Google Drive

Cloud storage for Android

Google Drive is a cloud file manager for storing, opening and sharing documents, photos, videos and other files from an Android device. It suits people who use Google services for work, study or personal organisation, especially when the same files need to be available across phones, tablets and computers.

What it does well

Files can be arranged in folders, searched by name or content, and filtered by type or recent activity. Drive handles common formats including Microsoft Office files and PDFs, while its links with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides make it easy to move from storage to editing. A camera-based scanner is also useful for turning receipts, notes and paperwork into digital files.

• Share files with selected people and control whether they can view, comment or edit.
• Keep selected files available without an internet connection.
• Use suggested and recent items to return quickly to active work.
• Work with files stored in Drive alongside documents created in Google’s productivity apps.

Who should use it

Drive is a practical choice for anyone already using a Google account, from students managing coursework to teams passing documents between colleagues. It is less useful as a standalone storage service if you do not use Google’s wider tools, and shared storage also covers Gmail and Google Photos. The included allowance is 15GB, so regular users may need to manage space carefully.

At a glance

Developed by Google LLC, Google Drive is listed under Productivity and has a rating of 4.28 from more than 10.6 million reviews. With 10 billion-plus installs, it is a familiar option for straightforward file access, sharing and collaboration on Android.