Google Drive
Google Drive is a popular online storage services currently available. Using what is known as “cloud computing,” Google Drive can help you create, store, share, manage, and access documents on the Internet from any computer in the world. Google Drive is a feature that comes free with a Gmail account. If you have a Gmail address, you are automatically given your own personal Google Drive and 15 gigabytes of free storage space. Users who wish to have additional space can purchase paid upgrades.
What is Cloud Computing? “Cloud computing” is Internet-based computing. Instead of storing files on your own hard drive, you are storing them in “the cloud”—multiple locations and servers you can access from the Internet. Storing files in this way is similar to having an email address—you can check your email from any computer, as long as you remember your email name and password.
Why use Google Drive? With Google Drive, you can…
Access your files anywhere, anytime
Share your files with others
Allow others to edit your files
Edit files that others have shared with you
Create folders to keep your files organized
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Signing into Google Drive To access Google Drive you will need:
A computer with Internet access A Gmail account
That’s it! Sign into your Gmail account: 1. Type www.gmail.com into your address bar 2. Enter your personal Gmail email address and password. Access your personal Google Drive space: 1. Click on the Google Apps button in the upper right hand corner (the “square made of squares”). The dropdown menu that appears on the screen is a list of applications that you can use with your Gmail account. 2. The Google Drive icon looks like a triangle with a blue side, a green side, and a yellow side. Click on this icon to open Google Drive.
3. A page called “My Drive” will open up in your web browser. This is where you can create and store documents and photos using your Gmail account!
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On this screen, you will be able to see any files or folders you have saved to Google Drive.
You can also use the options on the right hand side to:
View your files as a list
Alphabetize your files
View the details of any selected file
Access your Google Drive settings. Exercise 1: Sign into your Gmail account, and open your My Drive page.
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Uploading Files to Google Drive 1. Click on the “New” button to open up a menu with several different options. 2. Click on “File Upload” or “Folder Upload”. A window will open that allows you to upload a document from your computer and to Google Drive. 3. Click on the file once to select it. 4. Click “Open.”
Exercise 2: Click on “New,” then click on “File Upload” to add a new file to your Google Drive.
Creating a File on Google Drive If you want to create something directly on Google Drive instead of uploading a file you’ve already made, look at the options below “Folder Upload.” Google Drive gives you several options for the kind of documents you can create directly on the Drive:
Google Docs, for making simple text-based word documents
Google Sheets, for creating spreadsheets
Google Slides, for creating slideshow presentations
Google Forms, for creating forms and surveys
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Google Drawings, for creating images and drawings
Google My Maps, for saving map routes that you use frequently
To create a file directly on Google Drive: 1. Click on the corresponding option. For example, if you would like to write an essay or report, click on Google Docs, and a separate tab will open up with your new document.
You can type in this document the same way you would a Microsoft Word or any other word processor, and make changes (adding bullet points, bolding or italicizing text, etc.) using the ribbon at the top of the page. 2. Rename your document. Click the “File” tab and then select the “Rename” option, which will open in the upper left hand corner.
Note: you do not have to save this document- Google Drive documents save automatically!
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Exercise 3: Create a new Google Document by clicking on “New,” then clicking on “Google Docs.” Enter in some text, then rename it using the “Rename” option.
Other types of files that you can create using Google Drive can be created and saved in the same way, but look quite different and perform different functions. Google Slides is similar to PowerPoint, and is used to create slideshows for presentations. It comes with a number of preloaded templates that you can use to make your presentation attractive and engaging.
Google Sheets is similar to Excel. It can be used to create tables, budgets, schedules, calendars, invoices, and even more. It also comes with a number of templates.
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Although Docs, Slides, and Sheets are the most common types of file created on Google Drive, other options exist. Google Forms allows the user to create forms, surveys, and questionnaires. These can then be distributed by email, using a link.
Google Drawings can be used to create graphic images.
Google My Maps is for planning and saving map routes, using the Google Maps feature.
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Exercise 4: Create a Slides, Sheets, Forms, or My Maps file. Rename it.
Sharing a File Files on Google Drive can be shared with others. This is a great option for collaborative projects and assignments. To share a file on Google Drive with someone: 1. Go to your My Drive page 2. Click on the file you would like to share 3. Click on the “Share” button in the upper right hand corner of the page. This will open a pop up window asking for the email address of the person you would like to share your file with. This option also comes with a dropdown menu that allows you to select whether or the person you are sharing your file with can edit the document or only view it.
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Exercise 5: Share your document by clicking on it, then selecting the “Share” button. Type
[email protected] into the address bar. Switch it from “can edit” to “can view,” then click “done.” You have now shared your document with the library!
To share your document with multiple people: 1. Click on the “Get sharable link” button in the upper right hand corner. This gives you a link that you can share with people by pasting it into an email. You can also decide whether or not people can edit or only view your document with this option by clicking on the “anyone with this link can view” dropdown menu and changing it to “anyone with this link can edit.” 2. Click on the “Copy Link” button to get a copy of your file’s location. 3. Paste your link into an email, then send it to anyone you like!
Opening a Shared Document If someone wants to share a document with you, you will receive a message in your Gmail inbox. 1. Click on the message to open it 2. Click on “Open in Docs.” Google Drive Created February 29, 2016
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This will open the file that has been shared with you. If the person who shared the document with you gave you editing permissions, you can now also edit that document. Exercise 6: Share your document with yourself by clicking the “Share” button, then type in your own email address. Check your Gmail inbox (click on the App Square at the top right hand corner and select the Gmail icon). There should be a message there saying that a document has been shared with you. Click on that email, then open the document by clicking on “Open in Docs.”
Creating New Folders If you upload or create a lot of documents using Google Drive, you may want to create separate folders to organize them. Click on the “New” button on your My Drive page (the same one you use to create new documents) and select the “Folder” option. The window that pops up gives you the option to name you folder. Try to make sure that the name you choose is related to the things you put into it—this will make it much easier to find things later! Google Drive Created February 29, 2016
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When you are done, click “Create.” You can move files into your new folder by clicking and dragging them. You can also upload or create files directly into your new folder by opening the folder, then hitting the “New” button. Exercise 7: Create a new folder and name it “KG.” Now try moving one of your documents into the new folder.
Sharing Folders You can share a whole folder with someone the same way you can share a single file. 1. Single click on the folder. 2. Select the “Share” icon on the upper right side.
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3. The same window that opens when you want to share a file will appear. You can either enter in the email addresses of the people you wish to share your folder with, or you can select “Get Shareable Link” and receive a link that will redirect people to your folder.
Just like when you share a file, you can choose whether or not people will be able to edit the folder or just view it and its contents. Note that the permissions you set for the folder will apply to all the files in it—for example, if you select “Can Edit” for the folder, whoever you share the folder with will be able to edit all the files inside of it. Exercise 8: Share your new folder by opening it, then clicking the “Share” button in the upper left hand side. Type
[email protected] into the address bar. Switch it from “can edit” to “can view,” then click “done.”
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Other Resources Still have questions about Google Drive? Visit these links for more information! The Google Drive Help feature allows users to search for answers to their questions, as well as visit the Help Forum: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424384?hl=en TechBoomers has a Google Drive course available here: https://techboomers.com/p/googledrive YouTube vlogger Anson Alexander has made a video on how to get started with Google Drive that is thorough and easy to understand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLYbzXVJaY CNET has created a Google Drive tutorial, complete with a Frequently Asked Questions section and videos: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/your-complete-guide-to-google-drive/ Digital Trends has a very simple step-by-step guide to basic Google Drive use available online: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-use-google-drive/ GCFLearnFree has a seven-part course on Google Drive, and includes a quiz at the end so users can test their knowledge: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/googledriveanddocs The official Google Drive Twitter account frequently updates with news, tips, and tricks that Google Drive users might find useful: https://twitter.com/googledrive
This work is licensed under an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 license. You may share and adapt it for non-commercial use if the original is cited. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca/) Google Drive Created February 29, 2016
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