In this blog post we will learn how to access Google Workspace files offline? Google Workspace provides vast storage for your files. Sometimes, you need to access your personal and organizational files when you’re in a low-network connectivity area or when you are traveling. Previously, it was a bit difficult to access those files in those situations. That time you had to wait for your connection back to access them. But on 24th April 2019, Google announced the new feature of getting offline Google workspace access for the Admin and users.
So, now it’s become easy to access your Google Drive files offline. Also, the preview is available for those files and you will get it from the offline preview mode of Drive. So, in this blog, you will learn how to access your Google Workspace files offline.
Pre-requisites of accessing Google Workspace offline
Before turning on your offline Google Workspace access feature, you should ensure the below arrangements –
- You should have a stable internet connection.
- Your browser partner should be Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
- Avoid private browsing.
- Ensure you’re using an updated browser.
- Ensure you have enough space on your device to save the files.
Note: If you’re using Microsoft Edge, you have to download Google Docs Offline Extension from the Chrome Web store.
Access your Google Drive file without the internet
With this feature, you can access your Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides file offline. Not only you can access them, but also you can create and edit the files. Let’s see how you can do this –
Open your Docs, Sheets, and Slides in an offline mode
- Open our Chrome or Edge browser. Then ensure you have signed in to your Google Workspace user account.
- Go to the Settings of Google Drive.
3. Check the box Create, open, and edit your recent Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files while offline to enable offline access.
- Enable offline preview
- Go to Google Drive from your computer. Check if you have turned on offline access yet. If not, then turn on your offline access.
- Click Ready for offline from the top right side.
3. Click Offline preview.
- Save the Drive files for offline usage
- Find out which Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides file you want to save offline. Then, right-click on that file.
- Click Make available offline.
- Editing your Drive files offline
You can directly edit your files offline. But you must back online to save the changes on those files. You will find the edits in the version history of the files. Learn more from find what’s changed in a file.
Use Mirroring with Drive for Desktop for offline file access
Mirrored files make your files available offline. You can store your files on your local device as well as in the cloud through mirroring. Some other useful characteristics of mirroring -
- It helps your files sync with Drive for Desktop.
- It allows you to access your files through File Explorer on Windows and Finder on macOS.
- It makes your applications faster that require writing, video editing, or photo editing (high resolution).
To enable mirroring, you should perform these steps –
- Open Drive for desktop.
- Click Settings > Preferences.
- Click Folders from Drive on the left.
- Select Mirror files under My Drive syncing options.
How to make specific files available offline?
Before following these steps, ensure you’ve turned on the offline access of Drive.
- Go to the home screen on Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
- Click More From the file you want to use offline,
- Click Make available offline. You will see a checkmark in the bottom left corner. The checkmark indicates the file is available offline.
Check if your file is ready for offline use
- Open a file from Google Drive on your computer.
- Click See document status at the next of the file title.
Note: If your file is not ready to use offline, then an explanation will appear.
How can the Admin control the offline access of Google Docs files?
- As a Google Admin, you can allow offline access to Google Workspace files for all users in your organization. They can turn on the Allow users to enable offline access through the Admin Console. This is the recommended action to allow offline file access through Admin Console.
- Also, another option is available in the Admin Console for managed computers. In this case, The Admin should install the managed device policy to enable offline access for Google Workspace files. Finally, they should complete the procedure by selecting Control offline access using device policies.
Learn the complete steps from here.
Tips to fix the problems when you can’t access your files offline
Sometimes the offline setup fails.
Solution:
- First, turn off your offline Google Workspace access. Again re-enable the offline access.
- Also, clear your site cookies.
Your Admin may disable offline sync for your account.
Solution:
Contact your Admin to solve the problem.
You may get an error message stating that ‘Another user has already enabled offline access on this computer’. That means you have multiple accounts in the same browser and you’re trying to enable offline access for them. But, Google only allows one account per browser for this feature.
Solution:
Create separate browser profiles to enable offline access for multiple profiles.
Foresight – the Google Cloud partner
Foresight is a reliable automation platform for regular business workflows. It's completely integrated with Google Workspace. Therefore, it operates the Google Workspace use cases through seamless automation. Moreover, it provides extra features for your organizational needs that are absent in the native Google Cloud service.
Also, multiple organizations adopt multiple complex working strategies, such as using automation scripts. Hence, Foresight gives you no-code automation solutions and dilutes the challenges of learning lengthy automation scripts. Thus, Foresight becomes helpful for the Admin and users too. It removes the requirement for manual tasks and improves your business productivity. So, try a 14-day free trial to learn the features and other useful Google Workspace tips from Foresight. Learn these use cases like – Export Mobile Devices In Google Workspace, etc.
Conclusion
Well, you have learned how to access your Google Workspace files offline. You get step-by-step guidance from this blog. When you enable offline access, Google Drive automatically available offline access based on your recent access preferences. So, utilize this feature and arrange your files efficiently within your device. Also, learn more topics related to this one – Customize Drive for desktop settings, etc.
