How to Backup Google Drive to an External Hard Drive on Mac

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Google Drive is a popular cloud storage service that allows users to store files online and access them from anywhere. However, there may be situations where you might want to back up your Google Drive data to an external hard drive for security, offline use, or organizational purposes. This article will walk you through the detailed process of backing up your Google Drive to an external hard drive on a Mac computer.

Why backup Google Drive to an external hard drive?

First, it's important to understand why you would want to back up your Google Drive to an external hard drive. Here are some common reasons:

• Offline access: Keeping backups on an external hard drive allows you to access your files even without an internet connection.
• Security: In case of any problems with your Google account, having a physical backup ensures that your data is safe.
• Data redundancy: Maintaining multiple backups ensures that you won’t lose your data even if one backup solution fails.
• Organization: Backing up your data to an external drive can help you organize your files differently than Google Drive's structure.

Prerequisites

To start the backup process, make sure you have the following:

• A Mac computer.
• An external hard drive with ample storage space.
• An active Google account with access to Google Drive.

Step-by-step guide

Follow these steps to back up your Google Drive to your external hard drive:

Step 1: Install Google Backup & Sync

Google provides a tool called 'Backup and Sync' that allows you to download Google Drive files to your computer and keep them synchronized. Here's how you can install it:

1. Open your web browser and go to the Google Drive download page.
2. Click 'Downloads' under the 'Backup and Sync' section.
3. Once downloaded, find the installer file (usually in your Downloads folder) and double-click on it to start the installation.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Backup and Sync on your Mac.

Step 2: Set up Backup and Sync

After you install Backup and Sync, you'll need to set it up to sync your Google Drive files to your Mac:

1. Open the 'Backup and Sync' application.
2. Sign in with your Google Account credentials.
3. Select the folders from Google Drive that you want to sync to your Mac. You can choose 'Sync everything in my Drive' or select individual folders.
4. Specify the location on your Mac where you want to store these files. You can use the default location or choose a custom folder.

Step 3: Connect your external hard drive

Now that your Google Drive files are syncing to your Mac, the next step is to connect your external hard drive and back up these files:

1. Use a USB cable to connect your external hard drive to your Mac.
2. Make sure your external hard drive is formatted to be readable by Mac OS.
3. If necessary, quickly check the available storage on your hard drive to make sure it can accommodate your Google Drive data.

Step 4: Copy the files to the external hard drive

Once your files are synced and your external hard drive is connected, follow these steps to copy the files:

1. Open 'Finder' on your Mac and go to the location where your Google Drive files are stored.
2. Select the folders and files you want to back up. You can do this by pressing Cmd + A to select all files.
3. Drag these files to your external hard drive's icon on the Finder sidebar, or open the hard drive in another Finder window and drag the files there.
4. Wait for the transfer process to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of your data.

Alternative Method: Using Google Takeout

Another way to back up Google Drive data is to use Google Takeout. Google Takeout allows you to download all your data from Google services at once, including Google Drive:

1. Go to Google Takeout and sign in if necessary.
2. Select 'Deselect All' and then scroll down to find 'Drives' and select it.
3. Scroll down and click on 'Next Step.'
4. Choose your preferred delivery method, archive frequency, and file type.
5. Click 'Create Export'.
6. When your export is ready, download the archive file.
7. Unzip the downloaded archive and copy its contents to your external hard drive.

Troubleshooting tips

If you encounter any problems during the backup process, consider the following troubleshooting suggestions:

• Insufficient space: Make sure your external hard drive has enough space for the backup. Delete unnecessary files if necessary.
• File naming conflicts: If you receive errors about file names being too long or containing invalid characters, rename the files before moving them.
• Connection issues: Make sure your external hard drive is properly connected. If the Mac doesn't recognize it, try connecting it again.
• Slow transfer speed: Transfer speeds can vary. Make sure you're using a high-quality USB cable and interface (such as USB 3.0) for faster data transfer.

Conclusion

Backing up your Google Drive to an external hard drive on Mac is a straightforward process that can provide peace of mind and added data security. Using tools like Google Backup and Sync or Google Takeout, you can easily download and store your data offline. This backup process not only protects your data but also ensures accessibility without an internet connection.

By following the steps and updating your backup, you can efficiently manage your Google Drive data and protect it from potential loss. Remember to update your backup periodically to reflect the latest changes to your files and folders.

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