How do I sync my new laptop with Google Drive?

“I just bought a new laptop and 1TB Google Drive plan, and I'm planning to backup and sync my computer files. How can I sync computer to Google Drive?”

Google Drive is a cloud-based file storage service from Google. With it, you can sync personal files stored on your computer with the cloud, and then those same files are automatically synced and available on other devices. This makes it easy for you to access the same set of documents, photos, etc. on different devices.

By default, Google Drive only automatically syncs files from the computer's Google Drive hard drive with the cloud. But you can also customize which folders you sync and back up and you can use Stream files or Mirror files to make files on or offline access.

Notes:✎...

Google Drive has replaced its previous sync client Backup and Sync with Drive for desktop. And it previously created a Google Drive folder on PC, but now it would be a virtual Google Drive hard disk.

Why sync computer files to Google Drive?

After you sync computer folder to Google Drive, you can:

• Provide continuous protection for data: Important files on your computer may be lost due to various accidents. Syncing files on Google Drive is probably one of the best ways to protect them.
• Free up some local space: Online storage can help spare local disk space and allow users to access files with any device.
• Collaborate with others easily: Files synced to the cloud can be shared via link or email, and can be collaborated with others in real-time.

How to sync computer to Google Drive with 2 easy methods

How to synchronize PC with Google Drive? There are multiple solutions available. You can check them one by one and choose the best one according to your needs.

Way 1. Sync computer to Google Drive with Google Drive web page

With the Google Drive web interface, you can manually select computer files and folders to back up.

Step 1. Head to the Google Drive website and sign in to your Google account.

Step 2. Click on the + New button, and choose File Upload or Folder Upload to add the items you wish to sync with the cloud to upload them to Google Drive.

However, there are some downsides to using the Google Drive web page to sync computer files. For example, a large number of file uploads may take a lot of time and you may get stuck in the upload process. Also, there is a limit to the upload size of the file.

Way 2. Sync computer folders to Google Drive via Drive for desktop

Using the Google Drive desktop app, Drive for desktop, you can perform Google Drive computer sync, and multiple Google Drive accounts (up to four accounts) on your computer with ease.

How to sync computer to Google Drive with this program? Please follow the detailed steps below:

Step 1. Download and run Drive for desktop and log in following the on-screen guide.

Step 2. Tap on the Drive for desktop icon in the system task bar, and click Settings > Preferences.

Step 3. Go to My Computer section, click Add Folder to select folders, then select Sync with Google Drive > Save to continuously synchronize files from computer to Google Drive.

✎Tip: You can also copy and paste to the Google Drive disk on File Explorer/Finder to sync computer with Google Drive.

When you use Drive for desktop to sync computer folders, you can only automatically sync files in the Google Drive disk. If you want to sync local files outside of Google Drive disk, you need to add data manually, which could be troublesome. If you need to sync any computer files/folders with Google Drive automatically, a professional file sync tool is the answer.

Way 3. Sync computer automatically with Google Drive using CBackup

If you want to automatically sync computer to Google Drive for all files and folders, you should try the best free cloud backup service - CBackup. With this tool, you are allowed to backup entire PC or certain files/folders to Google Drive. Also, it offers to sync multiple computers to Google Drive and manage multiple, even unlimited Google Drive accounts on a single interface.

It offers to sync files outside the Google Drive disk with Google Drive automatically.

Four flexible auto sync to Google Drive modes are available: One time only, Daily, Weekly, and Monthly.

In addition to Google Drive, it also supports syncing computer to OneDrive, Dropbox, and other public clouds.

Now, free download CBackup and learn how to sync computer files to Google Drive with the step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Apply for a CBackup account, and log in to the desktop app.

Step 2. Select Storage > pick Google Drive > Authorize Now, then sign in with your Google accounts to warrant CBackup access to the Google Drive storage.

Step 3. Click Sync > Sync PC to Public Cloud.

Step 4. Choose the entire computer, certain files or folders to sync to the cloud. Then, click the triangle icon next to Google Drive and choose a folder as your destination.

Step 5. Hit Settings to enable Schedule Sync and select an appropriate sync schedule.

Step 6. Tap on Start Sync to create PC auto sync to Google Drive.

◆More advanced features of the CBackup service:
Cloud to cloud backup: It is capable of migrating data between clouds without downloads and uploads.
CBackup Cloud: It provides 10 GB of free backup space, and cost-effective 1TB and 5TB storage plans.
Cloud storage combination: It lets you merge Google Drive accounts and other cloud accounts to gain 1TB free cloud storage space and more easily.

Frequently asked questions about syncing computer to Google Drive

There are some frequently asked questions about Google Drive syncing PC that may be helpful to you.

Why isn't my computer syncing with Google Drive?

If Google Drive is not syncing all files on computer, you should first check the Internet connection and your free Google Drive storage. If the problem persists, please turn to the linked post for more effective solutions.

Does Google Drive for desktop sync automatically?

Yes, Google Drive for desktop will sync files automatically. But it is important to note that it will only auto sync files within the Google Drive disk. Items outside the Google Drive disk require you to manually upload to the cloud.

Final thought

Hoping the methods on this page can help you sync computer to Google Drive successfully. With the help of CBackup, you can synchronize your entire PC to the Google Drive cloud effortlessly. You can even backup Google Drive to OneDrive, transfer files between Google Drive accounts, and combine multiple Google Drive accounts to obtain more storage space for free.