How To Upload With Google Drive

Lesson 4: Uploading Files to Google Drive

/en/googledriveanddocs/creating-google-docs/content/

Uploading and syncing files

Google Drive makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to store and access your files online in the deject, allowing you lot to access them from any computer with an Internet connection. If you upload files from compatible programs similar Microsoft Word or Excel, y'all can even edit them in Google Drive. Spotter the video beneath to learn how to upload files to Google Drive.

Uploading files to Google Drive

Google Drive gives you xv gigabytes (15GB) of free storage space to upload files from your reckoner and shop them in the cloud. There are two principal types of files you can store on your Google Bulldoze:

Files you tin edit, like Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and other text-based files
Files yous cannot edit, like music, videos, compressed archives (.zip files), and most other files

Once you upload a file—no thing what blazon of file it is—yous'll be able to manage, organize, share, and access it from anywhere. And considering the files on Google Drive are synced across your devices, you lot'll always see the most contempo version of a file.

You tin also preview many unlike file types, even if you don't accept the software required for that file on your estimator. For case, you tin use Google Drive to preview a Photoshop file, even if Photoshop is not installed on your electric current computer.

Converting files to Google Drive formats

If yous are uploading files y'all plan to edit online, you volition need to convert them to Google Drive format. Converting allows y'all to edit a file and interact with others easily. Only sure file types—like Microsoft Function files and PDF documents—can be converted to Google Drive formats.

Unfortunately, this conversion isn't e'er perfect. Depending on the level of formatting used in the original document, the converted document could turn out looking quite different, as shown in the case below.

Conversion changes aren't always just cosmetic—you may even lose information from the original file. You should always review a file that'due south been converted before sharing information technology with others. Remember, you lot always take the choice to store your files in their original file format if you lot'd prefer not to edit files online.

Uploading files and folders

It's like shooting fish in a barrel to upload files from your reckoner to Google Drive. If y'all're using the Google Chrome spider web browser, y'all can even upload entire folders.

To upload a file:

From Google Bulldoze, locate and select the New button, so select File upload.
Locate and select the file( southward) you desire to upload, so click Open.
The file(s) will exist uploaded to your Google Drive.

Depending on your browser and operating arrangement, yous may be able to upload files past clicking and dragging a file from your computer into your Google Drive.

Drag and drop file into Drive.

To upload a folder:

Annotation: This feature is just bachelor if y'all're accessing Google Bulldoze through Google Chrome.

Click the New push button, then select Folder upload.
Locate and select the folder y'all want to upload, then click OK.
The folder and the files within it will be uploaded to your Google Drive.

Converting files to Google Docs format

When y'all upload sure types of files—such as Microsoft Office files or PDF documents—you'll only be able to view those files. If y'all want to edit these types of files in Google Drive, yous'll need to convert them to Google Docs format.

To convert a file:

Locate and double-click the file you want to edit.
A preview of the file will appear. Select Open at the tiptop of the screen.
The file will be converted to a Google document and appear in a new tab.
If you go dorsum to your Google Bulldoze, you'll see that there are now two copies of the file: the original file and the new version in Google Docs format.

You tin set Google Bulldoze to convert your files automatically when yous upload them. Click the gear icon, select Settings, so check the box adjacent to Catechumen uploads.

Enabling convert uploaded files in Google Drive settings

Challenge!

Open up Google Bulldoze and upload a Microsoft Office file. If you don't take an Function file on your computer, you lot can download a re-create of our example.
Catechumen your file to a Google document.
If you used our instance file, your screen should look something like this: