Moving from Fill-in and Sync to Google Drive for desktop

Over the coming months Backup and Sync will prompt yous to move to the Bulldoze for desktop awarding. Learn more than nigh how Drive for desktop is different from Fill-in and Sync.

In order to move your account, you'll be directed to your browser to sign in with the business relationship you're using in Fill-in and Sync.

On the sign in screen, you'll see a prompt that says "Brand sure that you downloaded this app from Google". To make this transition easier, Fill-in and Sync will accept downloaded Drive for desktop for y'all, and then you can click Sign in to continue

Tip: If Fill-in and Sync doesn't automatically download Drive for desktop, yous tin can download it from here.

Sign in to your business relationship

Once you launch Drive for desktop, sign in to your account(southward) again. If you're using an account in both Backup and Sync and Bulldoze for desktop, you'll demand to sign into this account, or disconnect it, in order to sign into other accounts. If you are already using an account in Drive for Desktop or have already started moving an account, y'all may not need to sign in again.

Important: If you employ your account for work or school and your admin doesn't allow Drive for desktop, you may not be able to movement your business relationship.

Disconnecting accounts

If you don't want to move an account from Backup and Sync to Bulldoze for desktop you can choose to disconnect it. Any folders you lot were syncing to Google Drive or backing up to Google Photos volition remain on your computer and in the cloud, merely changes will no longer sync.

If you choose to reconnect the account after you move to Drive for desktop, y'all'll need to set up these folders over again, and some content may be uploaded over again.

Important: Disconnecting your account will remove it from Backup and Sync only. If the account is already in Drive for desktop, it won't be removed from that awarding.

Give access to folders (macOS only)

MacOS requires applications like Drive for desktop to ask for permission to access your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders, likewise every bit external drives, network volumes, and photo libraries. To continue syncing to Google Bulldoze or backing upwardly to Google Photos, you lot'll need to provide access.

If you want to provide admission later clicking "Deny", yous may need to restart your computer in order for the changes to take event.

Yous can manage these permissions in System Preferences Chevron Security & Privacy Chevron Privacy.

Connect removable devices

If you're syncing folders stored on removable devices (e.one thousand., external drives, network attached storage, etc.), yous'll need to connect these devices in order to move these folders to Drive for desktop.

If a device is not connected while moving your account, the folders stored on these devices will terminate syncing, and they won't be moved to Bulldoze for desktop. USB devices will need to be fix again in Bulldoze for desktop.

Important: Keep your devices continued while moving your accounts.

Check folders for files that need to sync

During the setup process, Bulldoze for desktop volition cheque your computer and the cloud for files that need to sync. Syncing is the procedure of downloading files from the cloud and uploading files from your calculator's hard bulldoze, to make sure the content on your reckoner matches the content in the cloud.

To utilise Bulldoze for desktop, any folders going to Drive must be fully synced.

Storage needed to sync files

Syncing will use boosted Google account storage to upload files, and storage on your reckoner to download files. If you run out of storage, your account(s) will still be moved to Bulldoze for desktop but syncing will exist paused until infinite is available. Learn more virtually managing your Google account storage.

To reduce the amount of Google account storage needed to upload files you can:

  • Move files that need to sync to a folder on your computer that isn't syncing with Google Bulldoze or backing upward to Google Photos
  • Choose to back up a folder containing mostly photos and videos to Google Photos only

To reduce the amount of storage on your computer needed to download files you tin:

  • Move files that demand to sync to a binder in Drive that isn't syncing with your computer
  • Switch to streaming My Bulldoze

If you don't want to upload or download files that demand to sync, y'all can disconnect the folder. Your existing files volition remain on your estimator and in the cloud.

Choose settings for My Drive

My Drive tin exist "streamed" or "mirrored". Both streaming and mirroring enable you to access your Google Bulldoze files directly from your calculator.  In that location are differences in where these files are located, when files can exist accessed, how much storage is used, and how files are made available offline.

Streaming Mirroring
Where files are located Files are located on a virtual drive* on your computer Files are located in a folder on your computer
When files can be accessed Y'all can only admission files when the Drive for desktop application is running You lot can access the files someday, fifty-fifty when the Drive for desktop application isn't running
How much storage is used Storage is used for files you open or make bachelor offline Storage is used to store all My Drive files on your calculator
Offline availability You lot can select specific files and folders to exist bachelor offline by correct-clicking on the item and selecting "Available offline" All your My Drive files are automatically bachelor offline

* A virtual drive is a file system that appears on your computer. A virtual bulldoze is accessible the same way USB sticks or external hard drives are accessible, through a drive letter (e.g. 1000:\) in Explorer on Windows or under Locations in Finder on macOS.

The virtual drive will nowadays yous with the file structure and the names of files in your Google Drive.

Tip: To salvage storage on your computer, choose streaming. You lot'll only use storage for the files you utilise, or select to be bachelor offline.

Cull settings for folders from your estimator

With Drive for desktop, you can choose to sync folders with Google Bulldoze, back upwards to Google Photos, or both.

Sync a folder to Google Drive

When you sync a folder to Google Bulldoze, everything, including all file types, in the binder will be uploaded. If you add, edit, motility, or delete files, those changes volition occur on your reckoner and in Google Drive. This makes sure that your content stays up to date.

You'll be able to access your files from whatsoever device at drive.google.com or via the Google Drive app.

Changes to syncing with Google Bulldoze

  • Photos and videos can only exist uploaded in original quality in Google Bulldoze

Tip: To back upwards photos and videos in storage saver quality, choose to support your folder to Google Photos.

  • If yous delete a file, the file will be deleted from your computer and in Google Drive.

Back upwardly a folder to Google Photos

When you back up a binder to Google Photos, but photos and videos will be uploaded. After you upload a file, if you make any changes to it on your computer, it will be uploaded over again as a new file to Google Photos.

Changes fabricated to files in Google Photos will not exist reflected on your computer. Whatsoever files deleted on your computer will not be deleted in Google Photos. Additionally, files deleted in the cloud will not be re-uploaded.

You'll be able to view your photos and videos from whatever device at photos.google.com or via the Google Photos app.

Changes to backing upward to Google Photos

  • All supported photo and video file types volition be uploaded to Google Photos

Tip: If you don't want to upload screenshots and/or RAW photos to Google Photos, you can alter your preferences in Drive for desktop.

  • Folders can be backed up straight to Google Photos

Tip: In Fill-in and Sync, to dorsum upward a folder to Google Photos you also had to dorsum it upward to Google Drive. In Drive for desktop, yous can back up folders to Google Photos only.

Sync to Google Drive and support to Google Photos

If you choose to sync a binder with Google Drive and dorsum it upwards to Google Photos, all files will be uploaded to Google Drive and photos and videos volition likewise be uploaded to Google Photos. This means that photos and videos volition exist uploaded to both Google Drive and Google Photos, which will use more Google business relationship storage and network bandwidth.

Photos and videos can exist uploaded in Storage saver quality or Original quality to Google Photos, but will always exist uploaded in Original quality to Google Drive.

Tip: If a binder primarily contains photos and videos, dorsum upwardly only to Google Photos to save Google business relationship storage.

Disconnecting a folder

To disconnect a folder while moving an account to Drive for desktop, deselect Google Bulldoze and Google Photos. If you desire to disconnect a folder after moving your account, go to Preferences, click on the binder yous want to disconnect, deselect Google Drive and Google Photos, and then click Salvage.  Files that have already been synced or backed up volition remain in the deject and on your computer, only new changes will not be synced.

Tip: Disconnecting a folder volition not reduce the corporeality of storage used on your computer or in your Google account. To clean up space see managing your storage.

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