferred language.
Ten.
Access Drive files offline.
No WiFi? No problem.
To get access to Google Drive offline on desktop,
you first need to install
the Google Docs Offline Chrome Extension,
then go to Google Drive settings.
Check the box next to "Create,"
open and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets,
and Slide files on this device while offline.
That activates the service
but you'll have to select which files you want offline.
Navigate to "drive.google.com,"
right click on the docs you want, or press shift, control
or command for multiple files,
and toggle "Available offline" to on.
There you go.