Google Drive allows you to upload and store files in the cloud. You can manually upload both files and folders, including images and videos.
How to manually upload files
There are two ways to upload files to Google Drive:
Drag-and-drop file upload
You can drag-and-drop your files directly from your computer into your Google Drive.
This feature is available only in the latest versions of Chrome and Firefox. If you aren’t working in the latest version of Chrome or Firefox, you can click the Upload button and select Files... from the drop-down menu.
File upload
To manually select files from your computer to upload to Google Drive, follow these steps:
- In your Google Drive, click the Upload button and select Files... from the drop-down menu.
- Select the file you'd like to upload. To select multiple files, press Shift or Ctrl and click all the files to upload.
- Your file will appear in My Drive.
Manually upload folders
Uploading a folder can save you the time and hassle of uploading individual files from your computer to Google Drive. When you upload a folder, you'll also save the time it takes you to organize your files and documents into folders. You can upload one or more folders to Google Drive at a time. Individual files within that folder will be uploaded, and subfolder structure will be maintained.
Manually upload a folder using Chrome- Click the Upload button and select Folder...
- If you see Enable folder upload and you're in Chrome, then you will need to update Chrome to the latest version.
- Select one or more folders to upload. All files and sub-folders within that folder will also be uploaded.
- A box that indicates the progress of your folder upload, as well as a list of the files being uploaded, appears in the bottom right of your Google Drive.
- When you're done with your upload you can click the link to open the uploaded folder in Google Drive or close the box by clicking the x in the upper right of the box.
If you're working in a browser other than Chrome, you'll need to enable Java in your browser and install an applet in order to upload folders to Google Drive.
- Enable Java in your browser.
- Confirm that Java is enabled by visiting the Java test page.
- Install the Java applet.
- Click the Upload button in Google Drive and install the Java Applet when prompted.
- A security dialog will open asking if you want to allow an applet to run. Install this applet. Note: The applet will be signed by Google Inc.
You'll need to enable folder upload in these browsers each time you visit your Google Drive.
Commonly asked questions about manually uploading files and folders to Google Drive
Who can see the files I upload?
The default visibility setting for uploaded files is “Private.” Unless you change those settings or choose to share specific files, only you will be able to see the files you upload.
How big can an uploaded file or folder be?
An uploaded file can be up to 10 GB. If you’d like to convert a file to a Google documents, spreadsheets, or presentations format, the size limit depends on the file type. Learn more about the size limits of Google documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Can I share and collaborate on a file I upload?
You can share any uploaded file with another person. If you’ve converted that file to a Google documents, spreadsheets, or presentations format, you can also collaborate on that item in real time with other people. Google Cloud Connect is also an option if you'd like to collaborate on a Microsoft Office document.