Use Google Bulldoze for desktop

Drive File Stream is now called Google Bulldoze for desktop. We're unifying our sync clients to bring features from Backup and Sync to Google Drive for desktop and create a amend user feel. For a list of features, learn more about the alter to Bulldoze for desktop.

What it ways to sync files and how it works

Yous tin use Drive for desktop to keep your files in sync between the deject and your estimator. Syncing is the process of downloading files from the cloud and uploading files from your computer's difficult drive. Later syncing, the files on your computer match the files in the cloud. If y'all edit, delete, or move a file in one location, the aforementioned change happens in the other location. That style, your files are always up to date and tin be accessed from any device.

In Drive for desktop, y'all can choose to stream or mirror My Drive files. Your files are found in different places on your computer based on whether you cull to mirror or stream them.

What it means to mirror or stream your files

With Bulldoze for desktop, you can access files stored in Google Bulldoze from your computer.  Whatsoever changes you make to your files will exist synced. All files in shared drives, USBs, and other computers volition be streamed from the deject to your computer. Yous tin can choose to mirror or stream your My Drive files.

When yous mirror files, all of your My Drive files are stored in the deject and on your computer, which takes upwards hard drive infinite. All of your files will exist accessible at any time, fifty-fifty when you don't have an internet connection or the Drive for desktop  app running. Files can be accessed through a folder on your computer.

When yous stream files, your My Drive files are stored in the cloud. Difficult bulldoze infinite is only used when you lot open up files and make them available offline. Files that are not bachelor offline tin can only be accessed when yous're continued to the internet. All files, including those available offline, can be accessed only when the app is running. Files can be accessed through a mounted drive on your computer.

Important: These options don't employ to whatsoever folders on your computer that you lot sync with Google Drive. Folders on your computer sync to the Computers tab in Google Drive.

Switch from mirroring to streaming

When you switch from mirroring My Drive files to streaming My Bulldoze files, the location of your files on your computer changes. With streaming, you can access files via a virtual drive on your computer. The folder where you mirrored My Drive files will remain on your computer only is no longer syncing, and therefore can be removed to avoid losing any changes.

On Windows, you demand to quit Drive for desktop before removing the binder from your reckoner.

Important: In order to stream files from Google Drive to your computer, Drive for desktop uses a virtual drive. The size of this virtual bulldoze depends on the space available on your reckoner.

Options for folders on your computer

Y'all tin can sync a folder with Google Bulldoze or dorsum information technology upwards to Google Photos.

  • If you sync with Google Drive: Everything in the binder will exist uploaded. All changes will exist synced between your computer and Google Drive. You lot can admission all your files from whatever device at drive.google.com or via the Google Drive app.
  • If you support to Google Photos: Only photos and videos volition be uploaded. Changes will not be synced between your estimator and Google Photos. You tin can view your photos and videos from any device at photos.google.com or via the Google Photos app.

Important: If you are storing photos and videos, we recommend only bankroll upward to Google Photos. If you choose to shop your files in both places, photos and videos in the folder get uploaded twice, which uses more of your Google account storage.

Give MacOS permission

MacOS requires applications like Drive for desktop to ask for permission to access certain folders and devices including your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders, removable and network volumes, and your Photos library.

Drive for desktop volition just ask to admission folders or devices you choose to sync with Google Drive, support to Google Photos, or both. Drive for desktop will as well inquire for access if you cull to use the Existent Time Presence feature or a Bluetooth primal to sign in.

If you deny access, just want to go on syncing a folder or device, become to System Preferences and change your privacy settings. You lot might need to restart Bulldoze for desktop for changes to have event.

Troubleshoot errors

In Drive for desktop, you lot might meet a "Some errors occurred" imprint under "Activity." You tin can view the listing of errors by clicking the link in the banner or past clicking Settings and thenError list.

Stream with FileProvider

FileProvider is a way that Drive for desktop streams files from the deject to your computer. FileProvider chooses the location on your calculator to stream files. This location tin't be inverse.

Sync with the Computers tab in Google Drive

If you sync folders on your figurer with Google Drive, those folders will announced in Google Drive under "Computers" on the left of Drive for web and on the Drive mobile app. If you add, edit, motion, or delete items from these folders on spider web or mobile, those changes volition besides be made on your computer.

Change the location of your local cache directory

When streaming files from Google Bulldoze to your figurer, a local cache directory is created.

  • The directory stores information about files you lot open up and make bachelor offline.
  • The enshroud allows Drive for desktop to open your files faster.
  • If your cache directory path is unavailable, you can't utilise Bulldoze for desktop.

To modify the location of your local enshroud directory:

  1. Open Drive for desktop.
  2. Click Settings Settingsand thenPreferences.
  3. Click Settings Settings.
  4. Detect "Local cache files directory" and click Modify.
  5. Select a new enshroud location.
  6. Click Change.

Removable devices

You can backup folders stored on removable devices, like an external hard drive.

A removable device can take more than one folder. During migration, you'll need to connect removable devices to go on syncing or bankroll upwardly those folders. These devices should remain connected throughout migration.

Of import: USB devices won't be migrated.

Backup folders to Google Photos

If your folders contain more than 95% photos and videos, yous tin can choose to backup your files to Google Photos only.

  • If y'all were previously syncing with Bulldoze and backing upwards to Photos, you tin save storage past uploading photos and videos to only 1 location.
  • If you were previously syncing only with Bulldoze, you'll nonetheless salvage storage because merely photos and videos will be uploaded. If syncing with Drive, everything, including thumbnails and metadata, volition exist synced.
  • If you were previously syncing with Drive, your files will remain in Drive.

Important: USB devices won't exist migrated.

What happens if y'all stop syncing a folder

If you end syncing a binder, whatever new or edited files won't be synced between your computer and the cloud. This means that if you added new files or modified existing files, those changes won't be uploaded to the cloud.

If you want to upload everything, continue syncing the folder.

Bulldoze for desktop tabs

At that place are three principal storage locations inside Google Drive: My Drive, Shared drives, and Computers. These locations are shown as tabs in Drive.

Folders on your computer that sync with Drive can be found in the "Computers" tab. The Computers tab groups folders past computer, so you might find previously synced computers.

Folders in the "My Drive" tab can stream or mirror to your estimator. You can admission these folders through the virtual drive on your computer.

Apple tree Photos System Photos Library

You tin can simply dorsum upwardly your System Photos Library to Google Photos. Other Apple tree Photo Libraries can exist synced with Drive. If you choose to sync an Apple tree Photos Library with Drive, everything in the library will sync, including thumbnails and other metadata. When moving your account, Drive for desktop might not know the total size of your iCloud.

Your System Photograph Library is the only library that can exist used with iCloud Photos, Shared Albums, and My Photo Stream. If you have only one photo library, so it's the Arrangement Photo Library. Otherwise, the first photo library that you create or open in Photos will get the System Photo Library. If you lot're currently using MacOS Catalina or afterwards, hard drive space will be temporarily used to download photos and videos from your iCloud and upload them to Google Photos.

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