It competes with other cloud storage solutions such as Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, Box, Dropbox and SugarSync. Google Drive can be accessed through a browser or with a dedicated desktop or mobile app. The integration allows users to create, edit and collaborate on content without needing to leave the Drive interface. Google acknowledged this issue in 2019, and rolled out the ability to block users in 2021. At Google, we recognize that failures are statistically inevitable, and we strive to insulate our users from the effects of failures. In 2021, Google stated that Google Workspace had over 3 billion users globally.
Find the plan that’s right for you
It was launched in April 2006, and integrates with Gmail for users to easily add events from email messages directly to the calendar. Google Workspace also has garnered a strong following in education, with over 70 million users by 2017. As part of Google Workspace, Google Docs and Slides come with additional features designed for business use, including unlimited revision history. Google Forms, meanwhile, is a tool that allows collecting information from users via a personalized survey or quiz. They all serve as collaborative software that allow users to view and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations together in real-time through a web browser or mobile device.
In May 2017, a Google executive stated at a company event that there were over two trillion files stored on Google Drive. The Next Web noted that this meant an increase of 50 million users in just one quarter. Although the user retains intellectual property rights, the user licenses Google to extract and parse uploaded content to customize the advertising and other services that Google provides to the user and to promote the service. Regarding Google Drive’s computer apps, he stated that the option in Settings to synchronize only specific folders was “powerful”. He considered uploading files “fairly easy”, but noted that folder upload was only supported through the Google Chrome web browser.
- For example, if a user dictates the sentence, “Find my sales presentations from last May,” Google Drives’ search function will only return files that match that criteria.
- Google Drive for desktop based on File Stream, which will support features previously exclusive to each respective Client.
- Choose folders on your computer to sync with Google Drive or backup to Google Photos, and access all of your content directly from your PC or Mac
- As of 2025, Google Drive offers 15 gigabytes (GB) of free storage that’s shared by Drive, Gmail and Google Photos.
- On March 28, 2012, Google launched Google Vault, an optional electronic discovery and archiving service for Google Apps for Business customers.
- They can control access levels by specifying who can view, comment on or edit the content.
Store, access and scan files
In July 2018, Google announced a new edition, called Drive Enterprise, for businesses that don’t want to buy the full Google Workspace. A press release posted on Google’s Official Enterprise Blog assured businesses that Google would encrypt data stored on its servers, as well as information being transmitted to or from them. Google Drive Enterprise (formerly Google Drive for Work) is a business version, as part of Google Workspace (formerly Google Apps for Work or G Suite), announced at the Google I/O conference on June 25, 2014, and made available immediately.
In 2018, the paid plans were re-branded as “Google One” to emphasize their application beyond Google Drive, along with the addition of a $2.99/month plan for 200 GB, and increasing the $9.99 plan to 2 TB at no additional charge. In March 2014, the storage plans were revised again and prices were reduced by 80% to $1.99/month for 100 GB, $9.99/month for 1 TB, and $99.99/month for 10 TB. Between April 2012 and May 2013, Google Drive and Google+ Photos had a shared allowance for both free and purchased storage, whereas Gmail had a separate 10 GB storage limit, which increased to 25 GB on the purchase of any storage plan. Originally, Gmail, Google Docs, and Picasa had separate allowances for free storage and a shared allowance for purchased storage. On April 24, 2012, Google Drive was introduced with free storage of 5 GB.
Google Drive web, desktop and mobile apps
- On October 3, 2007, a month after acquiring Postini, Google announced that the startup’s email security and compliance options had been added to Google Apps Premier Edition.
- Google Enterprise, the company’s business product division, was officially renamed Google for Work on September 2, 2014.
- The Starter plan includes email addresses with custom domains (@yourcompany.com), video and voice calls, calendars, 30GB storage, collaborative documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and sites, controls for security and privacy, and 24/7 phone and email support.
- In comparing the policies with competing services, Patel wrote that “it’s clear that they need the exact same permissions—they just use slightly more artful language to communicate them”.
- Google Drive incorporates a system of file sharing in which the creator of a file or folder is, by default, its owner.
- On April 24, 2012, Google Drive was introduced with free storage of 5 GB.
- In July 2021, Google Drive for Desktop, a new app for Windows and Mac, was released replacing “Backup and Sync” and “Drive File Stream”.
Further enhancements came, on June 25, 2007, when Google added a number of features to Google Apps, including mail migration from external IMAP servers, shared address books, a visual overhaul of Google Docs and Google Sheets, and increased Gmail attachment size. Google announced an edition for schools, then known as Google Apps for Education, on October 10, 2006. Available for free as a beta service, it included Gmail, Talk, Calendar, and the Page Creator, which was later replaced with Sites. From February 10, 2006, Google betico started testing a version of the service at San Jose City College, hosting Gmail accounts with SJCC domain addresses and admin tools for account management. The suite was first launched in February 2006 as Gmail for Your Domain, before being expanded into Google Apps for Your Domain in the same year, later rebranded as G Suite in 2016, then rebranded again in 2020 as Google Workspace. Depending on edition Google Workspace may also include the digital interactive whiteboard Jamboard and an option to purchase add-ons such as the telephony service Voice.
In most cases, the apps continue to hold access levels until users proactively revoke their access to Google Drive. Sharing files with users not having a Google account requires making them accessible to “anybody with the link”. In May 2013, Google announced the overall merge of storage across Gmail, Google Drive and Google+ Photos, giving users 15 GB of unified free storage between the services. Google Drive has a website that allows users to see their files from any Internet-connected computer, without the need to download an app. Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive allows users to store files in the cloud (on Google servers), synchronize files across devices, and share files. Encryption, specifically AES 128-bit or stronger, is applied to data while stored at data centers, under transit between data centers and users, and between data centers.
Shared Drives
Google Drive offers a wide range of features to accommodate individual, student and business users. To accommodate the needs of different users, Google provides several ways for users to access their Drive storage. These integrations enable users to sign documents, create flowcharts, store multimedia files and complete other tasks.
Google Drive allowed users to share drive contents with other Google users without requiring any authorization from the recipient of a sharing invitation. Although Google has a 99.9% uptime guarantee for Google Drive for Google Workspace customers, Google Drive has suffered downtimes for both consumers and business users. In March 2017, Google announced that Google Drive had 800 million active users. On September 21, 2015, it was announced that Google Drive had over one million organizational paying users. On October 1, 2014, at its Atmosphere Live event, it was announced that Google Drive had 240 million monthly active users.
Search results can be narrowed by file type, ownership, visibility, and the open-with app. Files in other formats can also be handled through third-party apps that work with Google Drive, available from the Chrome Web Store. Google reported that as of 2021, there were more than 5,300 public apps available in the Google Workspace Marketplace. In March 2013, Google released an API for Google Drive that enables third-party developers to build collaborative apps that support real-time editing. In February 2013, the “Create” menu in Google Drive was revamped to include third-party apps, thus effectively granting them the same status as Google’s own apps. On September 13, 2021, the URL to a portion of existing files was changed, ostensibly for security reasons.
The three access levels offered are “can edit”, “can comment” and “can view”. Files and folders can also be made “public on the web”, which means that they can be indexed by search engines and thus can be found and accessed by anyone. This generates a secret URL for the file, which may be shared via email or private messages. Google Drive incorporates a system of file sharing in which the creator of a file or folder is, by default, its owner.
As of 2021, these features have been consolidated into Google Drive for Desktop, which provides both backup and file streaming capabilities. Another, Save to Google Drive, allows users to save web content directly to their Drive. Any changes made to files in that folder will automatically sync to Google servers once an internet connection is reestablished.