Google Drive Basic Navigation

Google Drive is the online storage space included as part of the G Suite for Education with your UMICH email account. For more information on your UMICH email account, please refer to General Email Configuration

Intended Audience

This article is intended for current faculty, staff, and students who would like to know more about Google Drive Storage that became available when access was granted to their UMICH email account.

Requirements

To follow this article you will need to have access to the internet. You will also need to have access to your University account and know your current university credentials (uniqname and current password). You will also need to have access to Okta Verify.

Table of Contents

Navigating Google Drive[back]

Google Drive can be accessed in a couple of different ways.

Accessing Google Drive Directly

  1. In your preferred internet browser, navigate to drive.umich.edu.
    • Note: Although not required, it is strongly recommended to use Google Chrome as it has the best compatibility with the G Suite Apps.
  2. Log in using your uniqname and current password. If prompted, authenticate with Okta.

Accessing Google Drive through a University of Michigan Gmail Account

  1. In your preferred internet browser, navigate to email.umich.edu.
  2. Log in using your uniqname and current password. If prompted, authenticate with Okta.
  3. Click the App Launcher (Note: If you are using Chrome, the App Launcher will also be present on any new blank tab).
    google_drive_information_1.png
  4. Select the Drive App.

 

Copying Files

  1. Once you are in Google Drive, navigate to the folder you want to move the files to.
  2. Then, on your computer, navigate to the folder you want to move the files from.
  3. Once you have located the files you would like to move, select the files.
    • Once you left-click to select the file, you then drag it over to the location you would like it to be on Google Drive.
      • Don't forget to release the click to drop the file in your Google Drive folder
  4. The upload times may vary depending on the size of the file.
    • Please Note* you will not want to upload a large number of files all at the same time, or you can run into issues with the upload.
  5. Now, the new folder should appear in My Drive.
    • It's common practice to confirm the files uploaded properly by checking the file
    • To do this, navigate to the Google Drive folder where you uploaded the file and try to open the file and confirm the contents.

 

Creating or Uploading New Folders

  1. Once you are in Google Drive, select which drive you want on the left, and then press the New button at the top (Note: you can also right-click on the drive you wish to add something to).
  2. You can now select the option to create a new folder or to upload a folder from your computer.
    • If you create a new folder...
      1. Enter the title.
      2. Select Create
    • If you upload a folder from your computer...
      1. Select the folder from your computer.
      2. Click Upload.
      3. Click Upload again.
  3. Now, the new folder should appear in My Drive.

Sharing Folders and Files

 

google_drive_information_2.png

  1. Right-click the folder or file you would like to share.
  2. Hover over Share.
    1. Click Share again to be able to send the folder or file to specific people.
      1. Enter the email addresses of the people you would like to share the file with.
      2. Select the permissions you would like to give those you are sharing the file with.
      3. Click Send.
    2. Click Copy link to have a link to the folder or file saved to your clipboard.
      1. Now you can paste the link to other places; people who click on the link will be able to see the folder or file.

Creating and Sharing Team Drives

1. Please refer to Ann Arbor's knowledge base article for information about creating and sharing Team Drives: Google: Create a Shared Drive!  

Google Drive for Desktop (formerly File Stream) [back]

What is Google Drive for desktop?

Google Drive for desktop allows you to open files from Google Drive on your computer. This means you can save files and folders offline, organize files in your computer's filing system without using storage space, and open files on your computer.

Who can get Google Drive for desktop?

Google Drive for desktop is available to faculty, staff, and students. 

How to Install Google Drive for Desktop

  1. Go to https://workspace.google.com/products/drive/#download.
  2. Click Download Drive for desktop.
  3. Open the file on your computer.
    • GoogleDriveSetup.exe on Windows.
    • GoogleDrive.dmg on Mac.
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts.
  5. When asked to sign in, use your uniqname and current password. If prompted, authenticate with Okta.

For more information, please visit the following links.

Troubleshooting [back] 

If you have any questions or experience any issues with this article, please visit or contact the ITS Helpdesk for assistance.

 

Location: 206 Murchie Science Building

Hours: go.umflint.edu/hours

Phone: (810) 762-3123 

Email: flint.its.support@umich.edu

 

 

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