Introduction to Google Drive - Wheaton Public Library

Introduction to Google Drive

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive provides a location to store your files. It is not tied to any one device or machine. Rather it is
accessible from anywhere, including your home computer, mobile device, or a public machine at a school
or library. This type of storage is also called Cloud Storage.

Features of Google Drive

● 15 gigabytes of free storage. Additional storage is available for a fee.
● Upload and/or Download capabilities
● Free desktop publishing software that is available through your Google Drive account.
○ Google Docs ~ Microsoft Word
○ Google Sheets ~ Microsoft Excel
○ Google Slides ~ Microsoft PowerPoint
● File sharing - allows other Drive users to view and/or edit files, simultaneously if need be.

How Do I Access Google Drive?

● If you have a Gmail account, first go to Google.com, click the Gmail link on the top, right corner of the page,
and then log-in with your username and password.

● Click the Waffle icon on the top right corner of the page

● Click the Drive icon

Can I Use Google Drive without a Gmail Account?

● You can associate any email address with a Google account
● Go to https://accounts.google.com/signupwithoutgmail
● Fill out the form using your preferred address (yahoo, comcast, etc.)
● Enter the rest of the form information as requested
● Agree to Google’s terms

Screen Layout - Left Menu

● My Drive - displays the contents of your Google Drive, anything that you have
created or uploaded
● Shared with me - Files that you did not personally create, but that you have
access to, are stored here. Drive users can share files, giving access to documents,
spreadsheets, photos, PDFs, etc. without sending them as an attachment.
● Recent - this varies with frequency of use, but files that you have accessed within
the last day, week, or month will show up in this folder.
● Starred - similar to flagging an item, or adding it to Favorites, clicking the star
makes it easier to find a file later.
● Trash - move files you no longer need to the trash. Remember to empty the trash
to completely delete the file.
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 Introduction to Google Drive - Wheaton Public Library

Screen Layout - Center

1. My Drive Toolbar
○ Displays the section of Google drive you are currently viewing (e.g. Recent, Photos, etc.)
2. Quick Access
○ Displays files either used recently or very frequently.
3. File List - displays all files stored in Google Drive
○ The headings displayed at the top of the FIle List (Name, Owner, Last Modified, and File Size) are all
categories that allow sorting. Click on a heading to sort by that particular category.

○ Folder icon - double click on this icon to view files stored in the folder

○ Google Docs icon

○ Google Sheets icon

○ Google Slides icon

○ PDF (Portable Document File) icon

4. Toolbar
○ Toggle between List View and Grid View

○ Activates or Deactivates the Details and Activity portion of the screen.

○ Settings - adjust your storage capacity, screen density, and app defaults

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5. My Drive Details/Activity
○ Activity - Click once on a file name or file folder. The Activity section of the page displays times and
dates that you or other users have created a file, edited a file, or deleted a file.
○ Details - Provides specific information about one individual file:
■ Shared/Not Shared
■ Type of file (doc, sheet, slide, etc.)
■ Size
■ Location - useful if you have a highly detailed hierarchy of file folders
■ Owner
■ Modified/Opened/Created dates
■ Description - add your own description of the file contents.

The New Button

Create New Files and Folders in Google Drive

● Folder - create new Folders to help organize your files

● File Upload - move files from your PC to the drive
● Folder Upload - move multiple files simultaneously. NOTE: this is more time consuming
● Google Docs - Word processing
● Google Sheets - Spreadsheet
● Google Slides - Presentations
● More
○ Google Forms
○ Google Drawings
○ Google My Maps
○ Google Sites
● My Drive - this is a heading. Changes depending on which navigation you’re using.

Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides

● All Google software is browser based. It is only accessible on the web.
● Google software uses a Menu Layout, not the Tab and Ribbon system that Office uses. The menus and
buttons are static, and do not change.
● You can edit Google Docs files in Microsoft Word and vice versa. However, the formatting will not always look
identical. Make sure you double-check the entire document.
● Add-ons: As a browser based tool, Google Drive provides easy access to additional features, such as
formatting tools, advanced chart tools, mail merge contacts, etc.

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 Introduction to Google Drive - Wheaton Public Library

Saving, Renaming and Making a Copy

● Saving
○ When you create a new file, the file is automatically saved in Google Drive, as soon as you type your
first character. There is no need to save your files.
○ Every change you make is saved automatically. If you need to double check, look next to the menu.
You’ll see “Saving”, followed by “All Changes Saved in Drive”.
● Renaming
○ A file created in Google Drive is given the name Untitled Doc, Spreadsheet, or Presentation. You
should rename your file for easier access later.

○ Click directly on Untitled document, found in the top

left corner. Type a more suitable name. You may use capital letters, small letters, and punctuation.
● Make a Copy
○ If you are editing a previously created document, and you wish to save the original, the first thing
you should do is go to File → Make a Copy. This allows you a create a second file with a different
name, or
○ Leave the file name the same, but save it to a different folder.
○ This feature is similar to Save As in MIcrosoft Office.

The File Menu

● Move to - Moves to a different folder in your hierarchy.
● Move to Trash - moves to the Trash folder. You’ll need to empty the Trash to
really delete it.
● See Revision History - Google Drive creates Save points for all files. You can
revisit your changes, and roll back your document. This is particularly useful in
collaborative environments.
● Email Collaborators - If the file is shared, use this link to contact anyone who
has permissions to view the file
● Email as Attachment - when the file is sent as an attachment, it will be
converted to PDF, an Office extension (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx, etc.), rich text, plain
text or HTML.
● Download As - If you need to save the file as another format, such as Word,
or PDF.
○ When you download, the file is stored on the Hard Drive of your PC.
○ To store the new file on Google Drive, you must return to the main
screen of Google Drive, then click New → Upload File.
● Print - send to a local or network printer.

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Sharing Files
Give other users access to view and edit files. Also allows real time collaboration,
meaning multiple users can edit the file simultaneously.

● The Share button is found on virtually every page in Google

Drive. Look for one of the following icons:

● To share a file or folder, click once on the file name from the
Google Drive list screen. Use the Share with Others window to
type the contact information or email of the person with whom
you would like to share.
○ NOTE: People do not need to use a Gmail address, but their own email must be registered with Gmail
in order to view or edit Google Drive files.
● Use the Pencil pulldown to change permissions. Users can Organize, Add, View, or Edit the file. Then click
Done.

● To confirm that the file has been shared, look for this icon on the file list screen
● To Change or Remove Permissions
○ Click once on the file or folder, then click

the Share icon . You should see a list

of people with whom you have shared the
document. Click once on a name.
○ To change permissions, click the Pencil
○ To remove sharing permissions
completely, click the X.