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Google Wants You to Use Its New Drive for Desktop App

Backup and Sync users have until October to switch

By Joshua Hawkins Joshua Hawkins Freelance Technology Reporter Full Sail University Josh Hawkins is a freelance writer for Lifewire who loves writing about the latest tech and gadgets that help make people’s lives easier. As an avid gamer and VR enthusiast, he also enjoys diving deep into the technology that helps bring those kinds of experiences to life. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 13, 2021 11:55AM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Google is now warning users to make the transition to Drive for Desktop before Backup and Sync stops working later this year. Google initially launched Drive for Desktop back in February, setting it up to replace both Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream. While the latter has already been completely sunset, according to Android Central, Google has finally announced plans to shutter Backup and Sync on October 1. This gives users just a few short months to make the transition to the new app. Google Drive for Desktop is meant to act as a complete replacement for the systems already supported in Backup and Sync and File Stream, while bringing both the personal and business-focused components of Google Drive. This is part of an ongoing push by Google to pull a lot of its apps together into a more unified experience—something we’ve also seen with the push for Google Workspace. Google also shared a timeline for the transition to Drive for Desktop. Starting on July 19, Backup and Sync users will be able to make use of a guided flow system that Google says should make the transition to the new application easier. On August 18, Backup and Sync users will start to receive in-product notifications about the transition. Finally, on October 1, Google says it will disable all ability to sign into Backup and Sync. To continue using Drive or Google Photos, users will need to complete the transition to Drive for Desktop. Google Drive for Desktop will be available for all Google Workspace users, including G Suite Basic and Business customers, as well as those with personal Google Accounts. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Is Google One? 31 Best Free Backup Software Tools (October 2022) 17 Best Free Cloud Storage Services for Backup in 2022 Dropbox vs. Google Drive How to Sync Chrome Bookmarks How to Use an iPad With an Android Phone 21 Best Cloud Backup Services Reviewed (October 2022) How to Back Up Your Android Phone to a PC SugarSync Review (Updated for October 2022) Set Up and Use Google Drive on Your Mac The 8 Best Commercial Backup Software Programs of 2022 How to Copy Folders in Google Drive How to Use Maps on the Apple Watch How to Download and Watch Google Drive Movies How to Use a Chromebook Offline How to Back up Your Mac to an External Hard Drive With Time Machine Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies