Google Drive for Desktop vs Backup and Sync [What Are the Differences]?

Google offers two primary solutions for maintaining organized and accessible files: Backup and Sync, and Google Drive for Desktop. These tools are designed to facilitate cloud storage and ensure your files remain synchronized across all your devices. Each has its distinct features. However, you might be wondering, "Is Google Drive going away?" To clarify, this article will delve into what these services do, how they differ, and which one is most suitable for your needs.

What Is Backup and Sync

Google Backup and Sync is a utility that enables you to conveniently and securely backup and synchronize your files between your computer and the cloud. This tool is particularly advantageous for businesses and individuals seeking to ensure the safety and easy accessibility of their data.

For instance, suppose you're a small business owner who wishes to guarantee that all your crucial documents, photographs, and videos are securely backed up and synchronized with a cloud service.

With Backup and Sync, you can effortlessly configure a backup of all your files and folders. This provides peace of mind knowing that your data is secure, even if your computer experiences a failure or gets stolen.

Moreover, Backup and Sync enable you to access and edit your files from any device, ensuring convenience and collaboration for you and your team while on the move, thus maintaining productivity.

What Is Google Drive for Desktop?

Google Drive for Desktop is a software that offers a centralized hub on your device for storing, sharing, and managing your digital files. The current iteration combines the functionalities of Drive File Stream and Backup and Sync.

Suppose you're a student frequently engaged in projects and research papers. With Google Drive for Desktop, it's convenient to download and access your Google Drive files even when you're offline. You can also utilize Google Drive for Desktop to create a mirror of your files and folders from your Google Drive account, synchronize them with your computer's desktop, and facilitate seamless sharing and collaboration with your classmates.

It's an invaluable resource for individuals who wish to access and edit their files offline while ensuring they remain synchronized with the cloud. It's like having a personal assistant that keeps a record of all your files and facilitates their effortless retrieval whenever and wherever you require them.

Google Drive for Desktop vs. Backup and Sync

Google provides several methods for storing and synchronizing files, including Google Drive for Desktop and Backup and Sync.

Translation:

Both are similar in many ways, but as of 2021, Google has merged Backup and Sync with Drive File Stream into a single application called Google Drive for Desktop.

Here's a comparison of the two in various aspects:

A Better Backup Option: Utilizing Professional Backup Software

However, you might encounter issues when using Google Drive for Desktop or Backup and Sync, such as the Google Backup and Sync not functioning, Google Drive File Stream not working, or Google Drive failing to sync. In such cases, attempting to synchronize files to the cloud might prove unsuccessful. Furthermore, Google Backup and Sync is no longer supported. In these situations, you can utilize professional backup software, like Todo Backup, to assist in backing up your data.

Todo Backup Home provides an all-encompassing solution for your backup requirements. With its robust functionality, it serves as an excellent alternative to Google Drive for Desktop and is a ideal substitute for the discontinued Google Backup and Sync. Key features encompass efficient and secure backup and recovery, system backup and restoration, disk and partition backup and recovery, and the ability to store backups on multiple locations, including cloud storage. Here are some prominent features of this tool:

• Backup and recovery options.
• Backup files to the cloud.
• Security Zone to protect your data from ransomware.
• Clone a hard drive.
• Create WinPE bootable disk.
• Compress backups to save space.

< strong > Here are the detailed steps to back up your files. < /strong >

Step 1. To start the backup process, click the Select backup contents button.

Step 2. Four data backup categories are displayed: File, Disk, OS, and Mail.

Step 3. Lists of both local and network files are displayed on the left-hand side of the screen. Expand the directory to select the files you want to back up.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and select the location where you want to save the backup.

Ensure that the backup is encrypted by clicking on Options within Backup Options. You can also set the backup schedule by selecting a specific time in Backup Scheme through the Options button. There are numerous other customizable settings available for you to explore.

Step 5. You can save the backup file on your computer, in the tool's cloud service, or on a Network-Attached Storage (NAS) device.

Step 6. Todo Backup allows customers to store backup copies of their files on a third-party cloud drive or on the company's own cloud storage.

If you wish to back up your data to a third-party cloud drive, select Local Drive and scroll down to add Cloud Device. Next, enter your account details.

Click on Cloud Backup, then sign up and log in with your Todo Backup account if you want to store backup files on Todo Backup's own cloud storage service.

Step 7. Click on Backup Now to initiate the backup process. Once the backup is complete, it will be displayed as a card on the left side of the screen. Right-clicking on it will provide you with more options and information on how to manage the backup job in greater detail.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we discussed Google Drive for Desktop versus Backup and Sync. Both Google tools were robust options for backing up your files to the cloud. However, with Backup and Sync now discontinued, Google Drive for Desktop has assumed its combined functions over the past two years.

However, with numerous grievances about the software and many individuals longing for something new, Todo Backup emerges as an excellent alternative, offering generous storage capacity to accommodate all your essential data. It not only ensures peace of mind but also presents a handful of additional benefits, enabling you to store and retrieve your data seamlessly from the cloud.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Is Google Drive for Desktop being discontinued?

Google Drive for Desktop isn't going away anytime soon. Recently, Backup and Sync was discontinued, and its features were integrated into Google Drive for Desktop to enhance its functionality.

2. Is Google Drive better than Backup and Sync? Google Drive and Backup and Sync are two different tools from Google for managing your files and backups. While Google Drive is primarily a cloud storage service, Backup and Sync is an application that allows you to synchronize and back up files and folders from your computer to Google Drive. Google Drive offers a user-friendly interface for storing, accessing, and sharing files online. It integrates well with other Google services like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. You can access your files from any device with an internet connection and the appropriate permissions. Backup and Sync, on the other hand, is more focused on keeping your local files and folders in sync with Google Drive. This tool is useful for automatically backing up important data on your computer, such as documents, photos, and desktop files. It ensures that your files are up-to-date and accessible across devices. In terms of which one is better, it depends on your specific needs. If you're looking for a straightforward cloud storage solution for collaborative work and file sharing, Google Drive might be the better choice. However, if you want a tool that keeps your computer's files backed up and synchronized with Google Drive, Backup and Sync would be more suitable. It's worth noting that Backup and Sync has been succeeded by Google Backup and Sync for personal users, which is now part of Google One. This new service combines backup features with additional benefits like expanded storage, family sharing, and tech support.

This would have been risky a few years ago and would have depended on your preferences. However, Google has recently merged all the functionality of Google Drive for Desktop (formerly known as Google Drive File Stream) and Backup and Sync into one. This has made Google Drive for Desktop superior to Google Backup and Sync in terms of functionality.

3. What if I don't want Google Drive for desktop? If you don't want Google Drive for desktop, you can choose not to install it or uninstall it if you have already installed it. Here's how: 1. **Not Installing:** If you're setting up a new device or going through the installation process, simply skip the step where it prompts you to install Google Drive for desktop. You can still access your Google Drive files through the web interface by visiting . 2. **Uninstalling:** If you've previously installed Google Drive for desktop and now wish to remove it: - On **Windows**: Go to 'Control Panel,' then 'Programs,' and select 'Uninstall a program.' Find 'Google Drive File Stream' in the list and click 'Uninstall.' - On **Mac**: Open 'Finder,' then go to 'Applications.' Locate 'Google Drive' and drag it to the 'Trash.' Alternatively, right-click (or control-click) on 'Google Drive' and select 'Move to Trash.' After uninstalling, you can continue using other Google services without the desktop sync client, but you'll need to access your files via the web interface.

Perfect, because Todo Backup is the perfect backup solution for you. It offers everything that Google Drive for Desktop does and even more.

4. Do files remain in Google Drive indefinitely?

Files will remain in Google Drive unless they are deleted by the user or removed due to inactivity or violation of Google's terms of service.