New Google Drive app for Windows and Mac streamlines file syncs

In order to better manage files for home users and business needs, Google is introducing the new Drive app, which is expected to merge and replace the functionality of the Drive File Stream and Outbound Backup and Sync apps.

In one recent blog postGoogle explained that the new Drive app is designed to be a unified client that lets you share and sync your files quickly and easily across all your devices and in the cloud. In recent years, home users have relied on the Backup & Sync app to sync and download files (which replaced the previous Drive app back in 2017/2018), while businesses relied on the Drive File Stream app to manage business storage needs.

Now Google is looking to streamline its storage solutions with the new Drive app, which will replace both its existing home and business apps with a single software, supporting both Windows PCs and Macs.

Google says the new Drive will incorporate all of the best features of its previous solutions, including the ability to upload and sync photos and videos to Google Photos and / or Google Drive, sync external storage devices with cloud data and mirror content between the cloud. and your local devices, so all potentially important files will be faster and easier to access.

The new Drive app will even come with new support for shared folders in Google Drive, which was not previously available in the Backup & Sync app. There would also be some sort of scheduling integration between the Google Drive app and Google Meet and Microsoft Outlook.

Notably, it appears that Google is hoping to switch users from its old apps to the new Drive app fairly quickly, with Google claiming that it will start popping up alerts asking Backup & Sync users to switch to the Drive app “in the coming weeks, ”with Google recommending users to switch completely by September.

After September, Google says Backup & Sync users will receive a notification that they will need to transition the Drive app in order to continue syncing files, as the Backup & Sync app is scheduled to stop working on October 1.

While having to switch between apps is always a bit boring, with the new Drive app integrating the functionality of two apps in one, the transition shouldn’t be too heavy and might even help people free up. space on their taskbars and docks. Meanwhile, business users can see more detailed information about what this transition means for them. here.

Google says the transition to the new Drive app will begin next week starting July 19, with ongoing prompts and notifications sent to Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream users throughout the summer.