How To Have More Storage On Your Computer; Google Drive
Make storing and managing files easier
Google drive is the most commonly used cloud storage service. If you have a google account, you automatically have 15 gigabytes storage, for free. You can store a variety of files here such as photos, documents, reports, presentations, and videos. Google drive has a lot of wonderful features but are going to talk about how you can use this as an additional storage in your computer just like your local drive (C:).
Why would you want to have Google drive in your computer?
⦁ Additional space. Like what we have mentioned, google drive offers 15GB of storage. You are allowed to create 4 Google drives on your desktop. That’s 60GB. For this, you also need to have four google accounts so if you have a personal account, work account and other types of account, you can link them all to your desk top Google drive.
⦁ Ease of access. Another good thing about having Google drive on your computer is every time you save a file, it automatically syncs to your web google drive and vice versa, as long as you are online, which means you are able to access your files from any device and any place as long as there is internet. You do not have to carry around a flash drive or any additional storage devices.
⦁ Flexibility in managing files. You can share the files to users who you want to have access to them so they can view, edit, proof read, or download it if they need to.
In addition, since you can have 4 Google drive accounts, you can switch from one account to another shall the need arise. Also, your files will be more organized because you can directly save files to their designated drives.
How to add Google drive on your desktop?
Step 1. Download the program “Drive for desktop” by going to Google’s website, https://www.google.com/drive/download/. If you clicked the link, it will bring you to a page just like the one below. Just go ahead and click on Download Drive for Desktop. Wait for it to be downloaded which may take a moment or longer.
Step 2. Open the downloaded file which you can do by going to the “Downloads” folder in your computer then choose “GoogleDriveSetUp” or just click on the downloaded file on the lower left of your screen just like what is shown in the picture.
Step 3. Install Google drive. When you click on the downloaded file, a window will come up just like what’s in the picture. You can see options where you can put a checkmark, then click on install.
Now, another window will pop up. Here you choose “Yes”, you want to allow it to make changes to your device and Google drive will be installed.
Step 4. Now you need to sign in using your email address. Once you are done, you will get a notification that you have successfully signed in to Google drive. Check photos below for reference.
Step 5. You’re done! Google drive will be just right beside your Local Disk (C:).
You can also open Google drive from your desktop if you created a short cut for it.
How to add another Google drive account to your desktop?
Step 1. Go to the task bar at the bottom of your screen, click on the arrow for show hidden icons. Click on the Google drive icon > Settings > Preferences.
Note: You have to go to the hidden icons because clicking on the Google drive icon (the short cut) on your desktop or going to Google drive through file explorer is not going to work.
Step 2. A window will pop up, click on your profile and it will show your account/email address and an option to add another account. Choose that option.
Step 3. It will bring you to another screen where it will ask you to choose an account to use from the list of google accounts you have or you can also use something that is not there, but it will ask you to enter that email address and the password.
Step 5. Once you are able to choose or log in an account. You’re done.
Note: You can only add until 4 accounts. Once you have reached the maximum, and you want to connect another, you have to disconnect one first. This is how multiple drives look like.
How to disconnect a Google drive account from your desktop?
Step 1. Go to the task bar at the bottom of your screen, click on the arrow for show hidden icons. Click on the Google drive icon > Settings > Preferences.
Note: Just like in adding another account, you have to go to the hidden icons because clicking on the Google drive icon (the short cut) on your desktop or going to Google drive through file explorer is not going to work.
Step 2. Click on “Settings” button (gear icon) just like what is shown on the picture below and another screen wil come up where you will have the option to disconnect your account.
Step 3. Click on the “Disconnect account” and a window will pop up, when you’re decided to disconnect your account, go ahead and click on the “Disconnect” button. You’re done!