Google details new Drive for Desktop client replacing Backup and Snyc

Posted:
in Mac Software edited July 2021
Google is streamlining its Drive sync services Mac and Windows with a new Drive for Desktop app, which will replace the prior Backup and Sync service in September.

Google Drive for desktop app launches
Google Drive for desktop app launches


Google Drive is a cloud document storage and sync service available across most platforms and the web. Both enterprise and consumer users have been able to access the service through two apps on desktop, but Google is transitioning those apps into a single, unified experience starting Monday.

Google says the new app should provide a better in-line experience similar to accessing files directly within the file system. Local files are automatically synced to the cloud in the background, so users don't need to wait on manually synced files.

The Drive for Desktop app is currently rolling out, and should start appearing for users soon. Users of the current Backup and Sync app are being urged to move to the new app as soon as possible due to discontinuation of the old app, which will officially be sunsetted in October 2021.

Drive for desktop lets users sync files automatically
Drive for desktop lets users sync files automatically


Three primary features will be included with the new Drive for desktop app:
  • Upload and sync photos and videos to Google Photos and/or Google Drive
  • Sync external storage devices to the cloud, including flash drives and external hard drives
  • Mirror Drive files on your desktop, which stores your files on your local device and enables quicker access to your content
After September 2021, users of the Backup and Sync app will begin being promoted to move to the new Drive for Desktop app. The old app will cease to function by October.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    MurvelMurvel Posts: 24member

    Backup and Snyc. :smiley: 

    edited July 2021 fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 7
    alanhalanh Posts: 75member
    Murvel said:

    Backup and Snyc. :smiley: 


    Ahhh, you beat me to it! ;)

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 7
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,763member
    The new client interface is so much easier to use and has a more natural fit into the file systems on both macOS and Windows 10. On macOS it looks just like a mounted drive in Finder, which is a little different than the way iCloud Drive and Microsoft OneDrive appear more like folders. On Windows ... it does the same exact thing, even mounting as the G: drive if that drive letter is not already mapped.  I'm not sure which method I prefer, but having the same behavior on both Mac and Windows makes sense and all three of these maintain consistency between the two OS platforms.
    gatorguyAlex_Vwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 7
    What baffles me is that there were ever two products to begin with. But this looks promising and should make it much easier to work with.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 7
    focherfocher Posts: 688member
    It’s definitely better on its own, but there’s one use case that it’s really terrible for. If you use a personal Google Drive account and a company one under Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) then you can’t access both at the same time. You have to switch accounts. Previously, you could just run Backup and Sync at the same time as Google Drive to give parallel access to both.
    Alex_Vwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 7
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,652member
    focher said:
    It’s definitely better on its own, but there’s one use case that it’s really terrible for. If you use a personal Google Drive account and a company one under Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) then you can’t access both at the same time. You have to switch accounts. Previously, you could just run Backup and Sync at the same time as Google Drive to give parallel access to both.
    I do have both, but not discovered that yet since I intentionally keep the two separate anyway. Thanks for the heads up. 
  • Reply 7 of 7
    focher said:
    It’s definitely better on its own, but there’s one use case that it’s really terrible for. If you use a personal Google Drive account and a company one under Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) then you can’t access both at the same time. You have to switch accounts. Previously, you could just run Backup and Sync at the same time as Google Drive to give parallel access to both.
    The new app allows you to use up to 4 accounts. So I have my personal account and work account and they show up as two separate drives.
    dope_ahmineAlex_Vdewmeneilmwatto_cobra
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