How to Connect Claude to Google Drive (and Is It Safe?)

Turn on Claude's Google Drive connector so Claude can search your Drive and read Docs, Sheets, Slides and PDFs, or add files to a chat or project.

Picks: 1; ranked

To connect Claude to Google Drive, go to Customize > Connectors, select Connect next to Google Drive and sign in with Google. Claude can then search your Drive and read Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, PDFs, Office files and images, but only files your Google account can open.

You can also pick a file yourself: select + in the message box and choose Add from Google Drive. Google builds the connector. With your approval it can also upload, share, move and trash files, and separate Google Docs, Sheets and Slides connectors let Claude edit those files live. Drive files can go only into private projects, not shared ones.

Good for

People who want Claude to answer from their own documents without uploading them
Anyone working from Google Sheets budgets, Slides decks or shared PDFs
Teams that keep project briefs in Drive and want them in a Claude project
Google Workspace admins who need to allow Claude for staff

Install Claude

Claude app

1
In Claude, go to Customize > Connectors. In the desktop app, select Customize in the sidebar, then Connectors.
2
Find Google Drive in the list and select Connect.
3
Sign in to your Google account and grant the requested permissions.
4
Check that the Connect button now reads Disconnect.
5
In a chat, select + at the lower left of the message box, select Connectors and turn on Google Drive.

Requires On Team or Enterprise, an Owner adds Google Drive first.

Read-only mode: There is no read-only switch. Under Customize > Connectors > Google Drive > Tool permissions, set share, move, trash and upload to Needs approval or Blocked.

Pick the built-in connector. Google's preview server is only for Workspace developers already in Google's preview program.

From the vendor's docs. Source.

Connect Google Drive and use your files

Claude

1
Open your connectors
Go to Customize > Connectors in claude.ai. In the desktop app, select Customize in the sidebar, then Connectors.
2
Connect Google Drive
Find Google Drive in the list, select Connect and sign in to your Google account. When it works, the button reads Disconnect. On Team and Enterprise, an Owner has to add Google Drive first.
3
Let Claude search your Drive
In a chat, select + at the lower left of the message box, select Connectors and turn on Google Drive. Then ask about your files.
Prompt
```
Find the design brief for the onboarding project in my Drive and summarize the open decisions.
```
4
Or attach one file
Select + and choose Add from Google Drive, then search for the file by name. Claude reads its current content each time you send a message, so later edits reach it too.
Prompt
```
Read the Q3 budget spreadsheet and tell me which lines are over plan.
```
5
Add files to a project
Open a private project, select Add files in its knowledge section, then Google Drive. Every chat in the project can use the file, and its content refreshes from Drive. Shared projects show Only accessible from private projects.
6
Approve changes
If you ask Claude to upload, share, move or trash a file, it asks for approval first. Choose Allow once until you trust how it works.
Prompt
```
Save this summary to my Drive as a Google Doc called Onboarding decisions.
```

Permissions

Medium risk

Claude can read every file your Google account can open and, with your approval, share, move or trash files. Keep the approval prompts on and block the tools you do not need.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can share, move and trash your files
These actions ask for approval by default. Read each request before you allow it, and block the tools you do not need. support.claude.com
Claude can read any file your account can open
That includes files others shared with you. Anything it reads goes to Anthropic, so connect an account you are comfortable sharing that way. claude.com
Documents can hide instructions for the AI
A shared file can try to steer Claude. Keep approvals on, and check what an action will do before you allow it. claude.com
Shared projects cannot hold Drive files
Drive files go only into private projects. In a shared project the Google Drive option is dimmed. claude.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 1, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only switch. Set upload, share, move and trash tools to Needs approval or Blocked under Customize > Connectors > Google Drive > Tool permissions.
Talks to	Google Drive. Anthropic, which receives the file content Claude reads
Sign-in and keys	You sign in with Google; Claude keeps the connection until you select Disconnect or remove its access in your Google Account.

Where it works

Where	Status	Note
Claude on the web	Native connector	Customize > Connectors > Google Drive, or + > Add from Google Drive in a chat.
Claude desktop app	Native connector	Same connector; select Customize in the sidebar, then Connectors.
Claude mobile app	Native connector	Available in chats once connected on web or desktop.
Claude Code	Native connector	Uses your claude.ai connectors when you sign in with your Claude account.
Google's Drive MCP server	Official server	Search, read and create files as a custom connector; Workspace Developer Preview only.
ChatGPT	Native connector	Google Drive is a ChatGPT app; availability depends on plan, region and workspace.
Gemini	Native connector	The Google Workspace app reads Drive; it cannot create folders or move files.
Microsoft Copilot app	Native connector	Copilot connectors include Google Drive for personal accounts.

Top picks

Claude's built-in Google Drive connector is the default and sits in the install box. Listed here: official alternatives with a PlugWiki page; Google's preview server is the only official one.

1
Google Drive MCP server (Google, preview)PreviewOfficialHostedOAuth
Google's own hosted Drive server, in Developer Preview. You add it as a custom connector with your own OAuth client, so it suits Workspace developers. Most people should use Claude's built-in Google Drive connector above instead.
OAuthAuth

Verdict

Use Claude's built-in Google Drive connector: one sign-in, and it reads nearly every file type you keep in Drive. Google's preview server is only worth it for Workspace developers testing it.

The built-in connector is the right choice for nearly everyone. Its main limits are size and sharing: very large files may arrive incomplete, and Drive files cannot go into shared projects.

Best for

Answers from your own Docs, Sheets and PDFs
Keeping a project's knowledge in sync with Drive
Saving Claude's work back to Drive

Skip it if

You need Drive files in a shared project
Your Docs, Sheets or Slides exceed Google's 10 MB export cap
Your Workspace admin will not allow third-party apps

Questions

Can Claude access my whole Google Drive?

It can search and read any file your Google account can open, but only when the connector is on in that chat. It reaches nothing your account cannot see.

Can Claude read Google Sheets?

Yes. It reads Sheets along with Docs, Slides, PDFs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OpenDocument files and PNG or JPEG images. A Sheet you add to a chat or project arrives as CSV with every tab included.

Can Claude edit Google Docs?

Yes, through the separate Google Docs, Sheets and Slides connectors, which edit files live with your approval. Live editing works on Claude on the web in Chrome, and in Claude Desktop with the built-in browser on.

Why is Google Drive greyed out in my project?

Drive files can be added only to private projects. In a shared project the option is dimmed and shows Only accessible from private projects.

Why does it say my institution's admin needs to review Claude for Google Drive?

Your Google Workspace admin has to trust the Claude app. In the Google Admin console they go to Security > Access and data control > API controls > Manage third-party app access, add Claude and set it to Trusted. It takes about 15 minutes to apply.

Does Claude keep Drive files up to date?

Yes. A file attached to a chat is read fresh each time you send a message, and project files refresh from Drive periodically when you open the project.

Is there a file size limit?

Google caps exports of Docs, Sheets and Slides at about 10 MB. Over that, Claude sees the file's name and details but not its content. For any very large file, what Claude receives can be incomplete.

Is the Google Drive connector free?

Yes, at no extra cost. Claude's pricing page lists connectors on every plan, including Free.

Is it safe to connect Claude to Google Drive?

Reasonably, if you keep the approvals on. Claude sees only what your account can open and asks before it shares, moves or trashes files, but a document can contain instructions meant to steer an AI.

How do I disconnect Google Drive from Claude?

Go to Customize > Connectors, select Google Drive under Your connectors and choose Disconnect, or Remove from the three-dot menu. To revoke access on Google's side too, open myaccount.google.com/connections, find Claude and remove its access.

Information

updated Nov 1, 2026

Made by: Anthropic
Connector directory: claude.ai/directory

In the Claude directory

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 11

claude.com · claude.com
claude.com · claude.com
claude.com · claude.com
developers.google.com · developers.google.com
support.claude.com · support.claude.com
claude.com · claude.com
Manage third-party access to your Google Account · support.google.com
code.claude.com · code.claude.com
help.openai.com · help.openai.com
support.google.com · support.google.com
support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com