How to set up and use Google Drive on you Mac

You don’t need to deal with a below-average Google Drive web app on your Mac

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Thanks to cross-platform availability, 15GB of free storage, robust download and upload speeds, and seamless integration with other Google services, Google Drive remains the preferred choice among consumers and small businesses. With Google Workspace plans, it’s becoming popular in the enterprise sector. Aside from mobile apps on iPhone, iPad, and the top budget Android phones, Google Drive has feature-rich apps available on the desktop. Here’s how you can set up and use Google Drive on Mac.

Download and set up Google Drive for Desktop

Google Drive isn’t available from the Mac App Store. You must download the installation file from the web.

1. Head to Google Drive web on your Mac.
2. Download Drive for desktop.

3. Find the installation file from the Finder app.
4. Double-click on it and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup process.

Once you sign in with your Google account details, the Drive icon appears in the menu bar. You can also access Google Drive files from the Finder app.

1. Open Finder on Mac.
2. Check Google Drive under Locations in the left sidebar.

3. You can check your Drive and other computers from the same menu.

Check Google Drive syncing options

There are two ways to sync your Google Drive files on Mac. You can either stream files or mirror them on your Mac.

1. Select Google Drive in the menu bar.
2. Click the Settings gear and open Preferences.

3. Select Google Drive from the sidebar and check syncing options.

4. Choose Stream files to store all My Drive files in the cloud. You can choose specific files and folders to make available offline.
5. Choose Mirror files to store all My Drive files in the cloud and on your Mac. All your files are automatically available offline.

Streaming your Google Drive files allows you to check your entire Google Drive library in Finder without taking up much space on your Mac. You should think twice before selecting mirror files. It downloads all your Drive files on the Mac and consumes considerable storage.

Selectively download Google Drive files on Mac

Most users should stream Google Drive on Mac and download selected files for sharing or offline use.

1. Open Google Drive in Finder.
2. You’ll see a little cloud icon beside your Drive files and folders.
3. You can select relevant files and folders and right-click on them (two-finger click for trackpad users).
4. Select Available offline from the context menu.

5. A green checkmark indicates that your Drive files are ready for offline use.

6. Once you are done making changes, right-click on the same files and select Online only.

7. Google Drive removes downloaded files from your Mac storage and makes them available online only. You will see the same cloud icon beside the file or folder.

Most popular cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive support files on-demand. It’s good to see Google Drive offering the same flexibility.

Launch Google Drive at startup on Mac

You must launch Google Drive on system startup to sync the latest changes and updates. This behavior makes your Google Drive files ready to use at login only.

1. Open Google Drive preferences (refer to the steps above).
2. Select Settings in the upper-right corner.

3. Scroll and enable the checkmark beside Launch Google Drive on system startup.

You can make the same changes from the Mac System Settings too.

1. Select the Apple icon in the upper-left corner.
2. Open System Settings.

3. Select General and open Login Items.

4. Click + under Open at Login and select Google Drive from the Applications menu.

Sync your Mac folders to Google Drive

You can sync local Mac folders to Google Drive and make them accessible on all your devices.

1. Head to Google Drive Preferences (check the steps above).
2. Select Add folder.

3. Select your local Mac folder and click Open.

4. You can either sync the folder to Google Drive or back up to Google Photos. If you select both, Drive backs up media files to Photos and Drive twice and uses more of your Google storage.

You should enable the checkmark beside Back up to Google Photos so that you can edit your Mac files using the excellent Google Photos editing tools.

Tweak Google Photos upload size

Google Photos uploads Mac files at original quality. If you want to save space on your Google account, store photos at a slightly reduced quality.

1. Open Google Drive Settings (refer to the steps above).
2. Scroll to Google Photos and select Storage saver under Upload size.

Use Google Drive hotkey on Mac

Google Drive offers a nifty hotkey to search your files and folders quickly. You can use the Command + Option + G keys to open the Google Drive search bar. You can configure the hotkey from Drive settings.

1. Navigate to Google Drive Settings (check the steps above).
2. Scroll to Configure hotkey and assign a new shortcut for Google Drive search.

Manage your Google Drive files like a pro

If you run low on Google Drive space, subscribe to one of the Google One plans. You can also explore a Google Workspace subscription to get more storage and premium features in productivity apps. Check our dedicated post to learn all about Google Workspace.