Introduction

This article explains:

• What Google shared drives are,
• How a user can view Google shared drives, and
• How a user can control who has access to shared drives.

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Google shared drives are a way to store and access files with a team. For more detail, refer to this Google Support page. *

Instructions

Viewing Shared Drives

1. Log into Google Drive at drive.google.com with your @vt.edu email address and passphrase.
2. In the left menu column, under the New button, click the Shared drives icon.
   

   

3. If someone has added to you to a shared drive, you will see it here.
4. To create a shared drive, in the left menu column, click the New button.

Using the Drive for desktop Syncing Application with Shared Drive

The Google Drive for desktop application can be installed on your computer and used to access and sync a Google shared drive.

For more information on Drive for desktop and instructions on installing and using it, see Google's Use work or school files on your computer with Drive for desktop page or the Understanding Google's File Sync Solution Knowledge Base article

If you are not signed into your Virginia Tech Google account when viewing that page, you will see generic information and text about signing into your @vt.edu account to view the page.

As seen on that page, the installers can be downloaded at:

• Windows: https://dl.google.com/drive-file-stream/googledrivefilestream.exe
• Mac: https://dl.google.com/drive-file-stream/googledrivefilestream.dmg

Setting or Changing Access Restrictions / Permissions

1. While viewing a specific shared drive, under the name of the shared drive, click the # people link or the Manage members button located below the profile picture.
   

   

2. In the window that appears, the Add people and groups field, type the name or email of the person or group to added.
   

   

3. For each person whose access you want to set, to the right of the person's name, from the drop-down list, select the desired role.

   
   
   

4. When you are finished making changes, click Done to save your changes.

Video

^*The university generally discourages the purchase of third-party storage options such as Dropbox because already has options in place with OneDrive and Google Drive and many of these options, including Dropbox, are not approved for use.