Tech Tip Tuesday: Back Up Your Files to Google Drive

As you finish the school year, it’s always a good job to back up your files and take them with you for the summer. If you haven’t been using Google Drive as often as you’d like, using it to back up the files on your computer makes a lot of sense. With this, you can backup all the files on your computer, directly to Google Drive, and have access to these files from anywhere… at any time. Here is how to do this:

The first key is to make sure you are using Google Chrome when uploading your files. Chrome gives you the opportunity to upload entire folders from your hard drive. Other web browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer) may not give you this option.

Next, go to Drive.Google.com or use the Google Drive app from your web browser (not the Google Drive app on your Mac! I will mention this at the end).

Once you’re on Google Drive double check your settings: Click the “settings”/ “gear” icon in your drive located on the right-hand side. Click that –> then click “settings” –> then check the second option called CONVERT and see if it is checked off. By checking this option off, it will take any files you upload and convert them to Google type files (for example: Word will become a Google Doc, Excel will become a Google Sheet, etc. I prefer to have this checked! Next click “done”.

Now, to begin uploading files to your Google Drive click “NEW” –> “File / folder upload”    –> select the file from your hard drive –> then click “UPLOAD”. Google will begin syncing and uploading your files to your Google Drive. Do this as much as you need.

*Pro Tip: Create a Google Drive folder first, then go into the folder you created and THEN upload your files. This way your files will be uploaded directly to this folder and keep your Drive organized.

** The reason I mentioned NOT to use the Google Drive app on your Mac is that this is strictly a sync app. By doing this, it will “drop” files into your Google Drive while keeping the files on your Mac as well as possibly download duplicate copies. This could max your hard drive out.