Get Started With
Google Drive
1
SIGN UP FOR AN ACCOUNT
Go to https://drive.google.com, and click “Go to Google Drive.”
If you already have a Google account, you can sign in and start
using Google Drive, but if not, click the “Create account” link to
get started. You’re guided through the process of choosing a
Gmail email address and securing it with a password.2
DOWNLOAD BACKUP AND SYNC
When you are signed in to Google Drive, look to the lower-
left of the page, and click the button labeled “Get Backup
and Sync for Windows.” You’re taken to the download page,
where you need to click the “Download” button in the “Personal”
section. Save the file, then run through the installation. Launch
the program, and you’re invited to sign in to your Google account.3
CONFIGURE BACKUP AND SYNC
Choose which folders you would like to synchronize
between your computer and Google Drive. Backup and
Sync automatically selects your Desktop, Documents, and
Pictures folders, but you can deselect these. You can also add
more folders with the “Choose Folder” button [Image A]. There’s
no limit to the number of folders you can sync, other than the
amount of space available.4
FILE AND PHOTO OPTIONS
By default, all files in your selected folders are backed
up, but you can adjust this with the “Change” button. You
can opt to only back up the image files in those folders, or clickTALK OF “THE CLOUD” CAN BE CONFUSING if you’re unfamiliar with the term, but it’s really
just a way of referring to storing files online. You may want to store a second copy of important
files online to serve as a backup, for instance, or you may want to access your files from any
computer connected to the Internet. Storing files in the cloud also makes them easier to share.
There are numerous cloud storage services to choose from, but perhaps the most well
known is Google Drive. You can use it in a couple of ways, the first being to employ your web
browser to explore, create, and edit files online. Perhaps more useful is to download the
desktop software—called Backup and Sync—because this enables you to select a folder on
your computer’s hard drive that will be synchronized to Google Drive online, and you can sync
with multiple computers, so the same files are available everywhere. –MARK WYCIŚLIK-WILSONYOU’LL NEED THIS
GOOGLE ACCOUNT
If you don’t have one, sign up at
https://drive.google.com.“Advanced Settings” to specify file types to ignore. To
avoid filling all your storage with photos and videos, you
can opt to drop their quality to High, and you are given
free, unlimited storage for them.5
YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER
Click “Next,” and you’re prompted to choose a
folder on your hard drive where Google Drive files
should be stored. Any files and folders you add to this
folder are automatically sent to Google Drive online, and
any files you create online—or that are synchronized
from other computers or devices, such as phones and
tablets—are synchronized to this folder.6
NAVIGATE FILES ONLINE
You can continue to create and edit files on your
computer as normal, and any files you place in
the Google Drive folder are then synchronized to the
cloud. Many types of files can be viewed or even edited
online. Visit Google Drive in a web browser, and you can
navigate through your files. Double-click a file to open it,
or right-click to choose an online app that can be used to
edit the file [Image B].7
SHARE FILES WITH OTHERS
One of the great things about Google Drive is that
it enables you to easily share files with friends and
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