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Is there any way to make multiple files or a whole folder available offline in Google Drive at the same time? For the offline folder it would be nice if there was some way when a document is synced to it then the document would be downloaded automatically, is this possible?

I'm currently having to select each file individually and make it available offline which is tedious.

If there isn't the possibility of doing the above in the official Google Drive application are there any other clients available for Android that would allow this?

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6 Answers 6

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Select all files (automatically using the menu option), then slide the "make available offline" switch. It will keep all the selection on device.

You can select a folder but Google will refuse to "make available offline". Instead go into the folder and select any number of files for syncing, and the parent folder will of course also now be created.

Finally there is an option to automatically make recent files offline, but I don't know whether those files are then permanently made available, or only for a couple of weeks for example.

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  • 2
    this works, but you must not have selected folders. Otherwise there is no pin icon.
    – Vitas
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 21:28
  • howtogeek.com/227032/…
    – Michal Cizmazia
    Commented Sep 30, 2016 at 2:09
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    Finally there is an option to automatically make recent files offline where can I find this option?
    – orschiro
    Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 5:27
  • @orschiro Go to Google Drive, the click Settings>General>Offline
    – Elijah Murray
    Commented Nov 17, 2019 at 15:41
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I just had the same problem. According to this feature request, the feature is indeed not implemented in the current version of the Google Drive Android App.

Apparently FolderSync does allow this (the free version works as well). You'll need to add Google Drive as a sync account, and then create a new "Folderpair", that allows you to pair a local folder to a remote folder from Google Drive. Each Folderpair is full of options on how and when to sync between the two folders (including in which direction this should happen, etc.). The UI is not super slick but it does the job.

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As UncleZeiv rightly said, the Google Drive app does not support multiple file selection for sharing or other purposes, but there is a simple workaround. Open drive.google.com in your browser, and if prompted, open it in your browser, NOT in Drive app. If it opens in the drive app, then you need to clear this default in Settings (Android Settings, not your browser or drive settings)--> Applications or something similar, and clear defaults for drive. At drive.google.com, you can select multiple files.

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  • This does not seem to be valid anymore.
    – Vitas
    Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 21:28
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In the current version of the Google Drive app (Feb 2019), if you select several or all files within a folder, a bar appears at the bottom; the menu in this bar (at the bottom-right of the screen) contains the option for "Available offline" and it applies to all files selected. I think it even works for files selected from multiple folders.

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    This should be the accepted answer IMO. In my Android Drive App the bar is at the top. I can select multiple files (by long-pressing on the first one, then tap any others to select these as well). Then at the top where it says 3 items or however many, tap the vertical dots on the right and select Available offline. Note that this seems a bit flakey. If I have 24 files in a folder and all but 1 are avail. offline, then the Available offline menu option isn't shown. Needs some experimentation.
    – rossmcm
    Commented Apr 13, 2021 at 11:27
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    It took me a while to figure this out. When you select multiple files, they have to all have the same offline "state" or the "available offline" menu option isn't available. If I select only files that are not available offline, I have the option to "make available offline". If they are all already available offline I have the option to "unmake" them available. But if I select a file that is and a file that isn't available, then there is no option in the menu.
    – pixelearth
    Commented Sep 9, 2021 at 3:05
  • Comments can only be edited for 5 minutes so here is the image. See i.sstatic.net/LFCMZ.jpg this one should be the right answer. Of course in Android the interface is very different on different versions so your mileage may vary.
    – Ralph Yozzo
    Commented Dec 30, 2022 at 11:47
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Only because of this feature, I switched from Google Drive to Microsoft Onedrive which natively supports to make the folders offline across all the devices that includes Windows OS, MAC OS, Android, iOS & iPADOS. But please note that this option only available as Paid Service under monthly or yearly subscription.

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The feature of syncing folders (to be accessible offline) is supported by mega cloud.

You'll have to install the syncing app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ttxapps.megasync

The cloud website: https://mega.nz/fm

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