Access and manage your files in Google at IU

On this page:

Overview
Determine whether you're storing institutional files
Choose how to access your files
- Access and manage your files from a web browser
- Access and manage your files from the file explorer

Overview

You have many options for accessing files stored in Google at IU Shared Drives and in Google at IU My Drive. The particular method that will work best for you may depend on your workflow and on the device you are using to access files.

Important:

Shared storage in Google is available only as an option for departments that wish to pay for continued storage in Google.
Due to limits to IU's storage footprint in the Google platform, all individual Google My Drives now have a 5 GB quota.

Determine whether you're storing institutional files

If you're unsure whether you're storing individual or institutional files, ask yourself:

If you were to change positions or leave Indiana University tomorrow, would your department or colleagues need these files to continue their work? If so, they are institutional files.
Are any of these files classified as Public data, University-Internal data, Restricted data (such as grades), or Critical data (such as PHI)? If so, they are institutional files.

Examples of institutional files may include research data, course files (such as lesson plans, assignment outlines, syllabi, etc. that are not stored within Canvas), training manuals, or files associated with IU committees, labs, and student groups, etc. Most faculty and staff store institutional files.

Individual files, on the other hand, are personally created files, such as resumes, personal meeting notes, or presentations.

Important:

If you are storing institutional files, see the Institutional storage request form unless your local UITS support person has already set this up for you. You may request an institutional storage account that only you can access, if desired.

Choose how to access your files

Access and manage your files from a web browser

Add and edit files from Google at IU My Drive in a web browser

Log into google.iu.edu.
Select Drive, and then Go to Drive.
If you are directed to an account other than your Google at IU account, select the circle at the top right, then choose your Google at IU account. For more, see Manage multiple Google accounts at IU.

You should now be able to see your files under "My Drive."

Add and edit files from Google at IU Shared Drives in a web browser

Log into google.iu.edu.
Select Drive, and then Go to Drive.
If you are directed to an account other than your Google at IU account, select the circle at the top right, then choose your Google at IU account. For more, see Manage multiple Google accounts at IU.
To view your shared drives, select Shared Drives on the left.

Access and manage your files from the file explorer

Before you begin, install (if needed) and log into Google Drive for desktop; for detailed instructions, see About Google Drive for desktop.

Add and edit files from the file explorer using Drive for desktop

To open, edit, and add files, open the file explorer on your device and navigate to the Drive for desktop drive (it will show up as a lettered drive). From within that drive, to access Google My Drive files, select or double-click My Drive. To access shared drives, select or double-click Shared drives.