The Android mobile operating system usually arrives with a large number of pre-installed applications. Fortunately, in addition to the ads by manufacturers and operators that are getting smaller and smaller, other apps are much more interesting.
Among them, the pre-installed Google services are rarely removed between YouTube, Chrome and Gmail. But the last one is often misunderstood, even if it’s your favourite: Google Drive.
Google’s online storage service gives you 15GB for free as long as you have a Gmail account on your phone. But what is this service and how can you take full advantage of it? Let us guide you.
What is Google Drive?
Google Drive is Google’s online file storage service, often referred to as the “Cloud”. In short, it is a storage space that can only be accessed through your Google account, allowing you to find the files you have stored there anytime, anywhere.
The advantage of this service is that it depends on other Google tools. Thus, you can create and edit text documents, spreadsheets and presentations directly online. So your work is automatically synchronized on the Internet and you do not lose anything.
But it is also capable of storing all kinds of files of course. Note that as the owner of a Google account, you are entitled to 15GB of free storage. Afterwards, a monthly subscription may allow you to expand that memory.
Why should you use Google Drive?
The first answer to this question is very simple: it’s free, why not take advantage of it? On a more serious note, Google Drive is a great way to get used to using the cloud with great benefits.
The main thing is obviously never to lose your files. If your smartphone dies or is stolen, your important files will never be lost. There’s security, too: With two-factor authentication for Google accounts, it’s nearly impossible for a stranger to steal your data.
And finally, your files can be accessed absolutely anywhere. You can use Google Drive to sync your files on your PC, edit your documents directly and find them effortlessly on your mobile instantly.
How to use Google Drive?
Google Drive Home
If you have a Google account/Gmail address associated with your phone, simply launch the app to access your Drive. If it is not installed by default on your phone, you can find it for free on the Play Store:
Once launched, you access your Drive, which is actually a kind of file explorer, as you’ve seen on your PC for a long time. The home page lists all your accessible folders and files that have already been synced in your Cloud. Simply tap a file to open it directly from the internet without having to download it. You can even download it, share it with your friends, in short, do whatever you want with it.
At the top, you can also find the “Quick access” section, which lists the recent documents you’ve changed for faster access. The menu allows you to search your files or review your home’s presentation.
On the main page, the “+” button will provide you with a few things. “Folder” of course lets you create a folder. “Import” allows you to send a file from your phone to your Google Drive and then choose the folder where you want to place it.
“Scan” allows you to scan a document to import it in PDF format. It allows you to create a text file like “Google Docs”, Word, “Google Sheets” to create a table like Excel, and create a presentation like “Google Slides”, Powerpoint.
Google Drive menu
The Google Drive menu makes it easy to see your files. “My drive” is the home we just covered, but there are other options waiting for you. “Computers”, for example, lets you see all the computers on which you have installed the tool.
“Shared with me” is one of the most interesting categories. Indeed, you can share any document or even a complete file with another Google account whenever you want. In this category, therefore, you will see all the documents that others have shared with you.
If you use the Google Photos app and the free sync, you can find all the photos you have stored in Google Cloud in the “Google Photos” category. Storage is independent of Drive as it is free and unlimited.
“Recently Used” lets you see the most recent files that have been updated or posted, while “Following” lets you see your favorites grouped into one category. Finally, in case you don’t have a connection, you can download certain files offline and they will be available “Offline”.
In addition to these very classic little tools, you also have a very special “Backups” category. This includes full backups of your Android devices on Google Drive, of course if you use this feature. These are done automatically after configuration and allow you to find your app configurations on all your phones.
Manage storage
Via this menu, you can also see how many gigas you are using in your free storage. By clicking this option, you will also be able to see in detail what is using the most space between your Drive files, Gmail files, and photos, as well as the percentage of the total used.
You can also choose to increase your storage from this menu. Various offers are available, from 100 GB for € 1.99 per month to 30 TB for € 299.99 per month. Google Drive is a tool for professionals as well as individuals, so its many offerings span the entire spectrum.
Easily save a file to your Google Drive
Browsing the app lets you manage your files the way you want, just like a computer. However, you can save files to your Drive more easily.
You can see that you can share to Google Drive from the “Share” menu anywhere on your phone. This option allows you to naturally save a file to your account without having to launch the application.
Also, using Google Drive on your computer, you can easily drag and drop any file that will sync automatically across all your devices. That’s the whole point of the cloud! So all you have to do is take advantage of your free 15 gigabytes!
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