Open Microsoft Office files stored on Google Drive with a Google-created plug-in. From within your Office app, open a file on Google Drive, make your changes, then save the file back to Google Drive. Simply install the Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft Office, and Google Drive will display as a file storage location in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint ( Figure A). People who use Office on Windows may open Office files from Google Drive with a plug-in. The most full-featured way to edit a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file stored on Google Drive is with Microsoft Office, of course. Here’s a look at the options as of August 2015. Edit capabilities vary by operating system. Google also offers several ways to edit Microsoft Office files stored on Google Drive. LEARN MORE: Office 365 Consumer pricing and features And Google encrypts the files when you upload them to Drive, and it stores the files in an encrypted state, too.

Google Drive stores Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files much like any file server. Microsoft Office files, however, no longer need to be stored on your local computer, server, or even on Microsoft’s OneDrive. As a result, people still open and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents after a move to Google Apps.

Mass conversion of highly formatted documents, complex spreadsheets, or animated presentations may not always be practical. Many organizations that rely on Google Apps also use Microsoft Office applications. TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download Top TechRepublic Academy training courses and software offerings of 2022 For more info, visit our Terms of Use page. This may influence how and where their products appear on our site, but vendors cannot pay to influence the content of our reviews. We may be compensated by vendors who appear on this page through methods such as affiliate links or sponsored partnerships. How to edit Microsoft Office documents stored on Google DriveĪndy Wolber shows you how to edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents stored on Google Drive from your desktop or mobile device.

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