How to change Google Drive folder location and copy and upload files

Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage services in the world. It provides 15 GB of free storage per account and can be used to store photos, documents, videos, and other files. Today we’ll check how to change Google Drive’s folder location and copy and upload files.

It can also be downloaded to your computer which allows backup and sync capabilities right from your system. When you do so, a default folder is created in the C:\ drive. However, there might be situations where you may want to change your Google Drive folder location.

Most people usually need to do it when the storage in their primary drive is running low. There are a series of steps you can take if you want to do the same. It involves unlinking your account, moving the sync folder to another location, and linking your account to your device again.

How to change Google Drive folder location
How to copy a folder in Google Drive
How to upload a folder or files to Google Drive
1. Using the web version
2. Using Backup & Sync
Wrap Up

How to change Google Drive folder location

Click on the white cloud icon in the taskbar. You will find it on the bottom right side of your screen. If the icon is not in the taskbar, you will find it in the system tray;
Click the three vertical dots at the top right. A drop-down list will appear;
Choose “Preferences”. A new window will pop up;
On the right side of that window, click on “Settings”;
Then click on “Disconnect Account” below your email address;
You will receive a prompt asking if you want to disconnect. Select “Disconnect”;
After a few moments, a prompt will appear informing you that the account has been disconnected. Click on “Got it”;
Now, go to your C drive where the “Google Drive” folder is located. It is typically under C:/User/(your username);
Select this folder, cut it, and paste it to the location you want to move it to. Depending on how large this folder is, it might take anywhere from a few seconds to some minutes;
Then, click on the white cloud icon in the taskbar (the same as step no. 1);
Select “Sign in” and then continue to log in to your Google account;
Click on “Got it” in the next window that pops up;
In that window, you can choose the same settings as you had before and then click “Next”;
Again, click on “Got it”;
Going to the next window, you will need to change the default path of the “Google Drive” folder to the new location where you had moved it in step number 9. To do it, click on “Change”;
A small window will appear where you can choose the new location of your “Google Drive” folder. Once you’re at the preferred location, click on the “Google Drive” folder, and then choose “Select Folder”;
Now you’ll be on the same window that is referred to in step number 15. Click “Start”;
It’s all done. The program will now start the sync again.

How to copy a folder in Google Drive

Now, let’s learn how to copy a folder in Google Drive. If you have been using this service or are familiar with it for a while, you know that you can’t copy a whole folder in the web version of Google Drive.

Typically, people go inside the folder, copy each and every file, and then paste it elsewhere. However, if you have downloaded Google Drive to your computer, you can easily copy entire folders and save a bunch of time.

To do it, follow the steps below:

Find the “Google Drive” folder on your desktop. If you don’t see it there, you will most likely find it under “C:/User/(your username)”. If you’ve changed the location of your Google Drive folder (like in the above steps), then go to the new location that you have set;
In the “Google Drive” folder, you will find all your documents, files, and folders like you see on the web version of Google Drive;
Copy the folder like any other folder on your computer and do whatever you want with it. You can also copy any files inside this “Google Drive” folder.

How to upload a folder or files to Google Drive

Let’s take a look at how to upload a folder to Google Drive. There are two ways you can do it: by using the web version of Google Drive or through the “Backup and Sync” capability.

If you want to know how to upload videos to Google Drive, or even photos, or any other type of file, the process is identical for all.

Using the web version

Go to https://drive.google.com/ and log in if you’re not already logged in;
Click the “New” button at the left of the screen;
Select “Folder upload” or “File upload”;
A window will pop up and it will allow you to upload any folder or file on your computer to Google Drive.

Using Backup & Sync

Copy the folder/file that you want to upload to Google Drive;
Access the “Google Drive” folder on your computer;
Paste the folder/file into your “Google Drive” folder. It will automatically get uploaded to the cloud.

Wrap Up

Changing your Google Drive default folder location may be useful if you’re running low on storage in your main hard drive. You can easily relocate it to another partition or to a second hard drive.

It may also be useful and more practical to have it in another partition other than your operating system’s. If a problem occurs, if you want to format and reinstall everything, it’s less of a job you’ll have to go through.

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