Google Drive is a powerful cloud storage solution, but over time and with the proper knowledge, it can become an indispensable productivity tool for anyone, from students to business professionals. Google Drive tips and tricks Google Drive has many features and tools, and it takes a while to use it regularly to determine what works best for your needs.
Here are 5 tips you should know when using Google Drive:
1. Google Drive integration with Gmail
If Gmail is your primary email client, you must know that Google Drive offers full integration with Gmail.
When composing an email in Gmail, you can attach a file from Google Drive by clicking the Google Drive icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Gmail also makes it easy to upload files to Google Drive; by pointing your mouse over the file, you will see two options to download it or save it to a drive; all you have to do is click the Google Drive icon and choose the file.
2. Access files offline
Another helpful tip is that Google Drive lets you view and edit previously downloaded files without being connected to the Internet. In contrast, you can download files or folders directly to your device for offline access.
Offline mode allows you to view and edit documents, Google Sheets, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, with any changes syncing automatically when a connection is available again.
To turn on the offline mode, go to your Google Drive account and click on the settings gear icon in the upper right corner of your screen; a list of options will appear, and then click on the Settings option.
Once you have entered the settings, scroll down to the Section Offline mode and turn it on by checking the box next to Offline, as shown in the following image:
3. Convert files to Google Drive format
Google Drive supports many file types, so if you want to edit one of your files in Google Drive, you'll first need to convert it to the Google Drive format, which allows you to easily share the file with others and unlock tools so you can collaborate with others in real-time.
The file types that can be used in the Google Drive format are:
- Text documents .doc, .docx, .html, .txt, .rtf, .pdf.
- Xls spreadsheet. And xlsx. And ods. and csv.
- Presentations .ppt, .pps, .pptx.
To convert a file to Google Drive format, all you have to do is right-click on the desired file, a list of options will appear, click on the "Open with" option, and then click on the suggested application. For example, if you have a Microsoft Word document, you can convert it to a Google Doc.
4. Google Drive apps and services
There is a lot to explore and talk about on the topic of how Google Drive works with other Google apps and services.
The core Microsoft Office suite is already covered in Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Presentations, which can be understood as alternatives to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint.
While most users are happy to use these apps, Drive also supports and integrates with other Google services like Google Jamboard.
Google's desktop suite is excellent, but you can make it more relevant to your needs with the add-ons you can offer.
Many useful add-ons help you get more done with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. To explore these add-ons, open or create any file, go to the add-ons in the toolbar at the top of your screen, and visit the Chrome Webstore to see what's available.
5. Integration of Third-Party
In addition to add-ons, Google Drive is designed to work seamlessly with hundreds of third-party applications that allow splitting and merging PDFs, digitally signing documents, creating graphs, and more, all from within Google Segment.