How to Use Google Drive on Ubuntu 24.04 & 22.04

If you use Google Drive on a laptop, you usually want your files inside Files (Nautilus)—not a separate “install” step. Google does not publish a Drive for desktop app on Linux (official help). On Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04, the built-in path is Settings → Online Accounts → Google, then enable Files for that account and open My Drive from the sidebar.

That workflow streams files on demand. It is not the same as the Windows client’s offline folder sync. If you need offline copies, automated transfers, or 26.04 support, use rclone or Insync as described in When Online Accounts is not enough.

Before you begin

Confirm you are on 24.04 or 22.04 with the GNOME desktop—check Ubuntu version if you are unsure. Server images without a graphical session cannot use Online Accounts. For a headless system, use the rclone workflow in our Google Drive on Ubuntu 26.04 guide instead.

You need a Google account and a browser for sign-in. A normal Ubuntu Desktop install already includes Online Accounts; you only install extra packages on a minimal GNOME setup (see Quick answer).

Quick answer

Open Settings → Online Accounts → Google, complete sign-in, return to Online Accounts, and make sure Files is enabled for your Google account. Then open Files and choose your Google account in the sidebar to browse My Drive.

On a minimal GNOME install that lacks Online Accounts, refresh indexes and install the GVfs Google backend:

sudo apt update

Install Online Accounts and the GVfs Google backend:

sudo apt install gnome-online-accounts gvfs-backends

Does Google Drive have an official Ubuntu app?

No. Google does not ship Drive for desktop on Linux. On 24.04 and 22.04 you access Drive through GNOME Files after linking Google in Online Accounts—there is no google-drive package to install from Google. Tutorials titled “install Google Drive on Ubuntu” usually mean connect or mount, not an official app.

Does Google Drive sync files locally on Ubuntu?

Not the way the Windows or macOS Drive client does. GNOME Online Accounts does not create a normal ~/Google Drive folder full of offline copies. Drive appears as a remote location inside Files—open a file and it downloads when needed; delete or save in Files and the change applies in the cloud.

GNOME Online Accounts also does not guarantee a full offline mirror of everything in Drive. For comparison with Dropbox on Ubuntu, Dropbox’s desktop app keeps a real synchronized folder on disk. Online Accounts is closer to browsing a network share.

If you need a normal path for scripts, terminal jobs, or offline synchronization, use rclone or another sync client—see Google Drive on Ubuntu 26.04 for mount and copy workflows.

Calendar, Mail, or Contacts can connect without Files enabled—if Files is off under Online Accounts, the account may look connected while My Drive never appears in the sidebar.

Access Google Drive from Files

Open Online Accounts

From the GNOME shell, open Settings and choose Online Accounts in the sidebar. If the panel is missing, install the packages in Quick answer and reopen Settings.

Choose Google from the provider list (or Add account if you already use other online accounts).

Add your Google account

Click Google. Your browser opens for Google sign-in; complete login and authorize GNOME to access your account as prompted. When you return to Settings, your Google account should appear under Online Accounts.

Make sure Files is enabled

Select your Google account in Online Accounts and confirm the Files switch is on. Ubuntu and GNOME expose Drive here—not as a separate “Files” checkbox on Google’s web consent screen, which can change over time. If Files is disabled, My Drive will not show in Nautilus even though Mail or Calendar still work.

The Files row should stay on after you finish sign-in.

Open Google Drive in Files

Open Files. Your Google account appears in the sidebar (often under cloud or network locations)—open it and select My Drive. Folders and files load on demand; large transfers may feel slower than a local disk.

You should see your account in the sidebar and My Drive beneath it—not a separate Google Drive folder under Home.

After a reboot, check Settings → Online Accounts to confirm Google stays connected. If the sidebar entry disappears, open Online Accounts → Google, verify Files is still enabled, and reopen Files. Remove and reconnect the account only if My Drive still does not appear.

When Online Accounts is not enough

You do not need rclone just to browse Drive in Files on 24.04 or 22.04. Use rclone if you need scripting, offline copies, or 26.04 support, where Online Accounts no longer mounts Drive.

Disconnect Google Drive

Settings → Online Accounts → Google → Remove disconnects GNOME from Google. Revoke the app under Google Account permissions if you want to invalidate tokens on Google’s side.

Removing the account does not delete files in Drive. Local copies you made elsewhere stay on disk until you delete them.

Troubleshooting

Summary

Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 let you add Google Drive to Files through Settings → Online Accounts → Google, with Files enabled for that account. My Drive then appears in the sidebar and streams on demand—it is not a full offline sync product like Google’s Windows client.

Before you upgrade to 26.04, plan a replacement: GNOME no longer mounts Drive in Files on that release. For rclone mounts on current LTS, see Google Drive on Ubuntu 26.04. If you need offline synchronization on Jammy or Noble, use Insync or rclone; otherwise Online Accounts is enough for everyday browsing.

References

• Google Drive on your computer (official)
• GNOME Online Accounts
• Ubuntu 26.04 release notes — Google Drive removed from Files