No affiliate links or sponsorship. Requirements, steps, and settings come from Google’s official Drive Help Center, checked October 19, 2026. We didn’t take screenshots or run hands-on tests; menu names can change between app versions.
Quick answer
Google Drive for desktop is Google’s sync app for Windows and macOS that shows your Drive as a drive or folder on your computer. Streaming (the default) keeps files in the cloud and uses little disk space; mirroring keeps a full copy of My Drive on your computer so everything works offline. Install it, sign in with up to 4 accounts, and pick a mode in Preferences (Google Drive Help, October 19, 2026).
Key takeaways
- Requirements: 64-bit Windows 10 or later (ARM64 needs Windows 11), Windows Server 2016 or later, or macOS Ventura 13.0 or later. There’s no Linux app.
- Stream vs mirror: stream to save disk space; mirror if you need every file offline or use heavy apps like video editors.
- Shared drives can only be streamed; folders you sync from your computer can only be mirrored.
- Photos backup moved: Google’s help page set August 10, 2026 as the date Drive for desktop stops supporting Google Photos backup; set up backup in Google Photos instead.
- Storage is separate: streamed files still count toward your Google storage; mirroring uses disk space but doesn’t change your Google limit.
In this guide
- What does Google Drive for desktop do?
- System requirements
- How to install Google Drive for desktop
- Stream vs mirror: which should you choose?
- How to switch between streaming and mirroring
- How to use files offline
- Can Drive for desktop back up folders and photos?
- Useful settings
- Troubleshooting
- FAQ
- Sources
What does Google Drive for desktop do?
It puts your Google Drive in File Explorer or Finder and keeps changes in sync both ways. According to Google, you can open Drive files like any other drive, edits sync automatically, you can work on files offline (including files from shared drives), and you can work on Microsoft Office files with Drive (Google Drive Help). Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files open in your browser; other files open in their usual desktop app. For a primer on the service itself, read What is Google Drive?.
System requirements
You need 64-bit Windows 10 or later or macOS Ventura 13.0 or later.
| Platform | Supported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 64-bit Windows 10 and up; Windows Server 2016 and up; ARM64 on Windows 11 and up | Needs Microsoft WebView2; the installer adds it if it’s missing |
| macOS | macOS Ventura 13.0 or higher | You’ll grant permissions in System Settings › Privacy & Security |
| Linux | Not available | Use Google Drive on the web |
| Not supported | 32-bit Windows; beta operating systems | Real-time Microsoft Office editing needs Office 2010 or later |
Work or school account? Your organization may block Drive for desktop or need to install it for you (Google Drive Help).
How to install Google Drive for desktop
Download the installer from Google’s help page, run it, and sign in.
On Windows
- Download the Windows installer from the Use Google Drive for desktop page.
- Open GoogleDriveSetup.exe and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Find the app in the system tray at the bottom right (click the arrow to show hidden icons). You can pin Google Drive to Start or the taskbar.
On a Mac
- Download the Mac installer from the same Google page.
- Open GoogleDrive.dmg and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Find the app in the menu bar at the top right. Drag Google Drive from Applications to your Dock if you want it there.
Sign in and add accounts
- Open Google Drive for desktop and click Get started, then Sign in.
- Sign in to the Google Account you want to use in your browser.
- Add more accounts (optional): open the app menu, click your profile picture, then + Add account. You can use up to 4 accounts at once.
Steps from Google Drive Help, checked October 19, 2026. If you disconnect a streaming account, its offline files are removed.
Stream vs mirror: which should you choose?
Choose streaming if you have a reliable connection and limited disk space; choose mirroring if you need every file offline or edit large media. Streaming is the default.
| Streaming (default) | Mirroring | |
|---|---|---|
| Where files live | In the cloud; local space only for files you open or make available offline | In the cloud and as a full copy on your computer |
| Disk space | Minimal | Significant: a full copy of My Drive |
| Offline access | Only files or folders you mark Available offline | All files, by default |
| When the app isn’t running | Files generally aren’t accessible | Files work like normal local files |
| Google storage | Files you own still count toward it | Uses disk space; doesn’t change your Google limit |
| Best for | Laptops with small drives, everyday documents | Video editing, high-resolution photo editing, heavy write workloads |
| Applies to | My Drive; shared drives, other computers, and backed-up USB devices can only be streamed | My Drive; local folders can only be mirrored |
Google notes that unsynced changes in streaming mode sit in a local cache and can be lost if the cache is cleared or corrupted, while mirrored files stay on your computer even if the app crashes (Google Drive Help). Microsoft’s OneDrive has a similar idea called Files On-Demand; see What is OneDrive?.
How to switch between streaming and mirroring
Open Preferences, go to the Google Drive (Folders from Drive) section, and pick Stream files or Mirror files under “My Drive syncing options”.
- Let everything finish syncing before you change modes.
- Open Drive for desktop and click Settings, then Preferences.
- On the left, open the Drive section (labeled Folders from Drive or Google Drive, depending on version).
- Under “My Drive syncing options”, select Stream files or Mirror files.
- Close Drive for desktop, as Google’s steps say.
- Mirror to stream only: once you’ve confirmed everything is in the cloud, delete the old mirrored folder. On Windows, quit Drive for desktop before removing it.
Avoid data loss
If you delete the old mirrored folder before all changes have uploaded, those unsynced files are lost. Google calls this out as the critical step when moving from Mirror to Stream (Google Drive Help). When switching from streaming to mirroring, files download to the folder you choose; if a local file differs from the cloud copy, Drive keeps both (Google Drive Help).
How to use files offline
In streaming mode, right-click a file or folder and choose Offline access, then Available offline. In mirroring mode everything is already offline, so the option doesn’t appear. To use Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides offline, turn on offline access in Drive on the web too. In streaming mode the app must be running and your account connected to open offline files, except on macOS with File Provider, where Google says offline files open even when the app isn’t (Google Drive Help).
Can Drive for desktop back up folders and photos?
It can sync folders from your computer to Drive, but Google Photos backup has moved out of the app. You can add local folders to sync with Google Drive; these use mirroring (Google Drive Help). Google says new Photos backup folders could no longer be set up in Drive for desktop from June 15, 2026, and set August 10, 2026 as the end of Google Photos backup support in Drive for desktop; items already backed up stay in Google Photos (Google Drive Help).
Good to know
Syncing isn’t the same as a backup: if you delete or corrupt a synced file on your computer, the change syncs to Drive too. Keep an independent backup of important work. Our cloud storage guide explains the 3-2-1 approach.
Useful settings
Open the app menu, then Settings, Preferences, and Advanced settings. From there, Google lists these options (Google Drive Help):
- Drive letter (Windows): change the letter of the Google Drive virtual drive, such as G.
- Bandwidth limits: cap download and upload rates in KB/s.
- Proxy: auto-detect or direct connection.
- Search hotkey: set a custom shortcut for the Drive search window; the default on Windows is Ctrl + Alt + G (Google Drive Help).
- Real-time presence for Microsoft Office: see when others are editing a shared Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file (Office 2010 or later).
Troubleshooting
Why does my computer show different free space than my Google storage?
They measure different things. The space tracker in Drive for desktop shows space left on your computer, not your Google storage. Streamed files use almost no disk space but count toward Google storage if you own them, while mirrored shared files fill your disk but don’t use your Google storage. Deleted files can take 48 to 72 hours to update your cloud total (Google Drive Help). Every Google Account includes up to 15 GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos (Google); if you’re out of room, see Google Drive storage full.
Why is “Available offline” missing?
It only appears in Stream files mode while the app is running; in Mirror files mode, everything is already on your computer (Google Drive Help).
Why can’t I move the cache to an external drive on a Mac?
On macOS 12.1 or later in streaming mode, Drive for desktop uses Apple’s File Provider, and macOS manages where cached files are stored, so you can’t move the streaming cache to an external drive (Google Drive Help).
I get “too many open files” when making files offline
Make smaller batches available offline at a time, and check your disk space, connection, and permissions (Google Drive Help).
FAQ
Is Google Drive for desktop free?
Google offers the app as a download from its Drive Help Center and doesn’t list a separate fee for it. What you store in Drive counts toward your Google storage, and each Google Account includes up to 15 GB.
Should I stream or mirror Google Drive?
Stream if you want to save disk space and usually have internet access; it’s the default. Mirror if you need every file offline or work with large media files, since mirroring keeps a full copy of My Drive on your computer.
Does Google Drive for desktop work on Linux?
No. Google says the desktop app isn’t available for Linux; use Google Drive on the web instead.
How many accounts can I use in Google Drive for desktop?
Up to 4 Google Accounts at the same time. Add one from the app menu by clicking your profile picture, then + Add account.
Can Google Drive for desktop back up photos to Google Photos?
Not anymore. Google’s help page set August 10, 2026 as the date Drive for desktop stops supporting Google Photos backup. Set up backup folders in Google Photos instead; items already backed up remain.
Do streamed files take up space on my computer?
Very little. Streamed files stay in the cloud, and local space is used only for files you open, recently used files, or files you make available offline.
Sources
Google’s official help centers only. All checked October 19, 2026 (PKT).
Show all 6 sources
- Google Drive Help: Use Google Drive for desktop
- Google Drive Help: Stream and mirror files with Drive for desktop
- Google Drive Help: Manage Google Drive for desktop (advanced guide)
- Google Drive Help: System requirements (Drive for desktop compatibility)
- Google Drive Help: Computer storage vs Google storage in Drive for desktop
- Google One Help: How your Google storage works
Changelog
- October 19, 2026: First published. System requirements, install and sign-in steps, stream vs mirror, offline access, Photos backup change, and settings checked against Google Drive Help. No hands-on testing or screenshots.
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