Google Drive has long been a reliable tool for syncing and managing documents. One of the best things about Google Drive is that you can access your files across all devices as long as you are connected to the internet.
Did you know that you can access your Google Drive files offline on your Mac? If you do not, no worries, you are not alone out there. In our step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to access Google Drive even when you do not have an internet connection.
Before you start
There are certain requirements you need to meet in order to be eligible for an offline access to Google Drive. They are as follows;
- While you can use Google Drive offline, you must first be connected to the internet.
- The option to use Google Drive offline is only available in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
- Make sure that you have installed the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension on your web browser.
- Your Google Chrome needs to be your default web browser on your Mac
How to Use Google Drive Offline on Your Mac
There is a simple workaround for making your Google Drive files accessible even when you are offline. You can follow our detailed guide below.
Step 1: Install the Google Docs Offline extension on your web browser
While you can use Chrome or Edge, we recommend you set Google Chrome as your default web browser on your Mac device.
- Go to Launchpad to launch Google Chrome or use Spotlight Search
- Open Google Chrome on your Mac and login with your email ID
- Go to the Chrome web store, then search for Google Docs Offline
- On the next page, click Add to Chrome and hit Add extension to confirm your action.
Step 2: Enable Offline Access to Google Drive
Once you have added the extension to your Google Drive, it’s time to turn on offline access for Google Drive on your Mac. Here are the steps:
- Launch Google Chrome on your Mac and open a new tab
- Hit the menu icon and select Drive
- Once you are in, click Settings > General
- Tick the box next to the “Create, open, and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files on this device while offline” option.
Step 3: View Google Drive Files Offline On Mac
Once you have enabled the offline access feature for Google Drive, you now can view your files even when you are offline. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Drive on your Mac and click the Ready for offline icon
- Turn on Offline Preview
Step 4: Make all of your Google Drive Files Available Offline
If you do not have a stable internet connection, you can enable offline mode for all of your Google Drive files on your Mac.
- Launch Finder on your Mac
- Navigate to Google Drive under the Locations section
- Open My Drive and proceed with selecting all the files you wish to download for offline use.
- Right-click and hit the Download Now button.
Alternatively, you can download the Google Drive app to your Mac. This method is highly recommended for those who like being on the go. To do this, head over to Google Drive’s download page, click Download Drive for desktop and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
