Google Drive gets some great new upgrades, improved sync speeds

Google Drive is getting some pretty significant upgrades, starting with the imminent arrival of differential uploads for Drive for desktop on both Mac and Windows. This means that when you edit a large file, Drive will only upload the changes you’ve made, rather than the entire file. This should result in significantly faster sync times, especially for those who work with massive files regularly.

But the improvements don’t stop there. Google has also made it possible to watch videos the instant you upload them to Drive on the web. No more waiting for your videos to process before you can enjoy them. Simply upload and start watching immediately. I don’t know how many of you will be appreciative of this one, but it’s been a massive frustration for me over the years.

On the AI front, Google is continuing to integrate its Gemini technology into Drive. The latest addition brings Gemini to the overlay file previewer for PDFs. This allows you to quickly summarize, transform, and switch between multiple files without ever leaving the previewer. Just look for the Gemini icon in the top-right corner.

Keep in mind that this is different from the Gemini integration that was already available in the full PDF viewer. Now, when you open a PDF in Drive, it will default to the overlay previewer. If you prefer to open PDFs in a new tab, you can adjust this setting in your Drive preferences.

These new Gemini features are currently available to Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, and Education Premium users, as well as Google One AI Premium subscribers. With faster sync speeds, instant video playback, and the power of Gemini, Google Drive is becoming an even more indispensable tool for both personal and professional use.