Google Drive for Slack

Install the Google Drive app to create, share and access Google Drive files right from your Slack workspace.

Note: Files that are added from the Google Drive app can be searched for in Slack, but they won’t be stored in your workspace. They’ll continue to be stored in Google Drive.

Install the Google Drive app to Slack

To use the Google Drive app in Slack, one person needs to install the app to your workspace. Once the app is installed, any member can connect their Google account to Slack.

1. From your desktop, visit the Google Drive page in the Slack Marketplace.
2. Click Add to Slack.
3. Click Add Google Drive app.
4. Select Allow.
5. Click Authenticate your Google Drive account.
6. Select the Google account that you want to connect to Slack.
7. Click Allow.

Tip: Org owners and admins on Enterprise Grid can install Google Drive at the org level and add the app to workspaces that need access to it from the admin dashboard.

Connect your Google Drive account

Every member who wants to use the Google Drive app must connect their Google Drive account to Slack. If you find that your account is already connected, your owners or admins have domain-wide authentication enabled, which means that your Google account will be connected automatically.

1. From your desktop, hover over   More, then click on   Automations.
2. Select  Apps from the top of the left sidebar, then search for and select Google Drive to open the app.
3. From the app’s Home tab, click on Connect Google Drive and follow the prompts.

Use Google Drive in Slack

Create a Google Drive file

1. From any conversation on your desktop, click on the  slash icon next to the message field.
2. Search for Google Drive, then choose whether you’d like to create a document, presentation or spreadsheet. 
3. Add a title to your file and a message if you’d like.
4. Below Share this document, click the drop-down menu to select a person or channel to share the file with. If you’re not ready to share the file yet, untick the box next to Share this document.
5. Click Create.

Share a Google Drive file

1. From any conversation on your desktop, click on the  slash icon next to the message field.
2. Search for and select Add from Google Drive.
3. Choose a file, then click on Select to share it.

Tip: You’ll see a prompt in Slack to adjust file permissions if some members don’t have access to edit, view or add comments to the Google Drive file that you’ve shared.

View and reply to comments

If someone adds a comment to a file that you created or shared, you’ll be notified by the Google Drive app in Slack. Follow these steps to reply to a comment:

1. Hover over   More, then click on   Automations.
2. Select  Apps from the top of the left sidebar, then search for and select Google Drive to open the app.
3. Click on the Messages tab at the top of the screen.
4. Hover over a comment and click on  Start a thread.
5. Type a reply in the message field and send the message to add your comment to the file.

Manage Google Drive notifications

When you connect your Google Drive account to Slack, you’ll automatically receive notifications from the app when someone comments on one of your files, requests access to a file or shares a file with you. You can enable or disable Google Drive app notifications at any time.

Enable or disable notifications for all files

1. Hover over   More, then click on   Automations.
2. Select  Apps from the top of the left sidebar, then search for and select Google Drive to open the app.
3. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen.
4. In the Notifications section, click on Turn on or Turn off.

Manage notifications for specific files

If you like, you can choose which updates you’ll receive in Slack for a specific Google Drive file:

1. Open the file in Google Drive.
2. Click the Comments icon in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Notifications, then select which updates you want to receive.

Manage Google Drive file previews

When you connect your Google Drive account to Slack, the files will automatically be shared with a rich preview. You can enable or disable Google Drive file previews at any time.

Enable or disable file previews

1. Hover over   More, then click on   Automations.
2. Select  Apps from the top of the left sidebar, then search for and select Google Drive to open the app.
3. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen.
4. In the File previews section, click on Turn on or Turn off.

Disconnect your account

If you no longer want to use Google Drive in Slack, you can disconnect your account at any time. This will not uninstall the app from your workspace.

1. Hover over   More, then click on   Automations.
2. Select  Apps from the top of the left sidebar, then search for and select Google Drive to open the app.
3. Click the Home tab at the top of the screen.
4. Click on Disconnect Google Drive.

Note: If your organisation uses domain-wide authentication, you can disconnect your Google Drive, but you won't be able to disconnect your Google account from Slack.