download google drive2

Google Drive gives you 15 GB of FREE cloud data for storage or backup

includes 15GB of FREE or data . If you need more storage you can purchase from Google here. iCloud Drive gives 5GB Free storgae and more can be purchased also. But if you have an 365 Account you get 1TB (1,000 GB) for FREE if you have an Office 365 Personal, Office 365 Home or 365 Business.

However, if you wish to use Google Drive

First download and install Google Drive to your PC (or ) by searching on “Download google drive for PC” (or Mac)

download google drive3

Click on “Accept and Install” and the download should begin. In some browsers you may have to double click the downloaded file while in other browsers the installation will start immediately.

confirm install on IE

Confirm the installation and click “Close”

sign into google

Click on “Sign in Now”
sign in or sign up

You will now be prompted to sign-into an existing Google Account or Create a new One.

new google account
We chose to create a new account.

Once created or you sign into an existing account you are taken through the setup steps (Part 1)

start sync

google drive symbol
You will see the Google Drive symbol appear in the bottom right of your screen, every time it shimmers, it is syncing

drive menu

Click on the Google Drive symbol to see the status of the drive including how much storage space you have left

google-drive-in-explorer

In explorer or file finder you will now see an item called “Google Drive” …. try dragging some items from “My Documents” into Google Drive folder. You will see the Google drive symbol in bottom right corner flash and say “Syncing 1 of x, 2 of x etc.. and finally Sync Complete. Click on the icon and show the google drive menu and click on “Visit Google Drive on the web”

download from drive

You will now see those same items in the cloud which are also in your Google Drive folder on your PC. Modify any item in the cloud or on your PC and it will automatically update in the other location.

To ensure all your current and future documents get saved and backed up to the google cloud do the following:

1) “Move” the entire contents of “My Documents” , “My Pictures” and anything else you wish to backup to the cloud… move them to the “Google Drive” folder. You may want to create new folders within the Google Drive folder.

2) Open the products you regularly use such as “Word” and and change the default file location to Google drive or one of the folders within Google Drive. Then in the future all new documents or spreadsheets will be automatically created in the Google Drive and synced to the cloud.

word file locs 1

word file locs 2
word file locs 3

If 15GB is not enough for your needs, you can purchase more.

https://drive.google.com/settings/storage

At the time of writing, purchases can be made for 100GB, 1TB, 2TB, 10TB, 20TB, 30TB of cloud storage starting at $2.49 per month.

Backing up your Phone or Tablet using Google Drive

You can also use your FREE or Paid Google Drive data allowance for backing up a or tablet.

Google Drive works completely cross-platform on Phones and Tablets, Apple phones and computer and Windows Computers.

:jk: