The Ultimate Guide to G Drive: Connect, Share, and Export with FileZilla Pro

Managing your Drive Google files doesn’t have to be limited to a web browser. With FileZilla Pro, you can treat your G Drive like a local hard drive, enabling fast transfers, advanced file sharing, and custom document exporting.

This guide provides a complete overview of how to master your Google Drive integration.

1. How to Connect to Your G Drive

To start transferring files to Drive Google, you first need to establish a secure connection.

  1. Open Site Manager: Click on File > Site Manager (or Ctrl+S).

  2. Create New Site: Click New Site and name it “My G Drive.”

  3. Select Protocol: Choose Google Drive from the Protocol drop-down menu.

  4. Authenticate: Click Connect. FileZilla Pro will open a secure window in your default browser.

  5. Authorize: Log in to your Google account and grant FileZilla Pro permission to access your files.

    • Pro Tip: If you use a Master Password in FileZilla Pro, your access token is saved securely so you won’t need to log in via browser every time.

Once connected, you will see three main directories:

  • My Drive: Your personal files.

  • Shared with Me: Files others have shared with you.

  • Shared Drives: Enterprise or Team drives (if applicable to your Workspace account).

2. Advanced Sharing Directly from FileZilla Pro

You don’t need to leave the app to manage permissions on G Drive. You can share files or entire folders directly from the remote pane.

  1. Select & Right-Click: Choose the file or folder on your Drive Google and select Share.

  2. Add Permissions: Click the + button to add a new user or group.

  3. Set Roles: Choose the access level:

    • Owner: Full control (only for users).

    • Edit: Grantee can modify files.

    • View/Comment: Restricted access for reviewers.

  4. Notify: You can add a custom message that Google will email to the recipients automatically.

3. Mastering Google Documents Download (Exporting)

One common issue with G Drive is that Google-native files (Docs, Sheets, Slides) don’t exist as standard files (like .docx or .pdf). FileZilla Pro solves this by letting you choose your preferred export format.

Set Global Export Preferences:

Go to Edit > Settings > Google Drive export. Here you can set the default format for every download:

  • Microsoft Office: .docx, .xlsx, .pptx

  • OpenDocument: .odt, .ods, .odp

  • Portable Document Format: .pdf

  • Text/CSV: .txt or .csv for data-heavy sheets.

Individual “Export As”:

If you only need a specific file in a different format (e.g., a spreadsheet as a PDF), right-click the file in the remote pane and select Export As. This allows you to override your global settings for that specific transfer.

Why use FileZilla Pro for G Drive?

While the standard web interface is fine for a few files, FileZilla Pro is built for power users. Whether you are migrating thousands of files to Drive Google, managing complex permissions, or needing to bulk-download Workspace docs in Office formats, FileZilla Pro provides the speed and reliability that a browser cannot match.

The video tutorial below shows how to connect to G Drive, share G Drive files and download Google Document.

Video tutorial: All-in-one Google Drive

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