With almost a billion users, Google Drive has become one of the most popular Cloud storage services in the world. For Mac, the app is renowned for simplicity and ease-of-use. When it comes to collaboration, Google Drive offers a wide range of features and apps, making it easier to create, upload, download, and share files with colleagues, friends, and family.
The perfect replacement for MS Office!
You can mount a ‘Google Drive’ onto you Mac, it’s a neat cloud based storage solution from Google. The Google Drive sits on your desktop. It looks like a regular hard drive and the contents of the folder are automatically available to anyone else who has access to the same Google Drive. Google Drive is similar but different to dropbox. Access all of your Google Drive content directly from your Mac or PC, without using up disk space. Tablet, or computer—and your first 15GB of storage are free. Update to my situation. I have my computer on a different network and the Google Drive is working fine. I have been using it for 3 days and it has no issues at all. The only thing which seems to have changed is the network I am connecting to. This leads me to believe there is something on the other network which is blocking the Google Drive app. Google Drive integrates directly into Windows Explorer (we’ll be using Microsoft Windows for these screenshots, but the desktop app is available for Mac OS X as well as mobile devices) which makes it appear as just another location on your computer; there will be a Google Drive folder under your user account in Windows Explorer. As soon as you finish installing Google Drive for your Mac/PC or mobile app, your device can sync with Google Drive on the web so that you can view your files from any device. This sync will only take place with 'My Drive', the section of Google Drive on the web that contains files and folders you've uploaded and Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Create, collaborate, and share files with ease and simplicity!
Google Drive is one of the most popular and largest Cloud storage services. Compared to other services like Dropbox, Google Drive lets you create and edit documents using a suite of office applications, such as Google Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Drawings.
For all members, irrespective of the operating system, Google Drive offers 15 GB of free storage space. With a paid subscription, this can be upgraded as per your requirements. Paid members also get additional benefits, such as 24/7 support and the option to add up to five individuals with access to storage.
Offline editing and viewing
While using Google Drive’s products, you can view and edit files in offline mode. This functionality works for Sheets, Slides, and Docs. Moreover, offline viewing is supported across devices.
In order to set up the feature, you need to use Google Drive on Chrome for desktops. From the settings menu, enable the ‘Sync Google Docs, Slides, Sheets & Drawings’ files, and you’re good to go.
Multiple accessibility options
In order to help people with disabilities and sight issues, Google Drive comes with a wide range of accessibility options. It’s an important area where Google stands apart from the competition. For instance, you can conveniently add captions to video files and use the screen reader compatibility option for easy access.
File sharing and versioning
Google Drive keeps logging the history of each uploaded file. This allows the platform to prevent malware infection, and lets you revert unwanted changes. Since Google takes a shared approach to editing, this feature comes in handy for collaboration. Users can easily check alterations in the file and proceed with work accordingly.
With a simple right-click, you can share files with several people. All you need to do is enter specific email addresses or produce a shareable link to be distributed among team members. Since Google Drive comes integrated with Google services, it imports email addresses from Gmail automatically. For quick posting of shareable links, Twitter and Facebook have also been integrated to the platform.
Where can you run this program?
Google Drive is accessible on a wide range of platforms via Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari, and other browsers. You can use it on Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android.
Is there a better alternative?
If you’re looking for a few alternatives, Dropbox will be a good choice. With plenty of storage space, it allows you to upload and share files with ease. However, Dropbox doesn’t give you any options to create files from scratch, which can be a deterrent for many users. Another good option is Office 365. While the platform comes with a wide range of features, you need a subscription once the free trial is over.
Google Drive Desktop Mac Computers
Our take
Google File Stream
Google Drive comes with a comprehensive feature-set, allowing you to create files and collaborate with team members easily. While the company offers good backup options, you can choose a paid subscription to upgrade storage space.
Should you download it?
While Google Drive is secure, some people have privacy concerns regarding the platform’s zero-knowledge policy. Moreover, it’s not open source. However, if you’re looking for something convenient and functional to replace MS Office, Google Drive will be an excellent choice.
Google Drive Desktop Mac Hard Drive
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