Google Drive allows you to store all sorts of files in one accessible place.
A basic, free account lets you store 15 GB in your Google Drive, while you can also get 100 GB of storage from Google for just $1.99 a month, and an astonishing 2 TB (terabytes) for $9.99 per month.
But there may be times when you want to get files out of Drive and onto your computer or mobile device — such as when you know you will lack internet access for a while.
You can download files and folders stored on Google Drive onto your computer or mobile device, and if you're planning to download lots of files from Drive, dropping them into a folder first can make the process faster.
Here's how to do it.
How to download a folder from Google Drive to your PC or Mac
Downloading a folder is the same process whether you're using a PC or Mac computer.
1. Open up Google Drive on your computer and sign into your Google account.
2. Scroll to the Folders section and find the folder you want to download.
Right-click on the folder, then select Download towards the bottom.
The download will begin immediately after you click Download — there is no confirmation step — so be sure you really want the folder on your computer before right clicking on it.
The folder will also remain in Google Drive after you download it.
How to download a file from Google Drive to your PC or Mac
1. Open Google Drive on your computer.
2. Find the file that you wish to download.
3. Right-click on the file, then select Download.
How to download a file from Google Drive to your Android device
1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Find the file that you wish to download and tap the three vertical dots to the right of its name. In the menu that appears, select Download.
