Google Drive guide
Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.
- Web
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
Short answer
On a computer, go to drive.google.com, click New, then File upload or Folder upload, and pick what to send. You can also drag files straight into the Drive window. On a phone, open the Drive app, tap New or Add, then Upload or File upload.
It counts against your storage: every file you upload uses space in your own Google Account, even when you put it in a folder someone else owns.
Below: the four ways to upload, the size limits, and what happens when a file with the same name is already there.
Four ways to put files in Google Drive
To upload files to Google Drive, pick the way that matches where the files are. The first two work in any browser, the third suits a computer you use every day, and the last covers phones.
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In a browser on a computer
Click New and choose File upload or Folder upload
Go to drive.google.com and open the folder you want the files in. Click New at the top left, then File upload for single files or Folder upload for a whole folder. Pick the files, and a progress box appears at the bottom right.
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Or drag files into the Drive window
Open a folder at drive.google.com, then drag files or folders from your desktop or file manager into the browser window. Drop them when the window highlights. The same progress box shows each file as it finishes.
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With Drive for desktop
Drop files into the Google Drive folder on your computer
Install Drive for desktop and sign in. A Google Drive folder appears in File Explorer on Windows or Finder on a Mac. Anything you drag into it uploads by itself, and changes you make later sync back to Drive.
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On a phone
On Android, tap New and then Upload
Open the Google Drive app and tap New, the button with a +. Tap Upload, then tap the files you want. They land in My Drive until you move them.
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On iPhone, tap Add and then File upload
Open the Google Drive app and tap Add, then File upload. Tap the files, then Location to choose a folder and File Name to rename one. Tap Upload to send them.
A common mix: holiday photos go up from the phone app, a folder of scanned documents is dragged in from the computer, and the work folder syncs on its own through Drive for desktop.
Use the browser for one-off uploads and Drive for desktop for the folders you add to every week.
More about Google Drive
Google’s file storage, with Docs, Sheets and Slides built in.
Upload stuck or refused? What to check
- Drive says your storage is full
Gmail, Google Photos and Drive share one storage pool. Free up space in any of them, or add space with a Google One plan. Accounts made since 9 March 2026 get 5 GB until a phone number is verified, then 15 GB.
- A file with the same name was already in the folder
Drive offers to keep it as a new version of the existing file. Choose Keep both files if you want two separate copies instead.
- The phone upload only runs on Wi‑Fi
On Android, open the Drive app’s Settings, then Data usage, and allow transfers over mobile data. On iPhone, check that the Drive app is allowed to use mobile data in the phone’s settings.
- A very large file will not upload
A single file can be up to 5 TB. Larger uploads are usually stopped by a slow or interrupted connection, so try again on a stable network or use Drive for desktop, which resumes on its own.
Which upload method fits
All four methods end in the same place. The difference is how much work each one saves you when you upload again.
| Method | Best for | Keeps syncing afterwards? |
|---|---|---|
| New, then File upload | One or a few files | No |
| Drag and drop in the browser | Files already open on your screen | No |
| Drive for desktop | Folders you change often | Yes |
| The phone app | Photos and documents on your phone | No |
Drive for desktop is the only one that keeps working after the first upload. Edit a file in its folder and the new version reaches Drive on its own, which is why it suits a working folder better than a one-off upload.
How big a file Drive will take
Drive accepts single files of up to 5 TB, far more than most people ever upload. The limit you are likely to hit is your storage.
| Limit | |
|---|---|
| Any single file | Up to 5 TB |
| A document converted to Google Docs | 1.02 million characters, or 50 MB |
| A spreadsheet converted to Google Sheets | 20 million cells, or 100 MB |
| A presentation converted to Google Slides | 100 MB |
| Your whole account, free | 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos |
Files you upload without converting them, such as a PDF or a Word file, only count towards the 5 TB and your storage. The smaller limits apply when you turn a file into a Google Docs, Sheets or Slides file.
Where the file ends up
A file goes into whichever folder was open when you uploaded it, or into My Drive from a phone unless you choose a location. Look for it under Recent in the left-hand menu if you cannot see it straight away.
Upload into the right folder first time; moving dozens of files later takes longer than the upload did.
Your files are in Drive
The upload is the easy part. What matters next is that the files are in a folder you will find again and that your storage has room for more.
Pick the method that matches where the files are, upload into a named folder, and keep an eye on your storage. If space runs short, the free storage you get depends on your account, as the Gmail account guide explains.
Uploading to Drive, common questions
- Is uploading to Google Drive free?
- Yes, within your free storage. A Google Account has 15 GB shared with Gmail and Google Photos; new accounts start with 5 GB until a phone number is verified.
- Does uploading a file into a shared folder use my storage?
- Yes. A file you upload counts against your own storage, even when the folder belongs to someone else.
- Can I upload a whole folder at once?
- Yes. Use Folder upload in the New menu in a browser, or drag the folder into Drive. The folder structure is kept.
- What kinds of files can I upload?
- Almost any: documents, photos, audio, video and other files. Office files can also be opened and edited with Docs, Sheets and Slides.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 14 days ago
When you need this
If you want a file from your computer or phone on another device, or ready to share with someone, upload it to Google Drive.
- Describes
- drive.google.com in a desktop browser · Google Drive for desktop on Windows and Mac · Google Drive app for Android and iPhone
- Takes
- A minute to start; the upload time depends on file size and connection
- Platforms
- Web · Windows · macOS · Android · iOS
- Published
- 8 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 7 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Marta Kowalczyk
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
- Marta Kowalczyk: the Mac steps on a MacBook Air (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Galaxy A55 (Android 16).
Google Drive 
Notion