Cloud Connect

Deploying Google Cloud Connect

Deploy Google Cloud Connect

Google Cloud Connect is a plug-in to help people work in the cloud by automatically saving Microsoft Office files from Windows PC’s to Google Drive. But installing Google Drive on your desktop achieves the same thing with better results—and Drive works not only on Windows, but also on Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

To focus our resources on Google Drive, we’re discontinuing Google Cloud Connect. Existing users will no longer be able to use Cloud Connect as of April 30.

If you are a Google Apps administrator, see Migrate from Google Cloud Connect to Google Drive to learn how to transition your organization to Google Drive.

This page is for administrators who plan to deploy Google Cloud Connect for other users in their organization. To install Google Cloud Connect yourself and begin using it, you should instead see the Google Cloud Connect user help.

To deploy Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office:

  1. Verify that the Google Cloud Connect system requirements and supported file types work for your organization.

  2. Make sure the Google Drive service is enabled for your organization. To verify this:

    1. Sign in to the Google Admin console

    2. Under Your Google apps, look for Drive.

      If it's not listed, add the service.

  3. Make sure Google Cloud Connect is enabled for your users.

    1. Click the Settings tab and then select Drive in the left column.
    2. Scroll down and check the box to allow your users to use Google Cloud Connect.
    3. Save your changes.
  4. Install Google Cloud Connect on the computer of each person who wants to use the plug-in. You have two options for installation:

  5. Send your users an email letting them know about Google Cloud Connect and what they need to do to start using it. We provide a template email that you can copy and modify to suit your organization's needs.

As an administrator, you can use Google Update to control whether or not Google Cloud Connect is automatically updated on your users' computers.