Google Drive Sync: Are Your Local Files Mirrored? (Insights for How to Find Shared Files)

Understanding Google Drive Sync: Mirroring Your Local Files

Google Drive for Desktop is an indispensable tool for managing your files across devices and the cloud. While this insight focuses on personal file syncing, understanding how Google Drive manages files is crucial for all aspects, including how to find shared files in Google Drive. A common point of confusion arises when users try to back up local folders from their computer to Google Drive. Many wonder if their files are being 'streamed' or 'mirrored' – especially when the familiar options aren't visible. Let's clarify this.

The User's Dilemma: Syncing Local Folders to Google Drive

A recent query in the Google support forum highlighted this very issue. A user wanted to back up specific folders from their D: Drive to Google Drive using the 'My Laptop' option in Google Drive for Windows preferences. Their goal was to mirror the files, ensuring both an offline and an online copy, without space restrictions. The confusion stemmed from the fact that, unlike the 'Folders from Drive' option, the 'My Laptop' setting didn't present a clear choice between 'stream' or 'mirror'.

Preferences -> My Laptop -> Choose folder to sync

The user observed a new drive named 'Google Drive' appearing, where the synced files were stored, but lacked the explicit option to select mirroring.

Expert Clarification: Local Files Are Mirrored by Default

A Google Drive expert provided a clear explanation:

"When we sync files on the desktop with Google Drive, streaming or mirroring becomes irrelevant because the files are already in local storage. The program will mirror the local files to the cloud storage."

This means that when you select folders from your computer (e.g., your D: Drive) using the 'My Laptop' section in Google Drive for Desktop preferences, the application automatically mirrors these files to your Google Drive cloud storage. Since the files originate on your local machine, they are by definition already 'offline' copies. Google Drive for Desktop's function in this scenario is to create and maintain identical 'online' copies in the cloud.

Key Takeaways for Syncing Local Folders:

• Automatic Mirroring: When syncing local folders from your computer (via 'My Laptop' option), Google Drive for Desktop automatically mirrors these files to the cloud. You don't need to select a 'mirror' option because it's the default and only logical behavior for local backups.
• 'Stream' vs. 'Mirror' Context: The 'stream' or 'mirror' choice is primarily relevant when you are syncing folders from Google Drive (the cloud) to your computer. In that case, you decide if you want cloud files to be available offline (mirror) or only on demand (stream).
• Offline & Online Copies: By syncing local folders using the 'My Laptop' option, you inherently achieve your goal of having both an offline (your original local files) and an online (the mirrored copies in Google Drive) version.

How Google Drive for Desktop Works for Your Files

Google Drive for Desktop essentially handles two main directions of synchronization:

1. From Your Computer to Google Drive (My Laptop): This is for backing up and syncing your local folders. Files are mirrored to the cloud.
2. From Google Drive to Your Computer (My Drive): This is for accessing your cloud files locally. Here, you choose to 'stream' (files are online-only, accessed on demand) or 'mirror' (files are downloaded and kept offline).

Conclusion

If you're using Google Drive for Desktop to back up folders from your computer to the cloud, rest assured that your files are being mirrored. The 'My Laptop' sync option is designed to create and maintain an online copy of your local data, effectively giving you both offline and online access without needing to explicitly choose a 'mirror' option. This simplifies the process, ensuring your valuable local files are safely backed up and accessible in your Google Drive, just as you manage all your other files, including how to see shared files in Google Drive.