When using your computer to work with important files, it is very common that you end up choosing a service in the cloud to have a copy of them that can be accessed anywhere. However, it is clear that having an extra copy of these items on an external hard drive or other device is always a good precaution.
Fortunately, if you use Google Drive, be aware that the service ends up with a unique role for this type of task. Here’s how to make a backup of your Google Drive.
Important
Before proceeding to the walkthrough, as stated above, it is recommended that you have a storage drive such as an external hard drive or HDD with the free space required for your files. Of course, this is important so you do not back up just where your files are already stored.
How to back up your Google Drive
The process for backing up what’s in Google Drive is pretty simple, but depending on the number of files in the cloud, it can take a long time to download, which varies depending on your connection. Check how to do it:
- On the browser of your choice, visit this Google Account link;
- On the open page, click on “Data and personalization”;
- Scroll down the page until you find the “Download your data” option and click on it;
- On the new screen, first, click “Uncheck all”;
- Do the above step, look for the “Drive” in the list and check your box;
- Scroll down and click “Next step”;
- In this step, under “Export type”, select the “Only one file” option and leave the “.ZIP” option in the file type. As for “File size”, place the size that is most convenient for you to download. Finally, click on “Create file”.
- Once you’ve completed this step, Google will start generating a file to download. When it is ready, just click “Download”. With the file already on the machine, just extract the contents of the ZIP to the storage of your preference.
It should be remembered that Google is not always able to generate the link immediately, and when this happens, you will receive an email in your account to download the backup file. In addition, if you have 2-step authentication enabled, you may need to confirm the request on your mobile phone, just as it is for signing in to new machines.
If you need help, have doubts or concerns, do not hesitate to leave a comment in the comment box below and we will try to help you as soon as possible!