#What is google drive features how to
#What is google drive features free

But with time, and with the right know-how, it can become an indispensable productivity tool for anyone, from students to business professionals. Here's a small sample:Īt its essence, Google Drive is a powerful cloud storage solution. In addition to add-ons, Drive is built to work seamlessly with hundreds of third-party applications that would allow split and merge PDFs, digitally sign documents, create diagrams, and more - all from within Drive.įor the productivity obsessed, you can also link Drive to a number of productivity tools for a more seamless workflow. Visit the Chrome webstore to see what's available. To explore add-ons, just open or create any file, then navigate to 'Add-ons' in the toolbar at the top of your screen. There are many helpful add-ons to help you do more with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. Google's suite of office programs are superb on their own, but you can make them more suitable to your needs with add-ons. Add-onsĪdd-ons allow you to do more with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms. While most users will be happy using these apps, Drive also supports and integrates with other Google services such as Google Jamboard. We already covered Drive's core office suite - Docs, Sheets, and Slides - which can be understood as replacements for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. When it comes to how Google Drive works with apps and other Google services, there's a lot to explore. For example, if you have a Microsoft Word document, you'll be able to convert it to a Google Doc document.

To convert a file to Google Drive format, simply right-click on the file, choose 'Open With,' and click the suggested app. Doing so will allow you to easily share the file with others and unlock tools so you can collaborate with others in real-time.įiles that can be converted to Google Drive format are: Google Drive supports many different file types, but if you plan on editing files in Google Drive, they will need to be converted to the Google Drive format.

It's easy to convert a file to Google Drive format for easy collaboration. Here is a breakdown of the most commonly used Google Drive applications: Not only do they let you create and edit documents, they're also equipped with intuitive tools that allow for real-time collaboration. Most users will gravitate to these programs, which include Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more. And one of Drive's best features is its integration with Google's office suite of cloud-native apps, which, if you have experience with Microsoft Office, will look familiar. To understand why Google Drive is so popular, it's important to note that it's built to work seamlessly with Google.

#What is google drive features free

Google Drive gives you the power to upload and save a range of file types - documents, photos, audio, and videos - to Google servers, or the 'cloud.' Drive can serve as a backup solution, or as a way to free up space on your device. Think of Google Drive as a latter-day hard drive.

#What is google drive features how to

So how to take advantage of all that space? Our guide covers all the basics, from how to use Google Drive to upload and access files on any device, to all the tools that make collaboration with others a breeze. If you have a Google account, you already have 15 GB of free storage on Google Drive. But when compared to competitors like DropBox and Apple's iCloud service, Google Drive's popularity is built on useful collaborative tools and built-in integrations with Google's suite of products and services. Using a cloud storage service like Google Drive has plenty of advantages, such as easier file sharing and having a remote location to backup your files.