How do I open a word document directly in Google Drive?

People normally tend to choose services such as Microsoft word to create and edit documents offline, but sharing and editing the files online requires one to use Cloud storage services such as Google drive.

Saving your files in Google Drive provides easy access from anywhere and any device. One can also enjoy viewing, editing your documents from any place on any device, all you need to do is to know how one can upload the local files on a computer to the cloud storage. Here’s the guide to all:

How to open a word document directly on Google Drive using a PC?

This can be achieved in two ways. If you want you can install Google drive on your PC or simply head to chrome and log into your Google account and then navigate to https://drive.google.com.

Method 1: Opening a word document without using the app, using Chrome Extension

Step 1-Add Chrome Extension on your system “Save to Google Drive“. Simply click on Add to Chrome.

Step 2– Now, head over to your Google Doc document, and then tap on Google Drive Extension. After this, you need to login to your Google Drive Account.

Step 3– Your word file has successfully opened in Google Drive. Edit and Collaborate on the file, if you want to or ignore it if you don’t.

Method 2: Opening a word document directly in Google Drive using an app, involves the following steps

Step 1– Download and install the Google Drive app if you haven’t done it yet. After installation tap on the Drive icon on your screen to open it.

Step 2– Once you open Google Drive, the next step is to choose and select a word file you want to open. Tap on the three dots at then select Open with and then Google docs.

Step 3– Once done opening your word file in Google Drive, you can now edit it if you want to or ignore it if you don’t.

NOTE: If you allow Google Docs to realign your files in their identical domestic Google formats, Drive will not count them against your storage quota.

If you keep your files in their Word, Excel, or PowerPoint formats, Drive will count them against your total storage.

Now, you have successfully saved your word file in Google Drive. You can access it from any location and any device, be it; a computer, an Android phone, an iPhone/iPad, or a MacBook.

Read: How to change the Google Drive folder location

How to open a word document in Google Drive using an Android Phone?

People still prefer Microsoft Word to write documents but when it comes to editing and sharing, Google Drive is a better option. It also provides access to your documents from anywhere on any device.

Opening a word document in Google drive involves the following steps:

Step 1– Install the Google Drive app, if you haven’t already. Then, on your phone’s home screen, tap the Google Drive app icon to open it. 

Step 2– Once you open the Google Drive app, navigate to the folder on your phone.

Step 3– Double click on the Word document you want to open.

Step 4– If you want to make changes in the file you can do it easily by heading to the EDIT option. If not you can ignore the step.

Now you are done. Your Word document has successfully been viewed in Google Drive. You can access it from anywhere on any device.

Read How To Download Videos From Google Drive

How to open a word document using an iPhone?

People are preoccupied with the thought that an iPhone doesn’t provide necessary features compared to an android ( though it is true in most cases ) but, when it comes to Google Drive, it shares almost similar features with android. It may involve some steps contrary to the one for android but it works pretty well.

You can easily view, and edit your word documents in Google Drive using an iPhone in a few steps.

Here are step-by-step instructions which you may follow open a word document in Google Drive using an iPhone:

Step 1– Install the Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft Office from the play store.

Step 2– Once the installation of the Google Drive plug-in app is completed, Google Drive will display as a file storage location in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Step 3– From within your Microsoft Office app, open a file on Google Drive. You can simply view the file or make necessary changes to it according to your needs.

Step 4– Once you are done editing your document, save the file back to Google Drive.

Now, you are done opening your word file in Google drive. If you want you can edit or ignore it if you don’t. You can access your file from anywhere on any device.

Read How do I make Google Drive downloadable?

How to save a word document in Google drive using an iPad?

Operating on the same Operating system makes working on an iPhone and iPad quite similar. You can proceed, following similar steps for both. You can simply view or edit your word document by saving it in Google Drive.

By saving your word document in Google Drive, you can easily access it from anywhere on any device.

Here are the Step-by-step instructions which you may follow to save your word file in Google Drive and make it accessible from anywhere:

Step 1– Install the Google Drive app on your iPad if you haven’t done it yet. Then, on your phone’s home screen, tap the Google Drive app icon to open it. 

Step 2– Make a choice of the Word file you want to save in Google Drive. After choosing the file you wish to save in Google Drive, tap the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.

Step 3– As you tap the three dots on the upper right corner, you will see a list of options. Out of them tap on “Share & Export“.

Step 4– After clicking on “Share & Export“, you will find an option “Make a copy“, which will make a copy of an existing file and save it to Google Drive. To do so click on “Make a copy”.

You will have a copy of your word file in Google Drive in which you can make necessary changes, when required and can access it from anywhere through any device. You will also have the original file saved in Microsoft Word.

Read How to Link a Folder To Google Drive

How to save a word document in Google Drive using a MacBook?

Operating on IOS, working on a MacBook is not similar to working on windows. 

‘Will it provide necessary features?’, a question that crosses everyone’s mind when it comes to apple products. Though, indeed, Apple products do not provide ample features, using Google Drive on a MacBook is as easy as using it on Windows. You can view, edit and share your word documents in Google Drive to anyone, anywhere, and on any device. 

To save a word document in Google Drive using a MacBook, follow the steps given below:

Step 1– Download Backup and Sync on your MacBook.

Step 2– Now setup the app on your system and choose to backup all your files if required. Or else you can select a particular folder such as Download.

Step 3– All your files in the folder will now directly sync to your Google Drive.

Step 4– You can now directly view all your word documents on Google Drive once you open the app on your browser.

Your file is successfully saved in Google Drive and is now accessible from anywhere and from any device.

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