How to Add Google Drive to File Explorer

You can seamlessly access your OneDrive cloud storage files directly from File Explorer in Windows 10 and later. What if you could do the same with Google Drive? Google Drive for desktop makes it possible, and this tutorial shows you how to add Google Drive to File Explorer.

Why Use Google Drive for Desktop

• It eliminates the need to launch a web browser to access your Google Drive files. Instead, you can do so from your local system using Finder on macOS or File Explorer on Windows.
• Allows file/folder selection and sync between your device and Google Drive.
• You can directly back up your photos, including screenshots and RAW images, to Google Photos using Drive for desktop.
• You can sign in to up to four different Google accounts at once, giving you access to each one's files and configuration options and increasing your computer's virtual storage capacity.

Let's take a look at how to pin Google Drive to File Explorer using the Google Drive desktop app.

How to Add Google Drive to File Explorer

1. Download and install Drive for desktop.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to sign in to your Google Drive account from a browser and make sure you've downloaded the Google desktop app. If two-step verification is enabled for your Google account, you may have to approve the sign-in from your smartphone.

Google notifies you that “You are signed in to Google Drive” Once your identity is verified, you can start using Google Drive for desktop on your Windows PC.

Open File Explorer to see Google Drive listed as a regular drive in the Devices and drives in This computer“Google Drive also appears as a drive partition in the "Quick Access" From the sidebar. Use any of these links to access your files stored in Google Drive.

How to Add a Google Drive Shortcut to the File Explorer Sidebar

If you want Google Drive to appear as a featured, non-removable entry similar to OneDrive and Dropbox in the File Explorer sidebar, follow the steps below.

Note: The folder path structure in this method contains double backslashes, not a single backslash.

1. Back up your Windows registry To ensure that you can restore the registry to its last functional state if something goes wrong unexpectedly.
2. Access Google Drive script page in Windows Explorer on GitHub Through a web browser, download the ZIP archive of the script. Click on "The symbol" , Then select Download zip file.

    3. Locate the ZIP file you downloaded and extract its contents. We will need the file “Google Drive.reg” From this group to step 6 below.

4. Locate the Google Drive app on your computer using File Explorer. Go to

 “C:\Program Files\Google\Drive File Stream”

Open the folder with a numeric name, such as 60.0.2.0. This number corresponds to the version of the installed application.

5. Copy the full path to this folder from the right-click menu of the path bar.

6. Open the file “Google Drive.reg” From step 3 using the program Notepad Or another text editor.

7. Replace each instance. “C:\Program Files\Google\Drive File Stream\49.0.9.0” With the full path you copied above.

    8. Change each instance of the value. “TargetFolderPath” to “G:\Google Drive.” If you installed Google Drive on a different drive, replace the drive letter. "G" With the relevant drive letter.

9. Save the file “Google Drive.reg” And end the program Notepad.
10. Run the file by double-clicking it. When the UAC prompt appears, select "Yeah" To allow new data to be added to the Windows registry.

11. The Registry Editor informs you that the new keys have been added to your Windows registry. Press “Okay.”

12. Open File Explorer. If you followed the steps correctly, you should see Google Drive listed as a separate entity in the File Explorer sidebar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is Google Drive safe to use?
answer. Yes. But, you should realize that Google searches your files for data. which they can use to build a profile about you for advertising purposes. Google Drive may not be right for you if you find this too intrusive.

Q2. Who can see what's in my Google Drive?
answer. Only you can access files in Google Drive unless you share them with others. However, be careful with your account information, as anyone with access to your email and password can also view your files. To prevent this, Enable two-factor authentication on your Google account.

Q3. Does Google Drive work offline?
answer. Yes. You can. Configure Google Drive to work offlineIf you choose to mirror folders and files, they will be stored offline on your device and in the cloud.

Q4. How do I remove Google Drive if I no longer want it?
answer. If you choose to uninstall Google Drive, you first need to run the “Remove Google Drive.reg” If you decide Google Drive doesn't appear as a separate shortcut in File Explorer, uninstall Google Drive from the Control Panel as you would any other app.