In this article

Using Google Vault
Using third-party cloud backup tools
Backup to external drive
Backup to another Google Drive
Using Drive for desktop
Using Google Takeout
FAQs

How to Back up Google Drive: A Complete Guide

5 Nov 2023

5 min read

Anju George

Blog Articles

Article at a glance

Google Drive lacks comprehensive backup options, putting critical business data at risk of permanent loss.

• Limited native backup options: Google Vault is designed for archiving, not backup; deleted user accounts result in permanent data loss. • Manual backups are unreliable: Methods like external hard drives, Google Drive for desktop, and Google Takeout require manual effort, have limited restoration options, and don't retain sharing permissions.

What is the solution?

SysCloud offers automated, continuous backups for Google Drive, ensuring secure, hassle-free recovery of files, folders, and permissions—protecting against accidental deletions, data corruption, and compliance risks.

Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage services with over 2 billion monthly active users. Widespread adoption of Google Drive also means there is an increased risk of data loss due to a variety of reasons.

Given that Google is not responsible for backing up your data (Google Workspace terms of service), it is your responsibility to ensure that Google Drive data is backed up regularly.

This article will be your one-stop destination for the different ways in which you can back up Google Drive, along with the pros and cons associated with each method. Choose the one that’s most convenient for you!

I. Google Drive backup tools for business users

Here are two ways in which business users can back up their Google Drive data.

Set retention rules using Google Vault

Back up Google Drive using third-party cloud backup tools

1. How to backup Google Drive data using Google Vault

1.1. What is Google Vault?

Google Vault is an archiving tool that retains user data stored in Google Workspace regardless of end-user actions, including permanent deletions.

Note: Google Vault is only available to those subscribed to Google Workspace Business or Enterprise plan.

Though Google Vault was not intended to be a backup solution, it can be used to retain your Drive files for an unlimited period. This will act as a backup in situations where you permanently lose data from the Drive.

Retention holds organizational data stored in your Google Workspace apps, including Drive, for as long as necessary, even after a user permanently deletes it from their Google Workspace account. Therefore, this archived data serves the purpose of a backup.

To know more about the differences between backup and archiving solutions, read this article.

1.2. How to set a retention rule for your Google Drive files using Google Vault

Step 1: Log in to Google Vault using Google Workspace admin credentials. Click on the “Retention” module at the top of the page to create a retention rule.

how to backup google drive using vault: retention

Step 2: Under “Default Rules,” click on the “Drive” option to edit its retention rule.

backup google drive using vault: select drive

Step 3: Set the retention time as “Indefinitely” from the drop down, then click “Save.”

how to backup google drive using vault: set retention

Google Vault will now retain all your Google Drive data indefinitely and you can export the files whenever you need it.

1.3. Pros of backing up Google Drive data using Google Vault

Requires no installation
Keeps data for a long time in an unlimited storage

1.4. Cons of backing up Google Drive data using Google Vault

Google Vault is designed to be an archiving tool, not a backup solution. You cannot use it to quickly restore your data in the event of a data loss.
If a Google account is deleted, then the data associated with that account will also be permanently deleted.
Google Vault is available as part of Google Workspace's Business and Enterprise editions, which are more expensive than standard plans.

2. How to backup Google Drive using a third-party cloud backup tool

Since Google Vault is not designed for the purpose of backup and restore, it has serious limitations as a backup tool. Whereas, third-party cloud backup applications which are tailor-made for backup and restore are reliable options when it comes to backing up your Google Drive data.

2.1. Why you should back up Google Drive using third-party cloud backup tools

Instant backup: Take a backup in no time, even for large teams.
Automatic backup: Take regular backups at a set frequency, so that you don’t miss out any important files.
Incremental backup: Avoid duplication of data by taking a backup of only the changes made to a document since the last backup.
Better storage space management: Set retention periods and exclusions to avoid backing up unnecessary files.
Regular activity reports: Get granular reports of all admin and end-user activities.

Third-party cloud backup applications like SysCloud are reliable options to back up and restore your Google Drive data effortlessly. SysCloud uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide a fully automated cloud-to-cloud backup and restore.

2.2. How to back up Google Drive using SysCloud

Step 1: After logging into your SysCloud account, click on “Create backup job.”

Step 2: Name the backup job and give it a description (optional). Click “Next.”

Step 3: To connect your Google Workspace account to SysCloud, navigate to “Google Workspace” and click “Connect.” (Click here for the detailed steps) You will then get a message saying it is connected. Click “Next.”

Step 4: Click “Select” under Scope. Here you can select the domains, OUs, and users to include in the backup job. Simply navigate to the desired tab and click the checkbox next to the domain, user, or group.

Step 5: Click the edit icon (pencil icon) under “Apps” to define the apps you want to back up. By default, everything is selected; deselect anything you do not want backed up, and make sure “Google Drive” is selected. Click on “Confirm.”

If you want the items retained only for a certain period, uncheck the box under “Retention period” and specify the number of days, months or years for which you want the items retained.

You can also choose to exclude certain file types or file sizes. Click the pencil icon beside the app name under “Exclusions” and specify the desired exclusions.

Step 6: Click on “Start backup.” You can review the progress of the backup in the backup archives.

2.3 Pros of backing up Google Drive using SysCloud

Effortless cloud backup: Automated backup for new users in the domain, back up multiple domains in the same account, run automated backup upto 3 times a day, initiate on-demand backup instantly
Easy recovery: Restore with folder-structure and sharing permissions intact, cross-user restore, export emails in .pst or MBox formats
Proactive security: Ransomware detection for data being backed up, secure cloud backup on AWS with 99.99% uptime guarantee, 256 bit AES encryption to guarantee data privacy and confidentiality, FERPA, HIPAA, and PCI compliant
Comprehensive admin controls: Real-time dashboard with insights into backup and restore health status, ransomware threats, and activity logs; configure backup settings at a domain-level, user-level, and organizational unit level; end-user self service; automatically exclude suspended and deleted user from billing

II. Google Drive backup for individual users

Here are four ways in which individual users can back up their Google Drive data.

Back up Google Drive to an external hard drive

Back up Google Drive to another Google Drive

Backup and Sync Client by Google

Backup using Google Takeout

3. How to backup Google Drive to an external hard drive

This is a completely manual approach to backup. Just download your Google Drive files and copy it to an external hard drive.

Step 1: Login to your Google Workspace account and open Drive.
Step 2: Hold Ctrl+A to select all the files or select the ones you want to back up. Click “Download.”

backup google drive to external hard drive

The downloaded files will be in .zip format. Preserve this copy in a safe location (for instance, you can copy the files to an external drive) and extract the files whenever you need it.

3.1. Pros of backing up Google Drive to an external hard drive

Requires no software
Offline access to your files

3.2. Cons of backing up Google Drive to an external hard drive

Manual work.
Since it’s completely manual, there is a high possibility that you might forget to download new or updated files.
In case of a data loss incident, restoring files to the Drive is going to be a tedious process, since you have to manually upload all the files to the Drive.
Sharing permissions are not retained.

4. How to back up Google Drive to another Google Drive

One way to back up your Google Drive files to another Drive is to manually download the files (following the steps mentioned in the previous section) and upload them to the second Google Drive account to which you want to back up your data.

If you want to copy files from one Google Drive to another without downloading and re-uploading them, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: Open the Google Drive account from which you want to copy files. Select all the files you want to back up. Right click and select the “Share” option.

Step 2: Add the second Google account to which you want to back up the files. Click "Send” or “Share” depending on whether “Notify people” checkbox is selected.

Step 3: Select the same files once again and click the “Share” option. Now, click on the drop-down arrow next to your second Google account and select “Transfer ownership.” A pop-up box will appear asking for permission. Click “Yes.”

transfer ownership to secondary google account

Step 4: Open the second Google Drive account and go to Gmail. You will find a new email with all the shared files attached. Click on the “Add all to Drive” option. You can view the newly added files in your second Google Drive account.

4.1. Pros of backing up Google Drive to another Google Drive

Requires no software
Since the backup is cloud-based, you can access your data from anywhere, on any device, as long as you have internet access.

4.2. Cons of backing up Google Drive to another Google Drive

Since it’s completely manual, one might forget to add new or updated files.
This method transfers the ownership of the files to the second Google account. You can still access the files unless the owner of the second account decides to remove you.

Note: You can also use Google Takeout to transfer files from one Google Drive to another.

5. How to backup Google Drive data using Google Drive for desktop

5.1. What is Google Drive for desktop?

The desktop version of Google Drive lets users sync their desktop with their Google Drive. This way, all the data stored in the Drive will be available on the local desktop and vice versa.

Using Drive for desktop, users can easily download Google Drive data to their desktop, rather than manually downloading each file. The Drive for desktop app downloads the Drive files and shared folders to your desktop without affecting the sharing permissions.

Step 1: Download the Drive for Desktop application. Click here to download the app.

Step 2: Once the installation is done, launch the application and sign in using your Google account.

Once you sign in, you will be taken to the section “Sync with Google Drive”. This section gives options to sync the files on your desktop to Google Drive. Since we are using the Drive for desktop app as a tool to easily download the files in Google Drive to the desktop, skip this section. The next section “Back up to Google Photos” can also be skipped.

Step 3: To set up the sync settings for the app, go to the hidden icons in the taskbar and select Drive for desktop, then select the settings icon and “Preferences.”

You will land on the section “Google Drive”. This is where you choose the Google Drive folders that need to be synced.

Step 4: Navigate to “Google Drive” and select the sync option you want. “Stream files” will keep your Google Drive’s “My Drive” files in the cloud, but you can choose which data you want to be made available offline. “Mirror files” will have copies of your file both in Google Drive and take up space in your computer.

Now all your Google Drive files will be available in the "My Drive” folder on your desktop. But this is not enough. The files are in sync with the Drive, therefore, any deletion in the Drive will reflect on the desktop too.

Step 5: Copy all the files from “My Drive” and save them in another folder or another device.

Note: Activating the Drive for desktop application will create a newly formed Google Drive in your computer (which is virtual or takes space on your computer depending on what option you choose in Step 4) and will have your Drive data in a file called “My Drive.”

5.2. Pros of backing up Google Drive using Drive for desktop

Fully automated: Any new file added to the Drive will be automatically saved on your desktop as well. Similarly, any edits made in the Drive files will be reflected in the files on your desktop.
Double-sided backup: You can not only save your cloud data on your desktop but also customize it to automatically save your desktop data on the cloud, making it available from any device. (For this, you need to navigate to “My Laptop” in step 4.)

5.3. Cons of backing up Google Drive using Drive for desktop

Google Drive for desktop is primarily a synchronization tool, not a dedicated backup solution. It mirrors the contents of your Google Drive to your local machine, meaning if files are deleted from the cloud, they will also be deleted from the local sync folder. Therefore, you still need to save important files somewhere else.
Google Drive for desktop is primarily a synchronization tool, not a dedicated backup solution. It mirrors the contents of your Google Drive to your local machine, meaning if files are deleted from the cloud, they will also be deleted from the local sync folder. Therefore, you still need to save important files somewhere else.
If the system crashes or if there is a malware attack, the backup is lost forever.

6. How to back up Google Drive using Google Takeout

You can back up Google Drive by exporting your Drive files using Google Takeout and storing it on your computer or any other external device.

To learn more about Google Takeout, read our in-depth article, How to Use Google Takeout for Business: A Complete Guide.

Follow these steps to back up Google Drive using Google Takeout.

Step 1: Log in to Google Takeout using your Google credentials.
Step 2: Choose Drive from the list of all Google products, and click “Next step.”

google drive backup using google takeout

Step 3: Choose the file type you would like the data to be sent as, the frequency you would like this action to happen (for example, if you would like your Google Drive data to be exported every two months), and the destination you would like your data to be sent to.

how to backup google drive using takeout: choose export settings

Note:

When choosing a delivery method for your data, you can choose from having the files emailed to you or sent to a sync service (if you use one) like Dropbox or OneDrive.

Depending on the size of your data, Google may send you multiple emails with different sizes of files. You can choose to have these files sent as a .zip file or a .tgz (tar) file. The main difference between the two options is that a .zip file compresses every file independently in the archive, but a .tgz file compresses the archive as a whole.

Step 4: Click on “Create export.” You can see the export in progress.

backup google drive using google takeout: export progress

Note: The time taken will depend on the amount of data stored in the Drive.

You will receive an email in a few minutes, hours, or a couple of days ( depending on the size of the files you are downloading) informing you that your Google Drive data is ready to be downloaded. You have to download the data within one week after receiving the email.

Step 5: Click the “Download your files” button in the email, and you will now have a .zip file or .tgz file (depending on what you chose) on your computer, with all your Google Drive data.

Note: You can also use this method to transfer files to another Google Drive account. For this, extract the data from the .zip or .tgz file. Open the Google Drive account to which you want to upload the data. Click +New-> File/Folder upload. Browse to the location of the downloaded files and upload them to the Drive.

6.1. Pros of backing up Google Drive files using Google Takeout

Supports all Google Services
Ability to send copied data directly to other clouds or download them to your computer

6.2. Cons of backing up Google Drive files using Google Takeout

You cannot download documents created by someone else. It won’t download the Shared folder for backup, even if there are files inside the folder created by you.
Recovery is going to be a tedious process: In case a situation comes where you have to recover all your Google Drive data, chances are that you’ll find different file types distributed across multiple .zip files. You will have to manually sort these and put them in order.

Learn more about why Google Takeout should not be used as a backup alternative.

Note: Google Takeout is known to have technical issues. In 2020, there was an incident where some videos in Google Photos were mistakenly exported to unrelated users’ archives.

So far, we have discussed the different ways to back up your Google Drive data. But, backing up your Google Drive is just one step in securing your business data. At the end of the day, the reason you back up your data is to quickly recover it in case of a data loss event.

To know the different ways in which you can do this, read our in-depth article, How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from Google Drive?.

7. Frequently asked questions on Google Drive backup

1) Is Google Drive safe for business?

Google takes the security of Google Drive very seriously. Google actively works to keep your online information safe by offering the following security measures:

Two-factor authentication
SSL encryption
Strong TLS standard encryption
Encrypted keys

While Google Drive offers these security measures, businesses should also take additional steps to protect their data:

Regularly update access permissions: Review who has access to your files and folders in Google Drive and adjust permissions as needed to ensure only the right people have access.
Train employees: Educate your team on best practices for data security, including recognizing phishing attempts and managing sensitive information.
Advanced Protection Program: Consider enrolling in Google's Advanced Protection Program for high-risk users, like IT administrators and executives.
Data backup: Use third-party cloud backup solutions like SysCloud to ensure you have a backup of your data in case of accidental deletions or other data loss incidents.

2) Does Google Vault back up Google Drive?

No, Google Vault doesn’t back up Google Drive. It is an information governance and eDiscovery tool for Google Workspace users. While it can retain, hold, search, and export data, it should not be used as a backup alternative. Click here to learn more about the differences between Google Vault and a permanent backup solution.

3) Can I download my entire Google Drive?

Yes, you can download your entire Google Drive content using Google Takeout which allows you to export and download your data from the Google products you use, including Google Drive. Learn how

4) Can I back up Google Drive to OneDrive?

Yes, you can back up your Google Drive files to OneDrive. There are several methods to do this, including Google Takeout or manual transfer.

To back up Google Drive to OneDrive using Google Takeout, you need to choose the “Add to OneDrive” option in the dropdown menu under “Destination” (See step 3 of How to backup Google Drive using Google Takeout)

You can also download Google Drive files to your computer using Google Takeout or manual method (see How to backup Google Drive to an external drive) and then manually upload these files to your OneDrive. Note that this process can be time-consuming depending on the size of data you need to back up.