Downloading and printing files from Google Drive
Once you've created a file, it will be accessible whenever you sign in to Google Drive. However, there may be times when you want to
download
or
print
a file for
offline access
.
To download a file:
-
Locate and right-click the file you want to download, then select
Download
.
-
The file will be downloaded to your computer.
To choose a file format:
By default, Google Drive will choose the most common file format whenever you download a file. For example, if you download a Google Document, it will automatically be saved as a
.docx
file, which is used by Microsoft Word and most other word processors. However, there may be times when you want to choose a different format, such as PDF.
-
Double-click the desired file to open it.
-
The file will appear in a new tab. Select
File
Download as
, then choose the desired file type. In this example, we'll choose
PDF
Document (.pdf)
.
-
The file will be downloaded to your computer in the desired file type.
To print a file:
-
Double-click the desired file to open it.
-
Select
File
Print
.
-
The Print dialog box will appear, along with a
preview
of your file on the right. Choose the desired options, then click
Print
.
Note that these options will vary depending on the type of file you're printing. For example, you'll have different options for printing a spreadsheet than you would for printing a presentation.
Challenge!
-
Open our
example file
. Make sure you're signed in to Google, then click
File
>
Make a copy
.
-
Download the file as a
PDF
.
-
If your device is connected to a printer, try
printing
the file.