Use Google Drive files offline

1. Open Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If on Chrome, make sure you are signed into your desired account.
2. Go to drive.google.com/drive/settings.
3. Check the box next to "Create, open, and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files on this device while offline."

1. 1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
   2. Right click the Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file you want to save offline.
   3. Click Make available offline .

   To save multiple files offline, press Shift or Command (Mac)/Ctrl (Windows) while you click other files.

1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
   • Make sure you turn on offline access first.
2. At the top right, click Ready for offline .
3. Click Offline preview.

To make streamed files, which aren't Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, available offline:

1. Go to File Explorer.
2. Open the Google Drive folder .
3. Choose the files or folders.
   • To select more than one, hold Shift and click.
4. Right-click your files or folders.
5. Click Offline Access Available offline .
   • When you save a file offline, a green check displays next to it.

On macOS:

1. Go to Finder.
2. Open the Google Drive folder .
3. Choose the files or folders.
   • To select more than one, hold Shift and click.
4. Right-click your files or folders.
5. Click Available offline .
   • When you save a file offline, a green check displays next to it.

With streaming:

• Your files are in the cloud. Hard drive space is only used when you open files or make them available offline, or for recently and frequently used files.
• You can only access files that aren't available offline when you’re connected to the internet.
• You can only access files, including those available offline, when the app is running.

With mirroring:

• Your files are in the cloud and your computer, which takes up hard drive space.
• You can access your files at any time, even when you don’t have an internet connection or the Drive for desktop app is running.

If you mirror your files and folders, they are automatically available offline. If you stream files and folders, you can make specific items available offline. Learn more about what it means to mirror or stream your files.