Many may wonder: Why is this necessary? And the answer to it is simple, it will allow you to access the necessary data or files pre-loaded on your Google Drive from anywhere in the world where there is Internet, which is really convenient.
Signing up for this cloud resource is incredibly simple. You will need to go to drive.google.com and click on the "Create an Account" link. If you have mail on Gmail, you do not need to register, just enter the data from your mail.
Next, the account registration page will open, in which you will need to fill in all the available fields, this is easy to do.
Google Drive Overview
Google Drive consists of several simpler subsystems located in different menu items and giving access to certain functions of the system as a whole. The first menu item that the user will enter immediately after accessing the resource is "My Disk". It displays all the files uploaded by the user from his computer.
The Recent tab has a rather controversial name. Despite the name, this tab stores links to absolutely all the files you download from Google Drive, and they are stored for at least two years.
Google Photos will store all the photos or other images you upload to Google Drive.
The menu item "Tagged" will contain all the files that you select with a special mark.
The Trash tab performs the same functions as the Trash on a personal computer. It stores previously deleted files and folders.
What can be done through the My Drive menu?
The main task of this menu is the ability to upload a custom file to a resource. The pop-up menu "My Drive" will give you access to the following functions: upload a file from your computer, create a folder, as well as the ability to work with various documents.
In the upper right corner there are buttons: "View of displayed files", "Properties" and "Settings". By clicking on "Properties", you can view information about any file uploaded to Disk, as well as recent disk usage statistics.
By clicking the "Settings" button, you can access direct Drive settings, download an application designed to facilitate the use of the service, view keyboard shortcuts, and a help section detailing how to work with Google Drive.
Setting up Google Drive directly is nothing special. Everything is pretty standard, there is a language setting, a choice of interface options and the ability to increase the amount of cloud storage (you will have to pay for this).
After selecting the item, a tab will open in which you will be prompted to download an application for PC, Android or iOs. Nobody forces you to install an additional application, it will only slightly simplify access to Google Drive.
In the "Shortcut keys" item, you can view all key combinations for quick access to various functions of the service.
When a file or folder is selected, additional menu items will appear that allow access to the file via a link, open access to the file for a specific user, the ability to preview (only works with images), the ability to delete the file, as well as access to an additional menu .
The share button is a little more complicated, it will require you to enter the username of the Google Drive user who will be allowed to access the file, and also throw off the link that appears to this user.
An additional menu will open access to several hidden sections, with which you can move the file to another folder, rename it, create a backup copy, download to your computer or add a note.
In other Google Drive services, the menus are practically no different from those in the My Drive service, so it will be very easy to deal with them.
How to use the Google Drive desktop app
By installing this program on your computer and running it, you will need to enter the login and password used when registering in this service, you can also enter the username and password from mail to Gmail, if any, data from mail on any other service will not work.
After that, a folder will be added to the computer, all actions in which will affect your cloud storage.
Working with the Google Drive app for your computer is no different from working with regular files and folders located on your PC.
Which is better to use: application or web-version of the service
It depends solely on your computer skills. An additional program will only facilitate the work of experienced PC users who are well able to work with files and folders located on the computer's hard drive. It will be difficult for a beginner to master an additional application, so such users are recommended to use the browser version of the service. The online version of Google Drive will be much easier for anyone new to personal computing, but the app provides much faster access to the cloud drive, which can save a lot of time later on. The choice of how to use Google Drive should be made by the user himself, because it is he who will have to work with this cloud resource in the future.
Cloud storage called Google Drive, also known as Google Drive in bourgeois, it was also previously known as Google Docs, is located at drive.google.com and provides fifteen gigabytes for nothing. Since the most effective and visual method of cognition is comparison with analogues, then it is applicable. And at the same time, we will explain everything scrupulously to inexperienced, novice computer users.
How to start
It all starts with mail. I mean, from registering in Gmail. This is the starting point for using any Google services, without it in any way.
Then we go to a service called Disk. You can either find one in the list of products, if you do not see it in the bar at the top, or dial the address indicated in the preamble.
Since it is extremely inconvenient to dump fifteen gigabytes in one heap, we create folders. For this purpose, there is a red button on the left with an obvious name that expands the list. In which we select "Folder". It remains only to enter its name and enter it.
Next to "Create" there is another button, also red, but slightly smaller. It has an up arrow. Thus, loading something into the discussed cloud storage is indicated. Don't believe? Hover the pointer over it - the hint "Download" will pop up.
We press, select files - and wait for the end of the process of uploading your data to the cloud.
Unlike the situation observed in Ubuntu One, the download window does not disappear by itself at the end, you need to close it manually. On the other hand, scripts do not rage when files are added to the list, they do not warm up the computer and do not force the browser to slow down.
On Yandex.Disk, a fan at such a moment can roar like a wounded bear. But there, despite the already rather long life of the service, everything is still so crooked, not optimized, buggy and faulty that there is nothing to be surprised at.
In the Dropbox web interface, only the so-called basic uploader really works, which allows you to upload one file at a time. However, there are only two free gigabytes.
Download
The first method, for several files: check the boxes next to the necessary objects - expand the list under the "More" button on the top panel (it appears after checking the boxes) - agree to download in a zip archive - wait for the archiving to complete - finally download.
The second method, the easiest for any file: right-click on it - "Download".
The third way, if you accidentally clicked on something: look at the darkened screen with a very informative message, they say, preview is impossible, there is nothing to open such a file, do not blame me - find the button with the down arrow at the bottom right (this is how download is indicated) - click on it to get the desired result.
The fourth method, for one document: click, wait for the document to open in the online application - "File - Download".
SkyDrive's interface is more obvious, more convenient, with the highest level of intuitiveness. You can immediately see where what should be clicked so as not to open the document in the online editor, but immediately download it.
Well, Ubuntu One is just a repository, where the download is started by simply clicking on the file. But in one fell swoop, picking up a few pieces through the web interface will not work. Because you can't select more than one. Although the service is developing, we will see further.
Let's get back to our Google Drive. What is really missing is the Download button next to Preview (with the stylized eye).
Documentation
As a matter of fact, documents open in SkyDrive. Moreover, the ODF format (*.odt) is supported there, which for some reason has not yet been implemented in Google Drive, despite Google's favor for Linux.
With regards to Google Drive, it's better to create documents from scratch rather than download any locally made ones. It doesn't matter that the formatting gets lost. Trouble - tabs are thrown out at the beginning of each paragraph. Both in downloaded files created in LibreOffice Writer and in text copied from LibreOffice.
In what format to download the results to disk, this also raises questions. Absolutely, absolutely without jambs it turns out, it seems, only in PDF.
Photos
Those are best packed into archives and uploaded to the cloud as zip files. Since the Google+ social network is in a never-ending process of permanent development, photos can suddenly move to their albums (formerly Google Picasa). And in those albums, according to eyewitnesses, confusion often arises.
However, when using mobile devices, of course, there is not much choice. Either the photos are uploaded to Google+ (using the app) or to Google Drive (via another app) along with other file types.
Moreover, predicting further changes and nuances in the Google Drive application is quite difficult. But, of course, you can install it in Android and try it.
How to share
Right click on the file - "Sharing" - again "Sharing". There are buttons to send to Gmail, as well as to social networks. But we are interested in a specific, precise and controlled setting. Therefore, in the "Access Levels" section, just below, click "Configure". Everything is obvious there.
You can share a bunch of files at once. We mark them with checkmarks and press the button that appears at the top with a little man and a plus at his left shoulder. Then many links will be offered for copying at once.
Linked documents that you copy and place anywhere on the web will not be downloaded, but opened in an online editor. Therefore, the user will have to press "File - Download" to save them on a local disk (on a computer).
And you should also remember that the documents that you share will be indexed in the search engine (in Google, in what else) without fail and inevitably.
For the writer
Is the service suitable for a writer who intends to write something online, traveling the world and accessing Google Drive. The answer is unequivocal: no.
For creative efforts, only the Microsoft SkyDrive online editor in their cloud service is suitable.
Why? In order to understand this, it is enough to read and compare user agreements. Google gets the right to use all your content literally (without exaggeration!) as they want. In fact, the user agreement annuls the entire set of copyrights, property and non-property. Microsoft, fortunately, does not allow anything like it.
The same applies to journalists, reporters writing dissertations, etc. Working on texts in the discussed Google service is potentially unsafe.
Summarizing
So, a comparison with similar services was made. Now, without breaking the tradition, we sum up.
Disadvantages of cloud storage Google Drive: lack of ODF support, not very intuitive interface, confusion with photo albums, user agreement gives Google rights to everything and everything.
Advantages: fifteen gigabytes, easy to share on Google+ and Twitter, easy to send links by mail (Gmail), the software is optimized and does not make the computer heat up, slow down, fail.
That is, in other words, it is better to keep more or less confidential files in Ubuntu One, work with documents in Microsoft SkyDrive, and share something with the population of the planet in Google Drive.
The popular cloud storage from Google provides ample opportunities for storing data of various types and formats, and also allows you to organize joint work with documents. Inexperienced users who have to access Drive for the first time may not know how to log into their account in it. How to do this will be discussed in our today's article.
Like most of the company's products, Google Drive is cross-platform, that is, it can be used on any computer, as well as on smartphones and tablets. Moreover, in the first case, you can refer to both the official website of the service and a specially designed application. How exactly the account will be logged in depends primarily on what type of device it is planned to access the cloud storage from.
Note: The same account is used for authorization in all Google services. The login and password under which you could log in, for example, to YouTube or GMail, within the same ecosystem (a specific browser or one mobile device), will be automatically applied to cloud storage. That is, to enter Drive, if and when required, you need to enter data from your Google account.
Computer
As mentioned above, on a computer or laptop, you can access Google Drive either through any convenient browser or through a proprietary client application. Let's take a closer look at the procedure for logging into an account using each of the available options as an example.
Browser
Since Drive is a product of Google, for a visual demonstration of how to log into your account, let's turn to the company's Chrome web browser for help.
- To get started, click on the button "Go to Google Drive".
- Enter the login from your Google account (phone or email), then click "Further".
Then enter the password in the same way and go again "Further". - Congratulations, you've signed in to your Google Drive account.
In addition to the direct address of the site provided by us above and the saved bookmark, you can get to Google Drive from any other corporate web service (except YouTube). To do this, just use the button indicated in the image below. "Google Apps" and select the product you are interested in from the drop-down list. The same can be done on the Google home page, as well as directly in the search. 
Client application
You can use Google Drive on your computer not only in the browser, but also through a special application. The download link is provided below, but you can proceed to download the installer file yourself if you wish. To do this, click on the gear icon on the main page of the cloud storage and select the appropriate item in the drop-down list. 
- After going to the official website from our review article (the link above leads to it), if you want to use Google Drive for personal purposes, click on the button "Download". If the storage is already used for corporate purposes or you are just planning to use it in this way, click "Begin" and follow the prompts, but we will consider only the first, usual option.
In the user agreement window, click the button "Accept terms and download".
Next, in the system window that opens "Explorer" specify the path to save the installation file and click "Save".
Note: If the download does not start automatically, click on the link marked in the image below.
- After downloading the client application to your computer, double-click it to start the installation.
This procedure proceeds automatically,
then just click on the button "Begin" in the welcome window.
- Once Google Drive is up and running, you can sign in to your account. To do this, first enter the username from him and click "Further",
then enter the password and click on the button "To come in". - Pre-configure the application:
- Done, you're signed in to the Google Drive desktop client app and can begin to fully use it. Quick access to the storage directory, its functions and parameters can be obtained through the system tray and a folder on the disk located at the path you specified earlier.
Now you know how to sign in to your Google Drive account on your computer, whether you're using a browser or the official app to access it.
Mobile devices
Like most Google apps, Drive is available for use on smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS mobile operating systems. Consider how the account is logged in in these two cases.
Android
On many modern smartphones and tablets (unless they are intended for sale exclusively in China), Google Drive is already preinstalled. If it is not available on your device, use the Google Play Store and the direct link below to install it.
- Once on the application page in the Store, tap on the button "Install", wait for the procedure to complete, after which you can "Open" mobile cloud storage client.
- Explore Drive by scrolling through the three welcome screens, or "Miss" them by clicking on the appropriate label.
- Since the use of the Android operating system requires the presence of an active Google account authorized on the device, you will be automatically logged into Drive. If for some reason this does not happen, use our instructions from the article presented at the link below.
Read more: How to Sign in to Google Account on Android - If you want to connect another account to the storage, open the application menu by tapping on the three horizontal bars in the upper left corner or by swiping across the screen from left to right. Click on the small downward pointer located to the right of your email and select "Add account".
- In the list of accounts available for connection, select Google. If required, confirm your intention to add an account by entering a pin code, pattern, or using a fingerprint scanner, and wait for the verification to complete quickly.
- First enter the login and then the password for the Google account on which you plan to access the Drive. Tap both times "Further" for confirmation.
- If login confirmation is required, select the appropriate option (call, SMS, or other available). Wait until you receive the code and enter it in the appropriate field if it does not happen automatically.
- Read the Terms of Use and click "I accept". Then scroll down the page with the description of new features and tap again "I accept".
- After waiting for the verification to complete, you will be logged into your Google Drive account. You can switch between accounts in the side menu of the application, which we addressed in the fourth step of this part of the article, just click on the avatar of the corresponding profile.
iOS
iPhone and iPad, unlike mobile devices from the competitive camp, are not equipped with a pre-installed Google cloud storage client. But this is not a problem, since you can install it through the App Store.
Conclusion
In this article, we tried to tell you as much as possible about how to log into your Google Drive account. Regardless of which device you use to access the cloud storage, authorization in it is quite simple, the main thing is to know your username and password. By the way, if you forgot this information, you can always restore it, and we have already described how this is done earlier.
Such storages are not new for a long time, an example of this, but let's take a closer look at what exactly Google Drive is.
How to login to google drive
You need to have a Google account to use Drive features. Perhaps you already have it if you once registered with .
Please note that after you start one single profile, you will be able to use a wide range of features of many services.
To work with applications from Google, you can create several accounts that you will use at your discretion.
So, you have registered in the system and want to create a new account - I will not describe how to do this, because everything is extremely simple (you don’t even have to confirm your phone number).
Just follow the instructions of Google and get acquainted with the world of its possibilities.
Going to the main page of the site www.google.ru, you will see an access line to the account you are interested in at the top, and we will go there.
You can also just go to the general menu with applications and select Google Drive.
And now we are moving into the "holy of holies" - Google Drive is freely available.
In order to get comfortable, just pay attention to the tooltips. They will teach you how to create files and folders in which you will upload documents, and more.
Online version of cloud storage from Google
Google Drive provides 15 GB of free space for your files for free.
If you need more storage, take a look at the tariff offers from Google.
Of course, 30 TB is already the maximum possible volume, here are all the tariff offers from this cloud storage:
- Up to 15 GB - free of charge;
- Up to 100 GB - $1.99/month;
- Up to 1TB - $9.99/month;
- You can see offers from 10 to 30 TB above.
Let's turn to the working interface of the Drive - this is a small panel on the left, which allows you to quickly create folders and upload documents, as well as edit them.
There are two ways to start working with files - click on the "Create" button or go to the "My Disk" tab.
Let's choose the first method and get the following pop-up lists.
As you can see, there is a wonderful opportunity to connect and use numerous applications from Google. But let's go in order.
Let's start with a simple one - uploading an image and creating a folder.
We upload several images of the same theme, so that later we can create a folder and put them there. The reverse order is also quite possible, you can create anything at any time.
Just upload files from a computer or some other device in the usual way. You can immediately upload documents that you have offline stored in separate folders.
Access to files can be configured individually immediately after downloading using the "Access Settings" function.
To do this, you will either need to specify specific people from the address book, or send a link through social networks. Opportunities are configured separately - "Editing", "Commenting" or "Reading".
In the lower left corner, you will always have access to information about the amount of space occupied on Google Drive.
Now, through the same menu, select "Create Folder", name it "Dolphins" and transfer the images there by dragging and dropping.
By clicking on a folder, you will see a small panel at the top, where all the functions for interacting with it will be collected. Or just right-click on a folder and access its features.
You can:
- Start by setting up access and send a link to the folder to whomever you want;
- Delete the entire folder in a few seconds (it will go to the "Trash", which is available in the storage in the menu on the left, so that you will have the opportunity to restore all deleted materials if necessary);
- Open a folder using connected applications, or do it directly when interacting with the folder;
- Move the folder to other folders created earlier or directly at the moment;
- Rename folder, change color, make note;
- Download a folder or any other files to a computer or other media online.
Also, the top panel gives access to the appearance of the disk, sorting documents and properties - by selecting a specific folder, you can see all the information about it, and statistics will tell you about actions on Google Drive from the very beginning to the present.
Files can be transferred to "My Drive" or left here. This distinction is convenient in that even files sent by mail will not be lost and will not disappear without a trace even after the letters themselves are deleted in the mailbox.
The next section is Google Photos. If you don't already know, Google has a special service where your photos can be stored.
In order for them to appear there, it is enough to set up synchronization with media connected to the computer. Once you get the job done, you can always find files automatically in your Google cloud storage.
"Recent". This is a list of files you have ever worked with, starting with the most recent manipulations.
"Marked". Each folder or file can be marked - made important, so you can access what has priority significance.
"Basket" . Deleted files and folders are stored here without taking up disk space. They can always be restored, even after being deleted from the Recycle Bin itself. True, for this you need to contact Google Technical Support.
And do not forget about the numerous applications that are used to open various kinds of files, in addition, you can simply open and use them yourself online.
Installing the program on a computer
It's time to familiarize yourself with the possibilities of Google Drive when interacting with your computer. To do this, select the "Settings" icon on the panel at the top.
After clicking this tab, you will be sent to the page for downloading the application to your computer. I select the refinement - "For Mac / PC" and click on "Download", I accept the "Google Drive Terms of Use" and proceed with the download.
By the way, these conditions are not mandatory, just so you can help the system improve its performance and, if necessary, notify you of problems that arise.
We save the installation file where it is more convenient for you (I usually do this in the "Downloads") and run Google Update Setup. To do this, you will need to wait no more than one minute.
Files that are stored in your Google Drive will now be in a special folder in the "Library" called "Google Drive". And you can share files directly from this folder when the Internet is connected.
After you go through all the installation steps, you will be automatically redirected to the Drive files folder.
After installation, the Google Drive icon will automatically appear in the panel of your computer. Management is carried out by any button of your mouse - you can see all the files in a list and access each of them individually.
Thus, there is no need to look into the Google Drive virtual space on the site every time, you will have access to documents all the time.
Google Drive for mobile devices
To download the Google Drive app for other devices, let's go back to the setup page − www.google.com/drive/download.
Choose the program you need - there are separate installation applications for Android and iOS devices.
So, if your device is based on Android, select the "For Android" tab accordingly.
After that, you will be moved to Google Play, an application store where you can download and install the Google Drive program for free.
In addition, you will be able to see the rating of the application by users who have already understood its advantages and disadvantages. You will get all the same features that are provided when using the Drive directly on the site.
For iPhone and iPad owners, a separate iOS-based application is provided. If you select this option on the loading page, you will be redirected to itunes.apple.com/google-drive/.
The site is in English, but you only need to click a couple of buttons to start the installation.
So, select "View in iTunes", after which you will be taken to a page where you will need to select the "Download Now" icon.
For everyone who has mobile phones running on the Windows Phone platform, I recommend reading the article "", which tells how to install applications on such devices.
Summing up, I would like to say that Google Drive is an application of its time, which is extremely simple and convenient to use.
Perhaps for some, 15 GB, which are provided for free, is too little space. However, for most users, this volume is more than enough for occasional use or for work and study purposes.
Synchronizing files in the cloud storage with those that will be in your folders on your computer or mobile devices allows you to quickly access any of them.
You'll never lose documents sent to you in emails, and you'll be able to create new ones with the many companion apps in Google Drive.
And Google Photos will be your alternative to other editors that take up extra space. In general - all the possibilities at once and in one place, perhaps one of the main characteristics of this cloud storage.
It is made in Google's signature minimalist style, which hides good functionality and a balanced set of features.
How to use Google Drive?
To start using it, you need to have a Google account. You can see how to register an account with Google. The main purpose Google cloud storage- store your files online and share them with friends and colleagues. You can watch the official video where Google introduces its new service.
Initially, the size of Google Drive is 15GB of disk space, there is no referral program. The volume of Google Drive is not very large, but sufficient for working with documents. After you sign up with Google, you will need to go to drive.google.com and download the program for your computer to get the synchronization capabilities:
Install Google Drive on PC
If you look at the installation process, it is almost the same as Dropbox. And the folder for synchronization is created in the same way, but there is one feature for working with Google Docs. They are presented as shortcuts to a document on the Internet. When you click on such a shortcut, the document opens in the browser, where you can start working with it. All other files are synced and opened as usual.
During the installation of the PC application, it is possible to specify which folders will be synchronized with the current computer and the location of the Drive folder itself. To do this, click on the advanced settings button, where you can change these parameters. These same settings can be changed by right-clicking on the Google Drive icon in the system tray and selecting Settings.
The main focus when interacting with Google cloud storage focused on working through the Google Chrome browser. Therefore, the program for the computer has a minimum of settings, everything is clear and accessible. The status of synchronization of files and folders is indicated by: a green check mark - the file is synchronized, blue arrows - in the process of synchronization, a red cross - synchronization failed. There is nothing more to say about the PC application, to access the main features you need to go to the online version of Google Drive.
Web interfaceGoogle drive
Your Google account gives you access to all services from Google, Google Drive is just one of them. To open it, you need to click on the link Disk in the top menu bar of the Google search engine or go to drive. google. com.
Here, as usual, I wanted to start describing the capabilities of the online version of Google Drive, but I came across a video from Google itself, which demonstrates everything very clearly. I will explain some points at the end of it, but for now, it’s better to look:
If you used Google Docs before, they will now be in Google Drive. Sharing documents or other files is easy, and you can add new files either through a folder on your computer or simply by dragging them with the mouse into the browser window.
How to share a file or folder?
To share, you need to right-click on the desired file or folder and find the "Sharing" item in the context menu.
For a deeper setting of file access rights, you can configure Access Levels, everything is clearly described there.
File versions
Google Drive stores 100 previous versions of each file, which are deleted after thirty days. This feature is accessed from the context menu called Version Control. You can disable deletion of old versions of files at any time or delete them, as they will take up disk space.
Features of Google Drive
The main feature of Google Drive is that full-fledged text documents, spreadsheets and presentations and much more can be created right in the browser. In folder My disk shows all your files that are synced with your computer and mobile devices. And in the folder available to me the documents that have been shared with you will be displayed. Now you do not need to send files by e-mail - they will be stored on disk, and you can share a link to them with anyone you want.
You may have noticed that each file has a transparent star next to it. It is useful if you need to mark an important file. You can see which files you marked with an asterisk in the folder Marked. In folder Recent you can easily find the files you have recently worked with, and in the folder Actions shows recent file operations - uploading to disk, sharing, creating a new document.
Documents offline allow you to create and edit Google Docs when you don't have an internet connection. This will also happen through the browser.
It wouldn't be Google if it didn't implement powerful document searches. In the parameters, you can set filtering by type, access, and ownership of documents.
It may also be noted shopping cart where all deleted files go. From there, you can restore the files or delete them permanently.
It is not possible to remove Google Drive as it replaces the popular Google Docs service. And it is removed from the computer like any other program.
Sending large files via email
As you know, large attachments cannot be sent by e-mail. With Gmail, you can now make attachments from Google Drive. To do this, in the window for writing a letter, where attachments are inserted, click on the Drive icon and select the desired file. You can add attachments up to 10 GB this way.
Third Party Applications
Google wants their drive to be your second hard drive on the internet. Therefore, the cloud drive must support cloud Internet services. Google gives developers the ability to integrate Drive into their web applications and work with it like a computer hard drive.
A whole ecosystem of web applications for Google Drive has already been created, you can see them here. There are various applications for editing photos online (Pixlr Editor), for working with documents () and music (DriveTunes).
Google Drive as a network drive
Connecting Google Drive as a network drive is very simple. First you need to register on this site https://dav-pocket.appspot.com and give access to your Google account. Then you need to click on the "Map network drive" button in the "My Computer" window:
After that, you need to enter this address https://dav-pocket.appspot.com/docso/
Now Google Drive will be mapped as a network drive. I want to warn you in advance that the speed of its work is not high, therefore it is better to download the Google Drive application to your computer and work fully.
conclusions
In contact with
