What is Google One and how does Google Drive work?

(Pocket-lint) - Google Drive has been astir for years present but has changed comparatively small since launch; it lets you upload files, make files, stock files, etc.

However, Google precocious switched up the service's pricing plans, giving them their precise ain marque (Google One), and it's bundling immoderate nice-to-haves similar unrecorded adept enactment and subscriber perks. Here's what you request to cognize astir Google Drive and Google One.

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is Google's cloud-storage work for consumers and Google Workspace customers (enterprises and schools). For consumers, it's a escaped mode to support your files backed up to the unreality and easy accessible from immoderate device. You request a Google relationship to usage Google Drive and, to start, Google gives you 15GB of retention for free, truthful you tin safely support photos, stories, drawings, recordings, videos, thing really.

Best of all, Google Drive is encrypted utilizing SSL, the aforesaid information protocol utilized connected Gmail and different Google services.

What tin Google Drive do?

Here are Google Drive's cardinal features for consumers:

• Store files: Drive starts you with 15GB of escaped online storage. You tin store a wide scope of record types and folders - adjacent Office files.
• Create files: You tin make documents and files connected the alert with integrated Docs, Sheets and Slides apps.
• Access your files from anywhere: Your files successful Drive tin beryllium reached from immoderate smartphone, tablet, oregon computer.
• Share with others: You tin rapidly invitation others to view, download, and remark and collaborate connected your files successful Drive.
• Work offline: If you aren't connected to the internet, you tin marque immoderate files disposable offline to presumption and edit (see however here).
• See aged versions: You tin look backmost arsenic acold arsenic 30 days connected astir record types, making it casual to spot changes and spell backmost to erstwhile versions.
• Search: Drive tin recognise objects successful your images and substance successful scanned documents - conscionable participate a keyword successful the hunt bar.
• Google Photos: You tin store your photos successful Drive and past entree them and edit them with Google Photos.
• Scan documents: The Android app lets you scan each your insubstantial documents arsenic PDF - conscionable drawback a photograph of it.
• Save Gmail attachments: Hover implicit an attachment successful Gmail and look for the Drive logo to prevention immoderate attachment to your Drive.
• Drive apps: You tin bash everything from edit a illustration photograph to make a caput map, with implicit 100 integrated apps.

How does Google Drive work?

First, make oregon motion into your Google Account. Then, if you're a consumer, bash the following:

Computer

1. Go to drive.google.com. You'll spot "My Drive", which has your files and folders you uploaded oregon synced, including immoderate Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Forms you created.
2. If you don't spot immoderate files successful your Drive, past spell up and upload files from your machine oregon make files successful Drive. You tin adjacent enactment with Microsoft Office files successful Drive.
3. You tin past stock your files oregon folders successful Drive so different radical tin view, edit, oregon remark connected them.

Android device

1. On your Android device, find and unfastened the Google Drive app.
2. As above, you'll beryllium capable to access, upload, stock and negociate your Google Drive contented done the app.
3. Google Drive is integrated into different Google apps, similar Photos, with cosmopolitan entree crossed your Android device.

iPhone oregon iPad

1. On your iPhone oregon iPad, unfastened the Google Drive app.
2. Just similar Android and connected a computer, you'll person afloat entree to your Drive and its contents.

What astir Backup and Sync?

Google offers a Backup and Sync instrumentality for consumers. You tin download and usage it connected a Windows PC oregon Mac successful bid to easy upload and store files from immoderate folder connected your computer, camera, and SD cards. You tin besides usage it to find your contented connected immoderate phone, tablet, oregon machine utilizing Google Drive, and your photos and videos successful Google Photos.

Here are the cardinal features of Backup and Sync:

What is Google One?

• All Google Drive retention plans are present called Google One
• 'Family Plan' includes up to 5 household members

Google reworked its user Google Drive retention plans successful 2018. Google calls the paid plans Google One. The unreality retention itself is inactive called Google Drive but Google One besides offers broadside benefits.

You tin stock your retention quota with up to five household members arsenic portion of a "Family Plan". Another diagnostic is escaped one-tap entree to unrecorded experts for assistance with immoderate Google user merchandise and work (Google already offered 24/7 enactment to Google Workspace customers). In the US, enactment is disposable 24/7 implicit chat, email, and phone. In different countries, enactment options vary.

Other benefits see credits connected the Google Play store and deals connected hotels, and much recently, enhanced photograph editing options successful Google Photos. These further Google One features are built close into Google Photos, truthful you spot them connected your telephone erstwhile you're editing images.

That's 1 mode that Google is attempting to adhd worth to promote radical to instrumentality to paying for the further storage. You'll callback that precocious Google ended its unlimited photograph uploads too, meaning that Google One became much important.

How overmuch are Google One plans?

• Plans commencement astatine £1.59/$1.99 per period for 100GB
• Plans spell up to £119.99/$300 for 30TB

Google One retention offers 15GB for escaped to anyone that signs up. You tin past wage a tiny monthly interest to summation that retention if you request more. 

If you request to upgrade that storage, Google One has assorted paid plans available. These commencement arsenic debased arsenic £1.99 per period successful the UK, $1.99 successful the US for 100GB. If that's not enough, you tin wage £2.49/$2.99 per period for 200GB of storage. 2TB of retention is disposable for £7.99 per period successful the UK, $9.99 successful the US - and upwards.

Note: Google Drive is built into Chromebooks. And if you ain definite Chromebook models, you'll get 100GB of escaped retention for 2 years, alternatively than the basal 15GB retention allotment. See Pocket-lint's Chromebook tips and tricks here.

When volition Google One beryllium disposable successful my country?

Google One is presently disposable successful the US, UK and many different countries too.

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Chris Hall. Originally published connected 14 May 2018.