Earlier this year, Google announced that it planned to unify its Drive File Stream and Backup and Sync apps into a single Google Drive for desktop app. The company now says the new sync client will roll out "in the coming weeks" and has released additional information about what users can expect from the transition.
To recap, there are currently two desktop sync solutions for using Google Drive – Drive File Stream, which is for business users, and Backup and Sync, which is designed for personal use. The rollout of Google Drive for desktop will consolidate these two clients into a single app. Indeed, some Drive File Stream users on version 45 or later will already see the name change implemented.
Drive for desktop will perform the same functions as the two older apps – giving users access to their cloud-based files and photos directly on their desktop, and automatic syncing of files to the cloud in the background. From Google's blog post:
We're unifying these sync clients into the new Drive for desktop, bringing people the best and most used features from both Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream, including the ability to:
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.
Over the next few weeks, users on macOS and Windows will see prompts asking them to transition to Drive for desktop, which Google recommends doing before September 2021. After that date, users will see in-app alerts notifying them they'll need to transition to continue syncing their files.
More information about the Drive for desktop transition for business users can be found in Google's Workspace Updates blog post.
I feel like they change the app for this like once a year. Can they just stick with one and fix it?
As I explained last time:
It's quite simple, really. They had Google Docs, where you stored all your files, then they decided that should only refer to their web-based text documents, with other files now under Google Drive. Then they released the Google Drive desktop client, renamed it to Google Backup & Sync, released Google Drive File Stream with slightly different features for slightly different accounts, and are now renaming Google Drive File Stream to just Google Drive and merging Google Backup & Sync (the old Drive) into the new Drive. I look forward to next year, when they rename it all back to Google Documents and use the Google Drive name for their self-driving cars.
Not awesome. I got this update the other day, and the convenient switch account button that used to let those of us who are freelancers and have to work with multiple Google Workspace (or whatever they’re calling it these days) accounts switch between them seems to have disappeared. It was never great to start with, but it had been slowly improving. Now it’s gone backward.
You can add up to 4 accounts and they'll all sync simultaneously, so there's no need to switch between them. I tried it with my personal and workspace account and it worked fine (it even supports file streaming from personal accounts)
Can you? Where? I was surprised, 'cause I had the impression that was kinda the point, but the only option I see is to disconnect the account I'm signed in with. I think I have six in total, but four would be enough for the ones I use on a day to day basis.
Also, the clipart-style illustrations are really ugly.
When I click my picture at the top right of the preference screen I see this option to add another account
I tried adding my personal google account to make sure it works (it did) but then disconnected it again as I don't really use it :)
Friday February 5, 2021 2:50 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Google has announced that it intends to unify its Google Drive solutions for keeping files in sync on users' desktops.
Currently there are two desktop sync solutions for using Google Drive – Drive File Stream, which is for business users, and Backup and Sync, which is designed for personal use. Later this year, these two clients will become one: Google Drive for desktop. Google explains...
Wednesday October 20, 2021 10:21 am PDT by Juli Clover
The Box desktop experience for Mac users has been improved with the adoption of Apple's File Provider Extension APIs, which will offer a more secure and simple setup system for Mac users.
Box Drive users who have Macs can expect full support for Apple silicon, a more seamless experience thanks to Finder integration, and compatibility with the upcoming macOS Monterey release.
The update...
Tuesday October 19, 2021 10:09 am PDT by Juli Clover
Instagram still doesn't offer an app for the iPad, but the social networking company has expanded how users can upload content to the site, allowing for pictures to be posted from the desktop.
According to TechCrunch, Instagram is rolling out desktop posting support this week after testing the feature with a limited number of users over the summer.
Sharing a photo or a video under one...
Google is winding down its Material Design custom UI for iOS apps to switch to pure UIKit, according to Google's design chief for Apple platforms Jeff Verkoeyen.
Google's suite of apps for iOS and iPadOS, including Gmail, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Drive, and YouTube, have used custom user interfaces that mirror the experience on Android for almost a decade. The purpose of these...
Tuesday October 12, 2021 10:52 am PDT by Juli Clover
One of Apple's self-driving test vehicles was involved in a minor incident on September 27, according to a filing made with the California DMV [PDF].
The self-driving vehicle, which was operating in autonomous mode at the time, clipped a curb while going 13 miles per hour. There was no damage reported, but the car did require a realignment.A test vehicle, operating in autonomous mode in...
Tuesday September 28, 2021 5:59 am PDT by Sami Fathi
In a new blog post titled "Bring the best of Google to your iPhone," Google is on an endeavor to convince new iPhone 13 users to transform their device’s home screen to look like Android.
The blog post, written by Google's director for the iOS platform, features screenshots of an iPhone 13 home screen filled with Google apps and widgets. The post implies that customers should possibly...
Friday October 15, 2021 1:09 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backups are now rolling out for iPhone users, Facebook has announced. Until now, WhatsApp let users back up their chat history to iCloud, but the messages and media contained in the backups weren't protected by WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption while in Apple's cloud servers. Since Apple holds the encryption keys for iCloud Backup, a...
Monday September 27, 2021 1:32 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Google today lambasted European Union regulators for ignoring Apple and the rivalry between Apple and Android in the antitrust accusations that have been levied against Google, reports Reuters.
Apple was brought up as part of Google's attempt to get a massive 4.34 billion euro ($5.1 billion) fine annulled. The European Commission first levied the fine against Google in 2018 because Google...
Monday September 20, 2021 2:23 pm PDT by Juli Clover
iPhone users who have pre-ordered an iPhone 13 model are seeing a new prompt in the Settings app that walks through the steps of preparing for a new device.
Tapping on this prompt encourages users to make sure that iCloud syncing is enabled for all of their apps for a complete iCloud backup, offering up an option to turn on syncing for any app that doesn't have it on.
The feature also...
Wednesday September 1, 2021 12:37 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Two of Apple's self-driving cars operating in manual mode were involved in minor collisions in August, according to the California DMV.
The first incident [PDF] occurred in San Diego, California in the Hillcrest area on August 19. The Lexus RX 450h was stopped in traffic and was hit by a Hyundai. The accident was described as minor with no injuries.
The second accident [PDF] occurred on...
Top Rated Comments
I hope Google will make this downloadable from the Mac App Store
google drive
Google bussines
Back up and sync
Google workplace
Google one
Google drive
...
“Please b***h”
I tried adding my personal google account to make sure it works (it did) but then disconnected it again as I don't really use it :)