Administrator Updated on October 25, 2022 Do you ever wonder why Google Drive isn't showing up in Windows File Explorer? It's because Google Drive is pinned to the taskbar and Windows only reads file systems when it is not open in any application window. However, there are ways to get Google drive to show up in Windows File Explorer without having to un-pin the drive from the taskbar.
Google Drive is one of the top file storage and synchronization service offered by Google itself. You can use Google Drive as storage for your files, and the files will then be saved on Google's servers. You can also sync the files so that any device connected with your Google account can view or download these files anytime and anywhere.
To open Google Drive on a PC, you usually have to open a browser and go to Google Drive's website. Whether you want to download, upload, modify, or even delete some files, you can all do these things on the Google Drive site.
There is something about accessing Google Drive using a web browser, though. It is a little tedious and a waste of time. You can put a folder on your computer that will let you access all of Google Drive's services. The step-by-step guide will teach you how to do just that.
Setting Up Your Google Drive on Your PC
Check out the following steps to learn more about setting up your Google Drive, so it shows up on your PC.
- You can use any browser, but Google Chrome is highly recommended since we will be using Google Drive.
- On the address bar, type in drive.google.com and then press Enter.
- Once you are on the Google Drive website, you need to click on the gear icon located on the top right corner of the website.
- Three options will drop down, and you will need to click Get Backup and Sync for Windows.
- You will then be prompted to another page, under For Individuals, click on Download. This should then download an installer for your Google Drive. You can find the installer usually on the default download destination. It is also named installbackupandsync.
- Open that installer, and a window should pop out that will download the necessary files for Google Drive. Just wait for the download to finish, and it should install itself automatically. Click Finish to close the installer window, and a new window should appear. Also, three new icons should show up on the website. They are as follows: Google Docs, Google Sheets, and lastly, Google Slides.
- Click on Get Started.
- Sign-in to your Gmail account, and a window should pop up. Just click Got it.
- Click on Next and then click on Start.
Once you have followed all of the steps mentioned above, a new folder named Google Drive will automatically be created on the Desktop. If you open the folder, you will some of the files on your Google Drive account.
Green checkmarks should appear on the files or folders that have been appropriately synced. You can also check on the bottom right corner of your computer. A new icon should appear in the notification area. This icon will be about your files' status, on whether or not it has already been synched.
Take note, though, that some of the wordings could change due to Google's updates. Just try to look for words that best match what is written on this guide.
Summary: Get Google Drive to Show up in Windows File System
- Create a Google Drive Directory on Your Local File System.
- Update the Windows Registry to Include that Directory as a Folder Location in the Explorer Navigation Pane.
- Set the Registry Key Value to your Google Drive Directory Path.
- Test It Out!
Conclusion
The initial setup for a Google Drive folder for your Windows file system may seem a little tedious and challenging if you are not familiar with installations. Still, it is all worth it once the setup is complete.
With Google Drive available on your computer, you don't have to open any browser anymore and go to Google Drive's website. You can now drag and drop files and folders that you want to upload to Google Drive.
