New Google Drive Beta Brings Full Offline File Access In Chrome
A new offline preview mode allows users to see which files are available for offline. The preview mode is accessible by hovering over the circle with the check inside on the right upper corner of the Drive menu and click enable offline preview. To make documents available offline, right clicking on Docs, Sheets, and Slides files from inside Google Drive to choose to make them available offline.
Google says that admins and end users are affected by the change. Any file that is edited offline will be updated when the user connects to Drive again with a working internet connection. Admins can enable the settings for all or some users. End users can enable offline access in drive settings by following these steps:
- From Google Drive, click the gear icon at the top right corner, select Settings > General and select Sync Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings files to this computer so that you can edit offline.
- Once offline access is enabled, a checkmark icon will appear in the top right next to Settings (gear icon) and Support (question mark). When you click this icon, you can find the offline preview toggle.
Google says that Drive will also automatically and intelligently make a certain number of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides files available offline based on how recently you accessed them; assuming that you have offline mode enabled. Google admitted in May that it had been storing some G Suite passwords in plaintext since 2005.
