Overview
This guide explains how to transfer your USC Google Drive files, which you may want to do if:
- You need to transfer files to a department's Google shared Drive for collaboration and sharing
- You need more file storage than Google Drive allows (100 GB), and want to switch to Microsoft OneDrive (250 GB)
- You need to transfer files to a department's Microsoft SharePoint site for collaboration and sharing, and more storage (Microsoft SharePoint sites start at 250 GB, with requests for additional storage reviewed on a case by case basis)
This guide focuses on how to perform these transfers using your browser. If you have Google Drive for desktop installed, we also link to our guide for performing the transfer on your computer using File Explorer or Finder instead.
Transferring files from Google Drive to a Google shared Drive
If your department or team uses a Google shared Drive, you can transfer files from your own Google Drive to the shared Drive. The advantages are that:
- Files stored in a shared Drive are counted toward the shared Drive's storage limit rather than your own Google Drive storage limit (100 GB limit)
- Files stored in a shared Drive are "owned" by the shared Drive, so file access is not impacted if the file creator later departs USC and their account can no longer be accessed
You can use your browser to transfer files to a shared Google Drive:
Quick guide
- Go to https://usc.edu/googledrive and locate the file or folder you want to transfer.
- Right-click the file and select Organize > Move.
- Click the All locations tab.
- Select Shared drives.
- Navigate to the location in the shared Drive where you want to transfer the file, and click Move.
- Click Move to confirm.
Detailed guide (with screenshots)
- Go to https://usc.edu/googledrive and locate the file or folder you want to transfer.
- Right-click the file and select Organize > Move.
- Click the All locations tab.
- Select Shared drives.
- Navigate to the location in the shared Drive where you want to transfer the file, and click Move.
- Click Move to confirm.
Transferring files from Google Drive to Microsoft OneDrive
Method 1: On your computer, use Google Drive for desktop and Microsoft OneDrive to move files
This method is recommended if you already have Google Drive for desktop installed on your computer:
Method 2: Use a browser to download your Google Drive files and upload them to Microsoft OneDrive
If you prefer not to install Google Drive for desktop and Microsoft OneDrive on your computer, or you only need to transfer a few files, you can use your browser to perform the transfer:
Quick guide
- Connect your computer to Ethernet or USC Secure Wireless. These options tend to be faster than other options such as USC Guest Wireless.
- First, go to https://usc.edu/googledrive. Download each file or folder that you want to transfer.
- Next, go to https://usc.edu/onedrive.
- In the left menu, select My files.
- Upload the files or folders that you just downloaded from Google Drive.
Detailed guide (with screenshots)
- Connect your computer to Ethernet or USC Secure Wireless. These options tend to be faster than other options such as USC Guest Wireless.
- First, go to https://usc.edu/googledrive. Download each file or folder that you want to transfer.
- Next, go to https://usc.edu/onedrive.
- In the left menu, select My files.
- Upload the files or folders that you just downloaded from Google Drive.
Transferring files from Google Drive to Microsoft SharePoint
Method 1: On your computer, use Google Drive for desktop and Microsoft OneDrive to move files
This method is recommended if you already have Google Drive for desktop installed on your computer:
Method 2: Use a browser to download your Google Drive files and upload them to Microsoft SharePoint
If you prefer not to install Google Drive for desktop and Microsoft OneDrive on your computer, or you only need to transfer a few files, you can use your browser to perform the transfer:
Quick guide
- Connect your computer to Ethernet or USC Secure Wireless. These options tend to be faster than other options such as USC Guest Wireless.
- First, go to https://usc.edu/googledrive. Download each file or folder that you want to transfer.
- Next, go to https://usc.edu/sharepoint.
- Select the SharePoint site.
- In the left menu, select Site contents.
- Select the Documents folder.
- Upload the files or folders that you just downloaded from Google Drive.
Detailed guide (with screenshots)
- Connect your computer to Ethernet or USC Secure Wireless. These options tend to be faster than other options such as USC Guest Wireless.
- First, go to https://usc.edu/googledrive. Download each file or folder that you want to transfer.
- Next, go to https://usc.edu/sharepoint.
- Select the SharePoint site.
- In the left menu, select Site contents.
- Select the Documents folder.
- Upload the files or folders that you just downloaded from Google Drive.