How to Easily Upload, Organize & Share Files in Google Drive

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Google Drive is one of my favorite tools for running my online business (and personal life too). It’s like my virtual filing cabinet, keeping my digital assets, photos, and files safe, organized, and accessible from anywhere in the world. Whether I’m working on blog posts, sharing files with my team members, or just saving important documents like tax forms with my husband, Google Drive is the tool that simplifies it all.

But if you’re new to Google Drive, it might feel a little intimidating at first. That’s why I’ve put together this quick step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Getting Started with Google Drive

If you already have a Gmail account, you have access to Google Drive. Every account comes with free cloud storage to help you manage your digital files.

If you’re running a business, you might want to consider getting a Google Workspace account. It not only unlocks advanced Google Drive features like more storage, shared drives for teams, and enhanced file security, but it also offers professional email, real-time collaboration tools, seamless scheduling with Google Calendar, secure cloud storage, and much more to streamline your operations.

No matter which version you use, these tips will help you set up your Drive efficiently. To follow along with the rest of this tutorial, please make sure you are signed into your gmail account.

Organizing Your Google Drive with Folders

The easiest way to keep your Google Drive files organized is by creating top-level folders and subfolders. Think of top-level folders as your main categories, like “Marketing Team” or “Personal Documents.” Within those, you can create specific folders to group related files together (like blog posts, social media content, or pdf files).

How to add a folder on a computer

• Click the “+ New” button in the top-left corner, or right click your mouse in the middle of the screen to reveal a dropdown menu
• Select Folder from the dropdown menu
• Give your folder a clear and specific folder name, like “Client Projects” or “Legal Documents,” and click Create

How to add a folder on a phone

• Tap the “+” button (look for it in the bottom-right corner).
• Choose Folder
• Type a name for your folder
• Tap Create

🔥 QUICK TIP: Be sure to use consistent naming conventions to easily find what you need later on. For example, if you’re creating folders for marketing, you might name them by campaign or type of content, like “2025 Blog Posts” or “Q1 Social Media.”

Once your folder structure is ready, you can start uploading your files! I’ll show you how to do that steps next.

Uploading Files to Your Folder

Google Drive supports a wide variety of file types, from Microsoft Office documents to video files and everything in between. Here are a few of the most popular file types it supports:

• Documents: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .rtf
• Spreadsheets: .xls, .xlsx, .csv
• Presentations: .ppt, .pptx
• Images: .jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .svg
• Videos: .mp4, .avi, .mov, .wmv
• Others: .zip, .rar, .html, .json

I really like how you can upload, view, and even convert these files into Google’s native formats for easier collaboration with clients, family or even team members.

How to upload files on a computer

Option 1: Click and Browse

• Click the “+ New” button in the top-left corner
• Select File Upload or Folder Upload
• Browse your hard drive and select the one you want to upload
• Click Open

Option 2: Drag and Drop

• Simply drag the file from your computer
• Then drop it directly into the open folder in your browser

How to upload files on a phone

• Tap the “+” button (look for it in the bottom-right corner).
• Choose Upload.
• Select the file from your device’s gallery or file manager.

Once your file finishes uploading, you’ll see it appear in the folder. Look for a ✅ green checkmark or an upload confirmation to make sure everything went through.

How to stop a Google Drive Upload

If you accidentally upload wrong file or your internet connection is taking forever to upload, you can stop an upload by following these quick steps:

On a computer

• Look for the upload progress bar in the bottom-right corner of your Google Drive screen.
• Click the “X” or Cancel Upload button next to the file name.

On a phone

• If you’re using the Google Drive app, locate the upload notification in your phone’s notification tray.
• Tap the notification and select Cancel Upload or swipe it away to stop the process.

How to delete a file

If the upload goes through and you no longer want the file in your drive, you can simply delete the file.

On a computer

• Find the file you want to delete
• Right-click the file and select Remove, or click the Trash icon at the top.
• (Optional) Go to the Trash folder, right-click the file, and choose Delete Forever to permanently delete it.

On a phone

• Locate the file you want to delete.
• Tap the three dots (···) next to the file.
• Select Remove.
• (Optional) Open the menu (☰), go to Trash, and tap Empty Trash or Delete Forever for a specific file.

Additional Ways To Organize Your Google Drive Account

Organizing your Google Drive is all about creating visual cues and maintaining a system that’s easy to navigate. Here are some best practices to keep your digital files in check:

1. Create Sub-Folders

If your top-level folders are getting crowded, break them down into smaller subfolders. For example, if you were a photographer, you might have a folder called Photography, with sub-folders called “Wedding Photography,” “Boudoir Photography,” and “Engagement Sessions”.

(To create sub-folders, simply follow the same steps as outlined in the How to Create A Folder In Google section above.)

2. Add Colors to Folders

Adding color to your folders is a great way to differentiate between categories at a glance. For example, you might assign 🟢 green to financial documents, 🔵 blue to marketing materials, and 🔴 red to important files. Her’s how to color code your folders on a computer:

• Right-click a folder
• Select Change color
• Choose a color from the options

Unfortunately, this feature isn’t available on phones.

3. Renaming Files or Folders for Clarity

You wan to avoid clutter and confusion by renaming files with clear and descriptive names. For example, instead of “Doc1,” try “2025 Marketing Strategy.” Here’s how to rename a file:

On a computer

• Right-click on the file or folder
• Select Rename
• Type the new name
• Press Enter

On a phone

• Tap the three-dot menu next to the file or folder
• choose Rename
• Enter the new name.

4. Star Important Files

For quick access to essential documents, you can use the star feature. Here’s how to do that on a computer:

• Right-click a file or folder
• Select Add to Starred.
• These files will appear in the Starred section of your left sidebar, saving you a lot of time searching.

5. Eliminate Duplicate Files

Duplicate files can eat up your storage space. You can use Google Drive’s search bar to find files with similar names, then delete or consolidate duplicates.

How to Share a File or Folder In Google Drive

The best part about using Google Drive is that you can easily share your photos and files with others. Here’s how to do it:

On a computer

• Right-click the file or folder you want to share and select Share from the menu.
• Enter the email addresses of the people you want to share the file with.
• Choose the permission level:
  • Viewer: They can only view the file.
  • Commenter: They can add comments but not make edits.
  • Editor: They can make changes to the file.
• Click Send to share the file or Copy link to send the link manually.

On a phone

• Tap the three-dot menu next to the file or folder you want to share.
• Select Share from the options.
• Enter the email addresses of the recipients or select Copy link to manually share the link.
• Set the permission level (Viewer, Commenter, or Editor) and tap Send.

Restricting Access to Files

Did you know that you can also set expiration dates on your files? If you’re sharing a file for a limited time, such as a proposal or an event agenda, you can set an expiration date. After this date, the recipient will no longer have access to the file. To do it, you’ll go through the normal sharing steps listed, but before you click send, complete the following steps:

• After adding the collaborator, click the pencil icon (or drop-down) next to their name in the sharing settings.
• Select Give temporary access or look for the clock icon.
• Enter the expiration date. The file will automatically become inaccessible to that person after the specified date.
• Click Save or Done to confirm the settings.

You can also restrict downloads, printing and copying! If you’re sharing a sensitive file like a contract or a confidential report, you can disable options for others to download, print, or copy the file. This ensures that the file remains secure. To do it, you’ll go through the normal sharing steps listed, but before you click send, complete the following steps:

• Go to the gear icon in the sharing settings
• Uncheck the options for downloading, printing, and copying.

Advanced Sharing Methods

Did you know that Google also offers advanced sharing options that let you customize how others interact with your files? All you have to do it modify the file’s sharing URL! Let me explain what I mean:

• Force a Copy: You can add /copy to the end of the URL. When someone opens the link, they will be prompted to make a copy of the file in their own Google Drive. This is great for sharing templates or documents you don’t want others to edit directly. I use this often in my online business when I want to share a template I made with Google Docs or Google Sheets!
• View Only or Editable Links: You can also add /edit or /view to control whether someone can edit or just view the file. For example, if you want someone to collaborate on a document, share the link with /edit. If they only need to read it, use /view.

How to Manage ‘Shared With Me’ Files

If someone shares a file with you, you can easily access those in the ‘Shared with Me’ section of Google Drive. This is where all files and folders shared by others are stored, making them easy to find without cluttering your own Drive. To keep things even more organized, you can add shortcuts to your ‘My Drive’ for frequently accessed shared files.

Keep in mind, the original file stays in the owner’s Drive, so if they change permissions, your access could be affected.

Wrapping Up

Google Drive is more than just a virtual space for storing files. With its powerful tools for organization, sharing, and collaboration, it’s an essential tool for anyone managing digital files or running a business. I hope these tips help you save time, stay organized, and make the most of your cloud storage.