It often feels like technology companies are one step ahead of our internet providers. Cloud services have been relatively mainstream for a few years, but ISPs are still seemingly incapable of offering stable and fast connections.

If you live outside of a major metropolitan area, this is a huge problem. If you have lots of important files and documents saved on Google Drive, you could find yourself unable to access them during periods of network instability.

Unsurprisingly, the Google Drive developers have thought of this. They've created a solution: the ability to access your Google Drive files even while offline.

Access Google Drive Files Offline on PC

If you're using a desktop or a laptop, you need to be using the Google Chrome browser if you want to access files offline.

First, head to the Chrome Web Store and download the Google Docs Offline extension.

Next, open your Google Drive account and go to Settings > Offline. To complete the setup, mark the checkbox next to Sync Google Docs, Sheets, Slides & Drawings files to this computer so that you can edit offline.

The feature will take a few moments to activate.

Access Google Drive Files Offline on Mobile

If you want to set up offline access on a mobile device, the process is slightly more straightforward. You don't need to download an extension.

Instead, open the Google Drive app and locate the file you want to access. Tap the three vertical dots alongside the file name, then slide the toggle next to Available Offline into the On position.

To see the files you've made available for offline access, tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left-hand corner and select Offline.

Unfortunately, due to storage space considerations, Google has not made it possible to make all your files available offline with a single tap.

Are you happy with how offline access works in Google Drive? You can leave all your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Image Credit: iJeab via Shutterstock