How to Change Google Drive Folder Location

If you use the Google Drive desktop app on Windows or macOS, your files are stored in a default folder (usually inside your user folder). Over time, this can fill up your system drive or you may simply prefer to keep your Drive on a larger or external drive. This guide shows you how to change the Google Drive folder location safely, without losing or re-uploading your files.

What You’ll Need

Administrator access to your computer (to move files and change settings).
The Google Drive desktop app installed and signed in.
Enough free space on the destination drive to hold your current Google Drive data.
A stable internet connection (the app will need to re-sync after the move).

Step-by-Step

Quit Google Drive completely. Right-click the Google Drive icon in the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS) and choose Settings (gear icon) > Quit. On Windows, also check Task Manager to ensure no Google Drive processes are running.
Locate your current Google Drive folder. By default, it is at C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Google Drive on Windows, or /Users/[YourUsername]/Google Drive on macOS.
Move the folder to the new location. Using File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS), cut and paste the entire Google Drive folder to the new drive or location. For example, D:\Google Drive or /Volumes/External/Google Drive. Wait for the move to complete. Do not interrupt this process.
Open Google Drive settings. Launch the Google Drive app. You will likely see a message that your Drive folder is missing. Click the gear icon in the top-right of the app window and select Preferences.
Change the folder location. In the Preferences window, go to the My Mac or My Computer tab (depending on your OS). Click Change location (Windows) or Disconnect account (macOS) – on macOS, you’ll need to disconnect and then reconnect to choose a new folder.
Select the new folder. Browse to the folder you just moved (e.g., D:\Google Drive). Select it and click OK or Choose.
Confirm and sync. Google Drive will ask if you want to use this folder. Confirm, and the app will start syncing. It should recognize the existing files and only download/upload changes, not re-download everything.

Common Mistakes

Not quitting the app completely: If Google Drive is still running, moving the folder can cause errors or file corruption.
Copying instead of moving: If you copy the folder and leave the original, you’ll have two copies and may confuse the app. Always move (cut/paste) the folder.
Choosing a folder that already contains files: The new location must be empty or a brand-new folder. If it has other files, Google Drive may not sync correctly.
Using a network drive or USB drive that disconnects: Google Drive does not support network drives (like NAS) or removable drives that unmount. Use an internal or permanently connected external drive.
Interrupting the move: Large folders take time. If you cancel, you may end up with a partial folder.

Tips

Use a folder name without spaces (e.g., GoogleDrive) to avoid any path issues, though spaces work fine in most cases.
Ensure the destination drive is formatted as NTFS (Windows) or APFS/HFS+ (macOS) – not FAT32, which has a 4GB file size limit.
If you use “Stream files” mode (files are online-only), moving the folder is much faster because the local cache is small.
After the move, check that your files are accessible by opening a few files from the new location.
Consider changing the default location before setting up a new computer – it’s easier than moving later.

Troubleshooting

“Folder not found” error: The app can’t find the folder. Double-check the path you selected. Make sure you moved the folder to that exact location and that it’s not inside another folder.
Files are re-downloading from scratch: This can happen if you copied instead of moved, or if the folder structure changed. Let it finish; it may take a while. To avoid this, always move the folder while the app is off.
Sync stuck at “Preparing” or “Loading”: Restart the app. If it persists, pause and resume sync from the tray icon. If still stuck, restart your computer.
Permission issues on Windows: Right-click the new folder, go to Properties > Security, and ensure your user account has “Full control”.
macOS won’t let you select the new folder: If the folder is on an external drive, make sure the drive is mounted and not encrypted. Also, check that you have read/write permissions on the drive.
App keeps asking to sign in again: On macOS, changing the location often requires disconnecting your account. Sign back in and select the new folder when prompted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the Google Drive folder location without moving my files?

No. You must physically move the folder to the new location first, then point the app to it. The app does not move files for you.

Will I lose any data if I change the folder location?

No, as long as you move the folder correctly and don’t delete anything. Your files are still synced to the cloud, so even if something goes wrong, you can re-download them from drive.google.com.

Can I use an external hard drive for Google Drive?

Yes, but it must be permanently connected. If the drive disconnects, Google Drive will show an error and may stop syncing. It’s not recommended for laptops that are often unplugged.

Does changing the location affect my cloud files?

No. Your cloud files remain untouched. Only the local copy location changes.

I use “Mirror files” mode. Will the move take a long time?

If you have many files, yes. The move is just a file operation, but it can take minutes to hours depending on the size and speed of your drives. Using “Stream files” mode makes the move almost instant.

What if I want to move back to the original location later?

Repeat the same steps: quit the app, move the folder back, and change the location in settings.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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