Backup and Sync Back up all of your content to the cloud – easily access your files in Google Drive and your photos in Google Photos. Prevent Google Backup and Sync to Start with Windows. Click at 'Google Backup and Sync' icon on the taskbar and click Preferences from the menu. At Settings section, uncheck the Open Backup and Sync on system startup checkbox and click OK. Start Google Backup Sync using Task Scheduler. Open task scheduler and create a new task.
© tommaso79/Getty Images To sync files automatically, add the Google Drive app to your desktop. tommaso79/Getty Images- You can add Google Drive to your desktop on a PC in addition to using it on a web browser.
- Adding the Google Drive app to your desktop will enable you to sync your documents and files from your computer to Google Drive.
Google Drive is popular for its free programs, ease of access, and compatibility with Gmail and other Google products.
You can download Google Drive to your PC desktop as well, enabling your computer to sync your files with Google Drive automatically.
Here's how to add Google Drive to your desktop using a PC.
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How to add Google Drive to your PC desktop
1. If you are logged in to your Google account on an internet browser, you must log out temporarily to install Google on your desktop.
2. Once you have logged out, go to drive.google.com and scroll down to the bottom of the webpage. Under the 'Downloads' column, click on 'Drive for Mac/PC.'
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider In 'Downloads,' select 'Drive for Mac/PC.' Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider3. A new tab will open. Next to the 'For Individuals' banner, click on 'Download.'
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider In 'For Individuals,' select 'Download.' Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider4. A pop-up window will appear. Click the 'Agree and Download' button.
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider Select 'Agree and Download.' Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider5. A program called 'installbackupandsync.exe' will begin downloading in your internet browser.
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider 'Backup and Sync' will download. Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider6. Click on the program, and it should begin installing once it has finished downloading.
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider It will then install. Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider7. Once the installation is complete, click 'Close' to exit the pop-up window.
8. Google Drive should now appear on your desktop. Look for a window called 'Welcome to Backup and Sync' and click on the 'Get Started' button.
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider Click 'Get Started.' Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider9. Type in your Gmail address, click 'Next,' and then type in your Gmail password. Click 'Next' when you are finished.
10. Set your laptop's preferences for upload quality and file size. When you are finished, click 'Next.'
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider To sync files automatically, add the Google Drive app to your desktop. tommaso79/Getty Images11. Set your Google Drive syncing preferences. You can sync the entirety of your computer to Google Drive, or select specific folders to sync. Once you are finished, click 'Start.'
© Chrissy Montelli/Business Insider Choose which folders you'd like to sync. Chrissy Montelli/Business InsiderAfter Google Drive is downloaded to your desktop, you will also see shortcuts to Drive programs such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.
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Google’s Backup and Sync tool allows you to sync specific Folder on computer with Google Drive. You may want to use this option, in case you only want to back up specific Folders to Google Drive and not the entire desktop.
Sync Specific Folder On Computer With Google Drive
Force Sync Google Drive
By default, Google’s Backup and Sync tool syncs your entire Desktop, Documents and Pictures Folders to Google Drive.
However, in case you do not like your entire Desktop syncing to Google Drive, it is possible to setup Google’s Backup and Sync tool to sync only a specific folder on your computer with Google Drive.
Once any Folder on your computer is synced with Google Drive, any files that you add to the Synced Folder will be copied to your Google Drive account as a backup.
Any changes that you make to Synced Folder (Add, Delete or Modify Files) will get automatically synced with the back of the Folder on Google Drive.
How to Sync Specific Folder on Computer With Google Drive
The first step is to download Backup and Sync tool as available on Google Drive for both Mac and Windows PC.
Once “Backup and Sync” is downloaded to your computer, launch the tool by clicking on it and it will take you to an information screen. Click on Get Started to start the process of setting up a specific folder on your computer to backup and sync to Google Drive.
On the next screen, Login to your Gmail Account by entering your Gmail User Name and Password. Once you are logged in, you will see an information screen, click on Got it to move to the next step.
On the next screen, you can uncheck Desktop and also uncheck Documents and Pictures, in case you do not want Pictures and Documents on your computer to be syncing with Google Drive.
After unchecking Desktop and other Folders, click on Choose Folder Link and on the next screen click on the Specific Folder on your computer that you want to Sync with Google Drive.
Once the Folder is selected, you can select Photo and Video upload size to Google Drive (see explanation below) and click on the Next button.
If you choose High Quality, Google will convert uploaded Photos to 16 MP size and in-turn provide you with unlimited Free storage for these photos on Google Drive.
If you choose Original Quality, Photos will be uploaded to Google Drive in the same format as shot by your Camera, but the uploads will count towards your allowed Google Drive storage limit.
On the next screen, uncheck Sync My Drive to this computer option and click on the Start button.
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Now, only the Specific Folder that you had selected in above steps will get Synced with your Google Drive Account.
As mentioned above, all the Files that you Add to this specific Folder on your computer will also be available on Google Drive as a backup copy.
Any changes made to the Synced Folder (Add, Delete or Modify Files) will get automatically synced to the backup on Google Drive.
You can take a look at the Google Drive backup of the specific Folder at any time by clicking on the Cloud Icon located in the taskbar and then clicking on the Google Drive icon.
To see the backup, expand the Computer section and click on your computer name.
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In case you have more than one computer, you can provide a unique name to each of your computers by renaming them (See image above).