Best Ways to Backup Google Drive for Free

This complete Google Drive backup guide covers the 4 best ways to backup Google Drive using both local tools and third-party backup software. Choose the one that works best for you to back up your Google Drive files easily!

Jonna

by Jonna Lasted Updated April 10, 2024

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Do I Need to Backup Google Drive?

 

I store all my personal data on Google Drive. I want to know if my Google Drive files will be lost or corrupted accidentally. Should I backup my Google Drive files? What is the best way to backup Google Drive files?

Why Should You Backup Google Drive?

Google Drive is a preferred cloud storage application that people use to store all the important stuff like family photos/videos, class projects, resumes, and so on. You can use various devices to backup files to Google Drive. Backing up Google Drive is to create a copy of your Google Drive files and keep it in another secure location locally or on the cloud.

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Here are some reasons why you need to get a Google Drive backup:

  • Protect Google Drive files from ransomware or hacker attacks.

  • Avoid accidental deletions of important files.

  • Protect Google Drive files from data corruption.

  • Prevent Google Drive data loss from server failure.

How to backup Google Drive files efficiently? What are the available backup options for Google Drive? Here, we will cover 4 reliable methods to help backup Google Drive files and folders.

Best Ways to Backup Google Drive for Free

In this chapter, you will learn one way to automatically back up Google Drive and 3 ways to manually create a copy of Google Drive. 

Getting automatic backups means that you can set up auto backups of your Google Drive files according to your backup schedule. In this way, you don't need to manually protect your data or worry about data loss due to forgetting data backups. Grabbing all files in a manual way is repetitive and tedious, and there is even a risk of forgetting to back up.

Option 1. Backup Google Drive Automatically [Free and Easy]

If you intend to backup Google Drive data automatically, you can use a professional Google Drive backup service that can keep files securely, backup files on a schedule, and restore backups easily. CBackup, designed to back up local and cloud files, is a go-to choice that can meet your needs.

Cbackup Main Page

You can use CBackup to backup Google Drive to OneDrive, Dropbox, FTP/SFTP, and other cloud storage services on a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. You can add unlimited accounts to CBackup and it is also handy to transfer Google Drive files from one account to another with it.

How to backup Google Drive to another account automatically via CBackup? Here are detailed steps:

Step 1. Download and install the CBackup desktop app. Apply for a CBackup account and log in to it.

Download CBackupWin 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 2. Click Storage, choose Google Drive. Then, complete the authorization to allow CBackup to access your cloud storage. After that, add another Google Drive account to CBackup likewise.

Add Cloud

Step 3. Then, switch to the Backup tab and click Backup Public Cloud to Public Cloud.

Backup Public Cloud To Public Cloud

Step 4. Rename the task. Select the Google Drive account that you want to get backed up. Next, select another Google Drive as your backup destination.

Transfer Google Drive To Another

Step 5. Press the Settings button and set a backup schedule in the Scheduler section. Then, tap Start Backup to migrate files.

Select Schedule

Note: The CBackup client offers you to back up computer files to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and its own CBackup Cloud, which gives 10GB of free storage space. Besides, you can combine cloud storage with it to expand your cloud storage at no cost.

Option 2. Backup Google Drive Manually

If you are wondering how to backup Google Drive to computer, you can also copy Google Drive files manually in the following 3 ways, using the Google Drive web interface, Google Drive desktop app, and Google Takeout.

Way 1. Download and Backup Google Drive Data with Web Interface

With the Google Drive website, you can backup your Drive data to your computer or hard drive. Below is the tutorial about how to backup Google Drive locally to PC.

Step 1. Locate the Google Drive webpage and sign in with your account.

Step 2. Choose the folders and files you want to get backed up and right-click them to select Download.

Download Google Drive Folder

Step 3. Once the downloads are complete, you can move them around and store them anywhere on your computer.

Way 2. Backup Google Drive Using Google Drive Sync Client

Using the Google Drive desktop application to backup Google Drive to an external hard drive is also a good way to protect data. Here is how to backup Google Drive on Mac or Windows with the Google Drive sync client:

Step 1. Download and launch the Google Drive client app on your PC. Then, click the Sign in with browser to log in to it.

Drive For Desktop Sign In With Browser1

Step 2. After log-in, it will create a Google Drive disk on your computer. You can connect your external drive to your laptop, and then, copy and paste files from the Google Drive disk to your External hard drive.

Google Drive Disk

Way 3. Copy All Your Google Drive Files with Google Takeout

Google Takeout, offered by Google, is a data retrieval tool that allows you to export data stored in your Google Account, including Chrome, Contacts, Drive, Google Pay, Google Photos, etc. It is one of the best ways to backup Google Drive manually.

Step 1. Open Google Takeout and log in to it.

Step 2. Under Select data to include, select Drive, and scroll down to hit Next step.

Google Takeout

Step 3. Choose an appropriate Delivery method, customize your export Frequency and File type & size, and press Create export.

Google Takeout Select Delivery Method

Conclusion

These are the best ways to backup Google Drive using different tools. We recommend that you apply a 3-2-1 backup strategy to protect your important files. That is, keep 3 copies of your data, store data on 2 different mediums, and save one backup file offsite.

You can use professional Google Drive backup software like CBackup to get backups of Google Drive files automatically, which will help you save time and effort protecting everything you value.

Jonna
Jonna · Editor
Jonna becomes a professional in the areas of cloud backup and restoration, data protection, etc. after years of learning and researching. She maintains a keen eye for the latest technology trends, ensuring that the information provided is always in step with industry developments.

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