Drive File Stream

Drive File Stream

Learn about Drive File Stream

What is Drive File Stream?
If you want to work on files from your desktop, install Drive File Stream. All your Drive files appear and can be streamed on demand, so they don’t take up all your storage space on your computer.

Who will have access to download Drive File Stream?
Drive File Stream will be available to faculty, staff and students.

How do I install it? 
Open the Drive App and click on Settings. You will see "Download Drive Files for Windows" (or MAC). Click on the link and you'll be taken to the Google support page on Drive File Stream. Download links are available on that page.   You can also visit: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/7329379

How does Drive File Stream show up on my computer? 
When you install Drive File Stream on your computer, it creates a drive in Microsoft® Windows® Explorer or a device in Apple® Mac® Finder® named Google Drive. All your Drive files appear here.

Can I add/move files in Drive File Stream on my computer? 
Adding/dragging files to a folder in Drive File Stream automatically uploads them to Drive on the web (though it might take a moment for files to sync).

What happens when I’m offline?
If your internet connection breaks or you need to go offline in the middle of a sync, Drive File Stream picks up where it left off when you’re back online.

Can I access files offline? 
Yes, you can right click at the folder level in Drive File Stream and select the folder for offline access. Note: Offline access means a local version is stored taking up space on your hard drive.

What happens if I uninstall Drive File Stream? 
If you decide later to uninstall Drive File Stream, your Drive files won’t be affected. They can still be accessed from Drive on the web.

Want to learn more? Visit the G Suite Learning Center - What can you do with Drive?