How to Use Google Drive

Google Drive gives every Google account 15 GB of free cloud storage shared between Gmail, Drive, and Photos. You can upload any file, sync folders from your computer, share with anyone via link or specific email, and edit Google Docs/Sheets/Slides directly in the browser. The most common beginner mistake is misconfiguring share permissions — accidentally making a file world-readable or restricting it so strictly that the recipient can't open it. This guide walks through every fundamental: uploading, organizing, sharing, syncing with Drive for desktop, and recovering deleted files. By the end you'll know which storage counts against your 15 GB quota and how to free space without losing anything.

1. 1
   Sign in and open Drive

   Go to drive.google.com in any browser and sign in with your Google account. You can also tap the Drive app on iOS or Android. The web interface and mobile apps have feature parity for most operations.
2. 2
   Upload files and folders

   Click + New in the top-left, then File upload or Folder upload. Or drag files directly from your computer into the Drive browser window. There's no per-file upload limit on the free tier, but individual uploads over 5 TB aren't supported.
3. 3
   Create new files

   Click + New → choose Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Drawing. These open in a new tab and auto-save to Drive. They don't count against your 15 GB quota (Google-format files are free).
4. 4
   Organize with folders

   Click + New → Folder, give it a name, and drag files in. Right-click any folder for options: rename, change color, move, share, or download as ZIP. Nested folders are unlimited.
5. 5
   Share with specific people

   Right-click a file or folder → Share. Type one or more email addresses. Pick a role: Viewer (read-only), Commenter (can comment but not edit), or Editor (full edit access). Click Send. Recipients get an email and the file appears in their Shared with me.
6. 6
   Share via link

   In the same Share dialog, click General access and change it from Restricted to Anyone with the link. Pick a role (Viewer is safest). Click Copy link. Anyone with the URL can access — be careful with sensitive files.
7. 7
   Install Drive for desktop

   Download Drive for desktop from google.com/drive/download. Install on Mac or Windows. After signing in, a Google Drive folder appears in Finder/Explorer. Files placed there sync to the cloud, and cloud files appear in the folder.
8. 8
   Use Stream vs Mirror modes

   In Drive for desktop preferences, choose Stream files (files stay in the cloud and download on demand — saves disk space) or Mirror files (full local copy of everything). Stream is the default and works well unless you need offline access to large folders.
9. 9
   Recover deleted files

   Deleted files go to Trash in the left sidebar. They stay there for 30 days before automatic permanent deletion. Right-click a trashed file → Restore to put it back where it was.
10. 10
    Free up storage space

    Open drive.google.com/drive/quota to see what's eating your 15 GB. Large files appear first — usually old email attachments or full-resolution photo backups. Delete what you don't need or move to Google One (paid storage starts at $1.99/month for 100 GB).
11. 11
    Use search to find files fast

    The search bar at the top supports filters: type:pdf, owner:alice@example.com, before:2024-01-01, and full-text search inside Docs and PDFs. Click the slider icon for the visual filter builder.
12. 12
    Set up version history

    Right-click any Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide → File → Version history → See version history. Every save creates a version you can restore. Non-Google files (PDFs, images, etc.) keep the last 100 versions or 30 days, whichever comes first.