Get started with Drive

4. Organize and search in Drive

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Now that all of your files are in Google Drive, here are some of the key ways you can stay organized.

In this section, you learn how to:

4.1 Create folders
4.2 Move files to folders
4.3 Access files quickly
4.4 Star important files and folders
4.5 Search and sort your files and folders

4.1 Create folders

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Any new folders you create in your computer’s Drive File Stream folders or in Drive on the web automatically appear on your devices so that you’re organized everywhere.

On the web

  1. Open Drive.
  2. Click Plus Newand thenFolder.

On your computer

Using Drive File Stream, create new folders in Drive (My Drive or shared drives) the same way you create other folders on your computer.

Create Drive folders

4.2 Move files to folders

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On the web

Move a file to a folder in My Drive:

  1. Select the file.
  2. Click More Moreand thenMove to Move to.
  3. Select the folder and click Move or Move here.

You can also drag files and folders to a folder in My Drive on the left.

Method to highlight file and select "Move to" appears on the right. Drive highlighted on the left.


Organize files in the Search results, Recent, Starred, Shared with me views:

  1. Select the file.
  2. Do one of the following actions:
    • If the file isn't already in My Drive, click Add to My Drive Add to My Drive. In the popup window, click Organize.
    • If the file is in My Drive, click Move to Move to.
  3. Select the folder and click Move or Move here.

    Note: If you move a file under Shared with me, it only moves your copy.

Selecting file and Add to My Drive at the top right opens the Organize window. Drive highlighted on left.


Make a copy of a shared file:

  1. In Shared with me, right-click a file and select Make a copy.
  2. (Optional) To move the file:
    1. In the pop-up window at the bottom, click Show file location.
    2. Right-click the file and select Move to.

Move files to folders

On your computer

Select the files you want to move and drag them to any folder in Drive, the same way you’d move any other file on your computer.

4.3 Access files quickly

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To keep important or frequently used files at your fingertips, add them to a workspace in Drive Priority.

Adding the files to a workspace does not remove them from anywhere else or change permissions, it just puts them in one place so you can quickly find them.

On the web

Create a workspace:

  1. Open Drive.
  2. On the left, click Priority.
  3. Under Workspaces, click Create Workspace.
  4. Enter a name for the workspace and click Create.
  5. (Optional) To add files now, click Add files and follow the steps in Add multiple files to a workspace (details below).
  6. Click Done.
Find "Priority" in the left column, and the "Create workspace" tile on the right.


Add a file to a workspace:

  1. Open Drive. 
  2. Right-click a file and click Add to workspaceand thenthe workspace name.


Add multiple files to a workspace:

  1. Open Drive. 
  2. On the left, click Priority.
  3. Below the workspace you want to add files to, click View workspace.
  4. Click Add files.
  5. On the right, under Add to Workspace, choose where you want to add files from (Recent, My Drive, Shared Drives, and so on).
  6. Find the files you want to add and select them.
  7. Click Insert.
  8. Click Done.

Now you can access important files from Drive Priority. You can also set Drive Priority to be your homepage. For details, see Use Priority to quickly access files.


Remove a file from a workspace:

  1. Open Drive.
  2.  Right-click a file in a workspace and click Remove from workspace.


Rename, hide, or delete a workspace:

  1. Open Drive and on the left, click Priority.
  2.  Next to the workspace name, click the Down arrow Down Arrowand thenRename, Hide workspace, or Remove workspace.
  3. (Optional) To show a hidden workspace:
    1. At the bottom of the Priority page, click Hidden workspaces.
    2. Next to the workspace that you want to see, click the Down arrow Down Arrowand thenUnhide workspace.

4.4 Star important files and folders

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On the web

Flag important files or folders to quickly find them later.

  1. Right-click a file or folder and select Add to Starred.
  2. (Optional) To see all your starred files and folders, on the left, click Starred.

Star Drive items

4.5 Search and sort your files and folders" "

On the web

It can be difficult to browse through hundreds of files just to find the one you need. So, try searching Drive instead.

When you put your cursor in the Drive search box, you see a list of file types that Drive suggests to filter your search. These are files that you use frequently or that might increase your productivity. You also see people you frequently collaborate with.

Search for files or folders in Drive:

  1. In the Drive search box, enter a word or phrase. 
    To help you search faster, Drive suggests search terms as you enter text.
  2. Click a suggestion to open it or click Search Search to see a list of results.

Use advanced search options:

  1. On the right of the search box, click the Down arrow Down Arrow.
    Choose any option or combination of options to filter your results further.
    • Type—Search by file type.
    • Owner—Search by file owner.
    • Location—Search by location (including items in the Trash or Starred). You can only search for folders that are in My Drive or in shared drives.
    • Date modified—See items that were recently modified by anyone (not just you).
    • Item name—Search for a term in the file name.
    • Has the words—Search for files that contain certain words.
    • Shared with—Search for someone that has access to the file.
    • Follow up—Search for files you own with suggestions, or files with action items assigned to you.
  2. Click Search.

Search in Drive

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