Google Drive supports choosing files for offline editing

Starting this week, Google will support individual downloading and editing of files in Google Drive with its office software Docs, Sheets and Presentations. Until now it was only possible to make all files available offline.

The function works via the overflow button, the button with the three dots, after which a switch appears with the text Available Offline. When that switch is on, users can open, edit, and save the file without an internet connection. Google will then sync the changes when the computer is back online. The feature to make all Drive files available offline via the browser has been around since late 2013.

Last week, Google Drive got a new feature to choose what users do and don’t want to sync with the PC. This concerns files outside of Google’s office software, such as large zip files or any backups. The data remains in Drive, but is then no longer available on the PC.

Both functions can be used immediately, although they may not have appeared at the same time for everyone. In that case, according to Google, it will take a few days at most before the functions are available.