AnExplorer integrates with Google Drive as a native storage location. Once connected, your Google Drive folders appear in AnExplorer's sidebar alongside your phone storage, SD card, and any NAS or network shares. You can copy files between Google Drive and local storage, move files between Google Drive folders, and manage everything in one place.
How to Connect Google Drive
- Open AnExplorer
- Navigate to the Cloud screen, then tap +
- Select Google Drive
- AnExplorer opens an OAuth authorization page
- Sign in with your Google account (email + password)
- Authorize AnExplorer to access your Google Drive
- Your Google Drive appears as a bookmark in the AnExplorer sidebar
If you have multiple Google Drive accounts (personal + workspace), you can add both — each appears as a separate entry.
What You Can Do with Google Drive in AnExplorer
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Browse all Google Drive folders | Tap the Google Drive entry in sidebar |
| Download a file to phone | Long-press > Copy > navigate to local folder > Paste |
| Upload a file from phone | Copy the file from local storage > Paste into Google Drive folder |
| Move files within Google Drive | Long-press > Cut > navigate to destination > Paste |
| Delete from Google Drive | Long-press > Delete |
| Share a file link | Long-press > Share (opens Google Drive share dialog) |
| Create a new folder | Long-press in empty area > New Folder |
| Extract archive to Google Drive | Not directly — extract locally, then copy to Google Drive |
AnExplorer + Google Drive vs Google Drive App
| AnExplorer | Drive app | |
|---|---|---|
| Browse Google Drive files | ✅ | ✅ |
| Move between Google Drive folders | ✅ | ✅ |
| Copy from Google Drive to phone | ✅ | ✅ |
| Copy from Google Drive to NAS (single step) | ✅ | ❌ (two steps via phone) |
| Open archives (ZIP/RAR/7z) in Google Drive | ✅ | ❌ |
| View alongside local and NAS files | ✅ | ❌ |
| Offline access (sync) | ❌ | ✅ (Drive handles sync) |
| Selective sync | ❌ (streaming) | ✅ |
AnExplorer is best for manual file management, moving files between storage locations, and accessing archives. The Google Drive app is better for ongoing sync and offline access.
Common Workflows
Back up phone photos to Google Drive
- In AnExplorer, navigate to
/sdcard/DCIM/Camera/ - Long-press > Select All (or select specific photos)
- Copy
- Navigate to your Google Drive folder (e.g.,
Google Drive/Phone Backup/Year/) - Paste — files upload to Google Drive
Move Google Drive file to NAS (one operation)
If you also have a NAS connected in AnExplorer:
- Navigate to the file in Google Drive
- Long-press > Cut
- Navigate to NAS share
- Paste — the file moves from Google Drive to NAS directly
Without AnExplorer, this would require downloading to the phone first, then uploading to NAS.
Extract and upload a ZIP from Google Drive
- Navigate to the ZIP file in your Google Drive folder
- Tap to open it (AnExplorer shows contents)
- Copy individual files out to local storage
- Re-upload to a different Google Drive folder if needed
Google Drive Free vs Paid
| Plan | Storage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Drive (free) | 15 GB | generous free storage |
| Google One - 100 GB | 100 GB | entry level paid plan |
| Google One - 200 GB | 200 GB | standard paid plan |
| Google One - 2 TB | 2 TB | premium paid plan |
AnExplorer works with all Google Drive plans — the storage available is whatever your Google account has.
Troubleshooting
"Authorization failed" during sign-in:
- Check that you're signing in to the correct Google account
- Try disconnecting and reconnecting: long-press the Google Drive bookmark > Disconnect > re-add
Files take long to load:
- Google Drive API browsing is slower than local storage — large folders with hundreds of files may take several seconds to load
- AnExplorer doesn't cache Google Drive directory listings — each open is a fresh API call
Upload stuck or failing:
- Check your internet connection (Google Drive uploads require internet, unlike local transfers)
- Large files over mobile data can fail if the connection drops — use Wi-Fi for large uploads
- Check Google Drive storage isn't full (Google Drive free is 15 GB)