Use Google Drive files offline on your Chromebook

You can use Google Drive files offline. This includes Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more.

Step 1: Make Google Drive available offline

1. Go to your Google Drive Settings.
2. Scroll to "Offline" and check the box. 
   • It might take a few minutes for the offline access setting to turn on.
3. Select Done.

Tip: Your Chromebook saves your most recently opened documents so you can work on them offline.

Step 2: Make specific files available offline

When you make Google Drive available offline, it only automatically saves your most recent files offline. You can also manually save files.

Use the Files app

1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher .
2. Select Files   Google Drive .
3. Select the file you want to use offline.
4. At the top, turn on Available offline. 
   • To show that it’s available offline, a check mark appears next to the file.

Tip: To show all offline files, go to the “Offline” folder in the Files app.

Use Google Drive

1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher .
2. Select Google Docs , Google Sheets , or Google Slides .
3. Go to the file you want to use offline and select More .
4. Turn on Available offline. 

Tip: If a file is available offline, a check mark shows at the bottom left.

Step 3: Work on a file offline

When your Chromebook isn’t connected to the internet:

1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher .
2. Select Files   Offline .
3. Select the file you want to work on.

The next time your Chromebook connects to the internet, your changes will sync to Google Drive.

Tip: If the file you want to use isn’t in the "Offline” folder, it may not be available for offline use. Once your Chromebook connects to the internet again, you can mark those files as available offline.

Remove files from offline use

To free up hard drive space, you can remove the offline versions of your files.

Remove specific files from offline use

1. At the bottom left, select the Launcher .
2. Select Files   Google Drive .
3. Select the file you want to remove from offline use.
4. At the top, turn off Available offline.
   • To show that it’s no longer available offline, the check mark next to the file disappears.

Remove all files from offline use

1. Go to your Google Drive Settings.
2. Scroll to "Offline" and uncheck the box.

Tip: When you connect to the internet, you’ll still find your files on Google Drive.