When you install Google Drive on your Windows PC, it creates a separate folder naming “Google Drive” on your user folder and creates a shortcut to WIndows Explorer Favorites menu. Any content you want to sync with Google Drive, you need to put it on the folder manually. For some of you, making Google Drive your default Documents folder might be necessary as you want your saved documents (those of Documents folder) automatically go to Google Drive to keep it in sync. At Google Product Forums, David shares how to do it which is applicable for Windows 7, not Windows 8, 8.1 or 1o.

Make Google Drive default Documents  location to Google Drive

As the location settings of Documents and other similar kind of folders are slightly different on Windows 8 and 10, I am showing you how to change the default Documents location to Google Drive or a sub folder of Google Drive.

Make Google Drive the Default Documents folder on Windows 8 or 10

  1. On Windows Explorer, from left-hand side, right-click on Documents folder and click Properties.
    Access Documents properties
  2. In the properties window, under Location tab, click on Move.
    Move Documents Location
  3. It will ask to select your destination. Select Google Drive folder from left side – from Favorites entries, and hit Select Folder(or you can choose any subfolder inside Google Drive).
    Select Destination
  4. Click OK for confirmation.
    Click OK
  5. Afterwards, it will ask you whether to move existing files of Documents folder to Google Drive or not. I recommend you move files by clicking on Yes.
    Copy documents to Google Drive
  6. You are done, settings Google Drive your default location of Documents folder.

This will make your documents save to Google Drive automatically whenever any program or you put or save any file to the Documents folder. This is useful for those who want to keep all files and folders of Documents to easily sync with Google Drive on Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.

How to Revert back

To restore the default Documents folder destination, again right-click on it and choose Move under Location tab, then choose the folder from C:\users\<username>\Documents.

Author: 

Jaber is a Programmer and Tech Enthusiast Geek from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is the founder and Chief-Editor of TechGainer. While he is away from his keyboard, either he's fishing or messing with wildlife. In case, you can contact him at rijans[at]techgainer[dot]com.