Since its market launch in 2012, Google Drive has evolved considerably, a service that works as cloud storage, being useful both for saving content and making backup copies on the Internet and for being able to share files with other users, either through email or by providing the link to the final recipient.
The main screen of Google Drive for Android has different options to be able to navigate between your files, allowing quick access to the files that you have saved in Drive, as well as any document that has been shared with you or any folder or file that you have highlighted, as well as well as documents that have been recently opened or edited, as well as any files that have been downloaded so that they can be accessed without an internet connection.
Once you open the application you will find a list in which your folders and files saved in Google Drive will appear. The standard thumbnail view can be changed to a list view based on user preference. Simply clicking on one of the objects will open it, although you can also click on “i” to access information about the file or folder in question. You will also be able to find options to share, move, delete, rename or highlight the file, as well as the possibility of downloading them to be able to use them without an internet connection.
How to use Google Drive
To start using Google Drive you must download the application on your mobile device. Once you open the application you will be able to find the files and folders that you upload or synchronize. You’ll also find the Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Presentations, and Forms you’ve created.
Once you are inside the application you can upload files or create them in Google Drive. You can also share files or folders so that other people can see them, comment on them or edit them. You can also organize files.
Advantages of Google Drive
Google Drive offers a host of advantages over other services, including the following:
- You can share all kinds of content with anyone you want.
- You have the ability to edit files without internet connection. In order to access Google Drive files, which do not need to be connected at all times. To do this, you just have to activate the function of access without connection to the network.
- You have the possibility to encrypt important documents.
- You can have more than one storage format, which goes beyond the basic ones. You can save files in axles, doc, pixel, We Video, etc.
- You have the ability to manage versions. This way you can go back to previous versions of a document within 30 days. To do this, you just have to right-click on the file and click on “Manage revisions”.
- You can enjoy a connection to the service immediately, from any type of device, from computers to mobile devices.
- The platform offers 15 GB of storage for free, and you can use it to upload everything you need, being able to organize your files. Also, if you find that it is too small a space, from the service itself you can expand it through the different payment plans it offers.
- Allows collaboration between different users on the same document. Google Drive allows you to create text files, presentations and spreadsheets, which you can share and modify collaboratively, with the people you want and to whom you give them authorization via e-mail. This greatly facilitates collaboration between different colleagues.
- Integrates with all Google services. You can share Gmail attachments, attach email files that exceed the weight that email can support or use it in Google Photos.
- You have the possibility to scan documents. You can take a photo of any paper document and Google Drive will take care of saving them automatically in a PDF format file.
- It can be used as a backup of all your documents and content, whether they are photographs, videos, etc. Also from the Android terminal you can make all the images you capture from your terminal be automatically copied to this cloud storage service. You can also do the same with other applications such as What Sapp, which can save a backup on Google Drive. In this way you will always have your conversations protected.
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Instructions for Google Drive for Android – Download and Tips
To download Google Drive for Android you just have to follow these steps:
- First of all, you must take your mobile device and access the Google application store (Google Play Store).
- Once you are in it, you just have to click on the application search bar and write Google Drive.
- This will cause it to show up in the app store results list. Click on install and wait for the installation process to finish. Once it is finished, you can access it directly from your smartphone.
What do you need for Google Drive for Android – Download and Tips?
- Smartphone with Android operating system
- Internet connection
Tips for Google Drive for Android – Download and Tips
If you want to know some tips and tricks to get the most out of Google Drive, keep in mind the following:
- Work without connection (offline): One of the great advantages of using Google Drive is that you can discard the files to always have them at your disposal and be able to work with them without an internet connection. By downloading the application you will be able to use the file and work with it whenever you need it.
- Commands. You should know that there are different quick access commands that allow you to work in a simpler and faster way through them, with a wide list of options to be able to work with greater fluidity.
- Use it in collaboration with other users. In order to be able to create documents in which different people can participate and collaborate in their creation, there is the possibility of being able to “see”, “edit” or “comment”. It is as simple as right-clicking on the document and choosing the “share” option. In this way you can share a document with other people, choosing whether they can edit it, only view it or comment on it, so that you can work collaboratively with other users.
- Convert from PDF to DOC. This is a simple action that you can do from Google Drive and it is very useful, since you will be able to open a file and automatically convert it to this format in order to work with it or send it to another person.
- Backup. One of the functions most used by users of Google Drive on Android is to make use of this cloud storage service as a place to store backup copies. In this way you can have all the information on your Android device saved. Among them you can find all the multimedia content, such as photos or videos, but also a backup copy of Google passwords.
- Take advantage of its built-in search engine to be able to find all the documents you want within the cloud storage service. In this way you always have at your disposal all those contents and files that you have stored.
- If you access Google Drive from a public computer, you need to close the session to prevent another person from entering. Similarly, do not share your password with anyone and choose a secure password that prevents another person from having access to your account.
Tanner Abraham
Data Scientist and Software Engineer with a focus on experimental projects in new budding technologies that incorporate machine learning and quantum computing into web applications.
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