That’s when the current app will stop working. You’ll also need to transition from Backup and Sync by early October.

You’ll have to install the new app over the summer. The new Google Drive for desktop app is a mandatory upgrade. Mirror Drive files on your desktop, which stores your files on your local device and enables quicker access to your content.Sync external storage devices to the cloud, including flash drives and external hard drives.Upload and sync photos and videos to Google Photos and/or Google Drive.Company administrators can choose to share either Backup & Sync, Drive File Stream, or both with their users.Here are the main features of the new Google Drive app: Drive File Stream lets you download and open local files on demand, so all data can stay in the cloud and only transfer to the local hard drives when needed. One of the new program’s perks is that it combines the two: Backup & Sync lets you upload pictures to Google Photos as well as files to Google Drive.įor business users-that’s companies who manage branded Google Drive and Gmail accounts for their employees-the desktop clients are bowing out in favor of a two options, Backup & Sync as well as a new program called Drive File Stream. Previously, Drive and Photos had separate desktop apps for syncing.

In addition, the new tool lets you upload files from outside your designated local Google Drive folder-so you can back up your Desktop or Documents folder without moving those files to the Google Drive folder.

As with the old Google Drive client, Backup & Sync lets you choose specific folders from Google Drive to sync to your computer, so you don’t have to have everything on your desktop or laptop at once. It doesn’t differ too much from the old applications, but it does provide more comprehensive backup for your whole computer. Home users can replace their Drive clients for Windows and macOS with a new tool called Backup & Sync, which Google announced back in July.

Google drive desktop going away