Try Google Drive As a Progressive Web App
Google Drive is now available as a Progressive Web App (PWA) for desktop and mobile, giving users an alternative to running the service in their regular browsers. PWAs look and feel like stripped down apps, although they mostly live in a stripped down version of your browser. They are like the middle ground between apps and websites; while they still require an internet connection to open and run, they take up less space than apps and are often much faster to navigate than loading the entire browser (and its many tabs).
You can install Drive PWA right now on Windows 10, macOS, and Chrome OS using the Chrome browser, although Windows 10 users can also install the app through Edge Chromium.
- Open Google Drive from the Chrome tab.
- Once in your Drive, click the + sign in the URL bar next to the bookmark star icon.
- A pop-up window appears asking if you want to install the Disk app. Click Install.
- A new Disk application window appears with the same interface as the website version. Shortcuts will also be added to your desktop.
Android users can install the mobile version of Drive PWA by going to Drive in the mobile Chrome browser and clicking the hamburger icon and then “add to desktop”, but we recommend just sticking to the stock Android app instead. (Easier to use)
Unlike other PWAs, which usually run entirely in their own window, certain files in Drive open in the Chrome tab rather than in the app (this happens on both desktops and mobile devices). So you’re using something like a PWA, but it’s still useful if you’re always dealing with Google Drive.