Google Drive, by itself, isn’t the most organized. With thousands of files and folders spanning years, I had a hard time trying to use it productively. After installing a few third-party tools, I am able to transform my Google Drive into a clutter-free, easily accessible cloud storage system that syncs with other apps like Gmail.
Content
- ZIP Extractor: Effortlessly Open ZIP and RAR Files
- Cloud Drive to Mail: Connect Gmail With Drive
- Filerev: Clean Up Google Drive Like a Pro
- Checker Plus for Google Drive: For External Control of Drive Files
- Save to Google Drive: Save Anything on the Fly
- Workona: Sync Your Work With Google Drive
ZIP Extractor: Effortlessly Open ZIP and RAR Files
I use Google Drive to back up my favorite software, WhatsApp chats, photos, and videos. However, opening ZIP and RAR files through it is a nightmare. The worst part is dealing with hundreds of individual files in a RAR folder. When you try to open them directly from Drive, you often get an empty folder.
Fortunately, ZIP Extractor comes to the rescue. You only have to connect it to your Google account once and you will be able to click Open ZIP from Google Drive that allows you to view the files directly on a browser tab. I always save them to an extraction location on Drive by creating a temporary folder, which is easy to delete after viewing or editing the files. This keeps the main folder tidy.
In addition to extracting RAR and ZIP folders, you can also compress files using ZIP Extractor. Simply select as many files as you want, either manually or using the Shift and Ctrl keys, and add them to a ZIP for saving in Drive.
Related: check these other apps that extract ZIP and RAR files in Google Drive.
Cloud Drive to Mail: Connect Gmail With Drive
It’s surprising that Google Drive lacks a button or prominent Gmail icon for quick email delivery. Yes, there’s a tiny Share window, but it doesn’t feel like a proper mail compose editor. The only option is to download the file from Google Drive to your PC or phone, then add it as an attachment. I almost faint thinking about all the times I had to do this.
Instead, you can use the handy application called Cloud Drive to Mail. After installing, you can directly open any file with this mail editor. You can add multiple attachments, CC several people, and even send yourself an email copy. It may look a bit old-fashioned with no rich text editor support, but it really gets the job done.
Related: Check out this trick which lets you see the number of files in a Google Drive folder.
Filerev: Clean Up Google Drive Like a Pro
If you want a quick overview of your Google Drive account, you’ll be impressed by the insights Filerev offers. With a single scan, it reveals all the documents and images buried deep inside your folders. I mainly use it to find and delete duplicate files that pile up over time. You can also use it to clean up hidden files, large files, very old files, and empty folders.
The free plan of Filerev provides 1 scan per month, which is more than enough for my personal usage. It allows me to scan up to 1 million items and make 500 moves and deletions. If you’re a heavy Drive user, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan starting at $48/year. The added features allow you to view files directly in Google Drive, delete them in bulk, and scan specifically based on folders.
Explore: find out the best ways to use Google Drive to maximize productivity.
Checker Plus for Google Drive: For External Control of Drive Files
Every time you need access to a Google Drive file, you usually have to open the application in a separate browser tab, which wastes precious seconds. But there’s a way to skip this boring step. With Checker Plus for Google Drive, I am able to directly view, delete, or download any file stored in my cloud account.
Moreover, if you’re collaborating with multiple users, Checker Plus sends you live desktop notifications when your document is being edited in real time. This kind of one-click access is unique among Google Drive extensions. You can also view revision histories and ensure the file is always visible from any browser window, no matter what you’re doing. However, it would be nice to have a feature that allows you to drop any Drive attachment directly into Gmail.
Save to Google Drive: Save Anything on the Fly
Did you find something interesting while browsing? You can pin it, use a bookmark manager like Raindrop, or download it to your device. But wouldn’t it be nice to just transfer it to an online storage folder for easy review and access later?
As the name suggests, Save to Google Drive is a proper application to transfer anything and everything to your Drive folders. You can change the destination of these downloads as per your convenience. I’ve created a temporary folder specifically for receiving files from this extension. This helps me track those downloads easily.
Also, if you want to save an image from any Chrome tab, you don’t need to restart the tabs or launch Google Drive separately. Just right-click on the image, and it will have an option, Save image to Google Drive, and it will be directly transferred to your folder. This is one of the best free tools I’ve used with my Google account as it saves me a lot of time.
Also read: Sync multiple Google Drive accounts using th trese methods,
Workona: Sync Your Work With Google Drive
Many people use Google apps for their work, but it doesn’t suit me very well. For one, everything is browser-oriented. Plus, it doesn’t feel as well-integrated as Microsoft 365, which allows me to work seamlessly with Outlook, OneDrive, and apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I used to wonder why I couldn’t use Google Drive as effectively, and I finally found the answer: the lack of tab linking.
Suppose you’re working on a Google Docs document and need data from other Docs, Google Sheets, or Slides. The obvious solution is to keep multiple tabs open. However, they’re not really connected to each other. You can manage a few, but with too many tabs open, it’s easy to lose focus.
Workona lets you visualize all your tabs as part of a single workspace. You can add multiple sub-tabs, move them around as you like, and create a central workflow where all your images, documents, spreadsheets, and slides come together in a proper Google Drive location. The app is free to use for personal projects but there are limits and restrictions on spaces. With a paid plan starting at $7/month, you can use unlimited work spaces, and connect to Slack.
Google Drive offers some useful features like returning search results by approximate file name. But many other features don’t feel very intuitive or well-designed. That is why these third-party applications make it more organized and give you more options to do things the right way. If you’re unable to upload any files to Google Drive, and it’s not a storage issue, check out these instant fixes.
Image Credit: Closeup on personal Google drive folders magnified with magnifying glass by DepositPhotos. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.
Sayak Boral –
Staff Writer
Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.
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