How to Use Google Drive Offline

This guide will show you how to utilize Google Drive offline on a Windows PC. It contains instructions for viewing your Google Drive files when offline on Android and iOS devices.

How to Use Google Drive Offline on a Windows Computer

You may access your Google Drive offline on your PC, Mac, or mobile device even if you don’t have an internet connection. When you edit Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides offline, the adjustments are automatically applied the next time your device connects to the internet.

Setting up Google Drive for offline use necessitates an internet connection and the absence of Chrome in incognito mode.

To enable offline access on a Windows PC, follow these steps:

1. Open Google chrome browser.

2. Download and install the Google Docs offline Chrome extension in the Chrome Web Store.

3. Log in to your Google account if you’re not already signed in.

4. From your My Drive page, select the gear icon in the upper-right corner to open the Settings menu.

5. Select General from the panel on the left, then check the box beside Sync Google Docs, Sheets, Slides & Drawings files to this computer so that you can edit offline.

6. Select Done. Now you can continue working on Google Docs, Google Sheets, or Google Slides files within the Chrome browser when offline. Any changes you make will be cached locally, and the online version will be updated the next time you connect to the internet.

7. Download and install the free personal version of Backup and Sync for Google Drive.

8. Open Backup and Sync and sign in to your Google Account.

9. If you wish, you can now save files on your computer directly to Google Drive. If you don’t want to do that, deselect the boxes beside each folder and select Next.

10. Select the box beside Sync My Drive to this computer, then select Start.

11. After a few minutes, your Google Drive files will be downloaded to a folder named Google Drive, and any future files you add to Google Drive will be automatically downloaded to your computer.

Access Google Drive Offline on Android and iOS

Although Chrome extensions are not supported on mobile devices, Google provides separate iOS and Android applications for Google Drive, Docs, Slides, and Sheets that allow you to edit files offline. Some of these applications come pre-installed on Android phones and tablets, while iOS users must download them from the Apple App Store. To access your Google Drive files on a mobile device without Wi-Fi, follow these steps:

1.While connected to the internet, open the Google Drive app.

2.Tap the three vertical dots next to the name of the file you wish to edit offline.

3.Tap Available offline on the menu that appears to enable offline editing.

4. Tap the hamburger icon in the top-left corner to reveal a menu, then tap Offline to see files you’ve made available offline. If you’re presently connected to the internet, any files you’ve made available offline on other devices will be cached locally.

5.You can make any files you’ve worked on recently automatically available offline within the Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides apps. Just tap the hamburger menu in the top-left corner of the app window, then Settings > Make recent files available offline.