Moving years of work out of Google Drive feels risky, and with reason. Files rarely disappear dramatically during a migration. They slip through the gaps: a folder shared by a former colleague that was never yours to export, a spreadsheet whose formulas only work in Google Sheets, a video too large for the new platform, or a nested folder tree that arrives as one flat pile.
The good news is that every one of those gaps is predictable. If you know where files get lost, you can check for each problem before it costs you anything.
This guide shows you how to migrate from Google Drive safely. You’ll learn how to build a migration inventory, export with Google Takeout, verify your files before and after upload, rebuild your folder structure, and recreate sharing. The workflow applies to any destination, with specific notes for moving into NevTan Drive.
Quick Summary
Count your files and total size before you export, so you have something to verify against.
Google Takeout exports files you own, not everything in “Shared with me.” Copy or download what you need first.
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides export as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files, but Google-specific features may not survive.
Check your destination’s file size limit. NevTan Drive accepts single files up to 100 MB.
Upload folders as folders to keep your structure intact.
Keep Google Drive and your export archive until the migration is verified.
Where Files Actually Get Lost in a Google Drive Migration
Most migration losses come from a short list of causes. Knowing them in advance turns a nervous move into a checklist.
Risk | Why it happens | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
Files shared with you are missing | Exports cover files you own, not files others own and shared with you | Download or copy important shared files into your own Drive before exporting |
Spreadsheets break | Some Google Sheets functions, add-ons, and Apps Script automations have no Office equivalent | Open exported copies of critical sheets and test their formulas |
Some Google file types don’t convert cleanly | Forms, Sites, Drawings, and similar Google-only formats don’t become editable Office files | Inventory them separately and decide how to preserve each one |
Large files fail to upload | Every platform has a per-file size limit | List files above the destination’s limit before you start |
Folder structure collapses | Some upload methods flatten nested folders | Use a folder-upload method, not loose file drag-and-drop |
Unzipping causes errors | Long file paths and special characters can fail on some operating systems | Unzip to a short path, such as a folder directly on your drive |
History and context disappear | Version history and some comments don’t travel with exported files | Export important versions separately and record key decisions |
Shared links stop working | Old Google Drive links point to Google, not your new platform | Recreate shares and send collaborators new links |
Before You Start: Build a Migration Inventory
You can’t prove nothing was lost unless you know what you started with. Spend an hour on this before exporting anything.
Count your files and total size
Record the total number of files and the total storage used in Google Drive. Do the same for your most important top-level folders. These numbers become your verification baseline at every later stage.
Find files you don’t own
Open Shared with me and identify anything your work depends on. If you need a lasting copy, download it or make a copy in your own Drive, with the owner’s agreement where appropriate. This is the most common source of “missing” files after a migration.
Flag large files
Use Google Drive’s storage view to sort files by size. NevTan Drive accepts single files up to 100 MB, with no limit on the number of files beyond your overall quota. List anything larger, such as long videos, raw design files, or big archives, and decide in advance whether to compress, split, or store them elsewhere.
Confirm you have room at the destination
Compare your Google Drive total with the space available in your new account. In NevTan Drive, storage is shared between your files and your NevTan Mail mailbox, and the storage details panel shows both. If you need more room, review the available storage plans before uploading, rather than running out halfway through.
Step-by-Step: How to Migrate from Google Drive
Step 1: Clean up before you move
A migration is the cheapest moment to delete what you don’t need. Remove obvious duplicates, outdated drafts, and abandoned folders now, so you don’t transfer, verify, and pay for them later. Then tell your team when the move will happen and ask them to avoid creating new files in Google Drive during that window.
Step 2: Export with Google Takeout
Go to Google Takeout, deselect all products, and select only Drive. In the Drive options, you can choose export formats for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Choose the Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) if you want to keep editing them elsewhere.
Takeout splits large exports into several archive files. Download every part, and do it promptly, because the download links expire after a limited time.
For a small migration, you can also select folders in Google Drive and download them directly. Drive packages them as zip files.
Step 3: Unzip and merge the archives carefully
Extract every archive part into the same destination folder, so the pieces merge into one complete tree. Use a short path, such as C:\export or a folder at the top of your home directory, to avoid path-length errors.
Watch for files with “(1)” or similar suffixes. These usually mean two files had the same name in the same folder. Decide which to keep before uploading, not after.
Step 4: Verify the export before uploading
Compare your local file count and total size with your Google Drive baseline. On Windows, the folder’s Properties window shows both. On a Mac, use Get Info. Small differences are normal, because converted Office files can be slightly larger or smaller than the Google originals. Missing folders are not.
Then open a sample: a few documents, your most complex spreadsheets, and any presentations with embedded media. This is when you’ll catch broken formulas or formatting problems, while Google Drive is still available as a fallback.
Step 5: Upload with the folder structure intact
The upload method matters. In NevTan Drive, Upload folder takes a folder from your computer and rebuilds its full tree, creating each subfolder as it goes. Dragging loose files onto the file area uploads them into whichever folder you’re viewing, which flattens any nesting.
Upload folder also reuses existing folders with the same name, so if an upload is interrupted, uploading the same folder again won’t create duplicate folders. The documentation on uploading whole folders and managing files explains both methods.
For large migrations, upload one top-level folder at a time and check each before moving on. It’s much easier to verify ten batches than one enormous one.
Step 6: Verify everything in the new platform
Repeat the checks from Step 4 on the destination side. Compare file counts folder by folder, and confirm that the total storage used is in line with your export.
Then open real files. Because Google Takeout exports Docs, Sheets, and Slides as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx, NevTan Drive can open them in its built-in editors and save them back in the same formats. You can check which file types open in which editor to see where each kind of file will open.
If you delete test uploads or duplicates along the way, remember that deleted items stay in Trash and keep counting toward your storage until it’s emptied. The guide to restoring files from Trash covers this.
Step 7: Recreate sharing deliberately
Sharing settings don’t come across with exported files, and old Google Drive links will keep pointing to Google. Treat this as a cleanup rather than a chore: rebuild only the access people still need.
In NevTan Drive, you can invite people by email as viewers, commenters, or editors, or publish a file link with an expiry date, a password, and download controls. One planning note: public links, expiry, and passwords apply to individual files, while folders are shared with named people by email. The documentation on setting up roles and share links covers every option. Once your shares are rebuilt, send external collaborators their new links.
Step 8: Run both systems in parallel, then retire Google Drive
Keep Google Drive available, ideally read-only by agreement, for two to four weeks. During that time, anyone who can’t find a file can check the original and report the gap. Keep your Takeout archive as a cold backup even after you retire the old account.
Only cancel or delete the Google account once your team confirms that nothing is missing.
A Quick Migration Checklist
Stage | Check |
|---|---|
Before export | File count and total size recorded; shared files you depend on copied; large files listed |
After export | Every archive part downloaded and merged; duplicates resolved; sample files opened |
After upload | Folder-by-folder counts match; storage usage consistent; complex spreadsheets tested |
After sharing | Collaborators have new access; old links replaced in documents and templates |
Before retiring | Parallel period complete; export archive backed up; team sign-off received |
Example: A Small Firm’s Migration
This is an illustrative scenario.
A six-person bookkeeping practice decides to migrate from Google Drive. Its inventory shows about 18,000 files across client folders, a handful of training videos over 100 MB, and a set of client spreadsheets that use Google Sheets functions for importing data.
The team deletes old duplicates first, then exports with Takeout in Office formats. While checking the export, they find that two spreadsheets rely on Google-only functions. They rebuild those formulas before uploading, compress the training videos, and upload each client folder separately with Upload folder, checking counts after each one.
Instead of copying old sharing, they give each client a password-protected link with an expiry date for that year’s documents. Google Drive stays available for three weeks. One missing folder turns up during that period: it had been shared with them by a former contractor and was never part of the export. They copy it across, confirm the final counts, and close the old account.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Exporting without a baseline. Without starting counts and sizes, “it looks fine” is the only check you have.
Assuming “Shared with me” is included. Files owned by others usually aren’t part of your export.
Dragging folders as loose files. If the upload method flattens your tree, you’ll spend hours rebuilding it by hand.
Ignoring per-file limits. Find oversized files before uploading, not through failed uploads at the end.
Testing only simple documents. Your most complex spreadsheets and presentations are where conversion problems show up.
Deleting the source too early. A parallel period costs very little and catches the gaps nobody predicted.
Forgetting old links. Templates, email signatures, and documents may still point to Google Drive URLs.
Is NevTan Drive the Right Destination?
That depends on how your team works. If you rely on many people editing the same document simultaneously, Google’s real-time co-editing remains very strong, and NevTan Drive doesn’t try to match it.
NevTan Drive fits better if you want to work in Office formats from the start, edit and sign PDFs in the browser, and use link passwords, expiry dates, and a per-file audit log without upgrading to an enterprise plan. The NevTan Drive and Google Drive comparison covers both sides honestly. If access control is your main reason for switching, our guide to choosing a Google Drive alternative for permission controls walks through what to evaluate.
Conclusion
You can migrate from Google Drive without losing a file, as long as you treat the move as a series of verifiable steps rather than one large upload. Record a baseline, rescue files you don’t own, check formats and file sizes, upload folders as folders, verify on both sides, and rebuild sharing deliberately. Then keep the old system available until your team confirms nothing is missing.
If you’re moving to NevTan Drive, the NevTan Drive quickstart guide covers setting up your account before your first upload.
8. Internal Linking Used
Anchor Text | Destination URL | Context |
|---|---|---|
storage details panel | Checking capacity before migrating | |
available storage plans | Adding space before upload | |
uploading whole folders and managing files | Step 5, keeping folder structure intact | |
which file types open in which editor | Step 6, opening exported Office files | |
restoring files from Trash | Step 6, Trash counting toward storage | |
setting up roles and share links | Step 7, recreating sharing | |
NevTan Drive and Google Drive comparison | Deciding on the destination | |
choosing a Google Drive alternative for permission controls | https://drive.nevtan.com/blog/google-drive-alternatives-teams-permission-controls | Related guide for teams switching for access control |
NevTan Drive quickstart guide | Conclusion, account setup |
9. FAQ Section
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I migrate from Google Drive without losing files?
Record your file count and total size first, then copy any important “Shared with me” files into your own Drive. Export with Google Takeout, merge and check the archives locally, and upload folders using a method that keeps their structure. Compare counts on both sides, test complex files, recreate sharing, and keep Google Drive available until everything is confirmed.
Does Google Takeout include files shared with me?
Generally, no. Takeout exports files in your own Drive, so files owned by someone else and shared with you usually aren’t included. If you rely on them, download them or make your own copy before exporting, with the owner’s permission where appropriate. Checking this list is one of the most important steps in any Google Drive migration.
What happens to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides when I export them?
Takeout can convert them into Microsoft Office formats: Docs to .docx, Sheets to .xlsx, and Slides to .pptx. Most content and formatting carries over, but Google-specific features such as some Sheets functions, add-ons, and Apps Script automations may not work afterward. Open your most important files after export and fix anything that breaks before you retire Google Drive.
Will my folder structure stay the same after migration?
It can, if you use the right upload method. Takeout preserves your folder tree inside its archives. When uploading, use a folder-upload option rather than dragging loose files. In NevTan Drive, Upload folder recreates each subfolder, while dragging files onto the file area uploads them into the current folder and flattens any nesting.
Do sharing permissions transfer when I leave Google Drive?
No. Exported files don’t carry their Google Drive sharing settings, and existing Google links continue to point to Google. Plan to recreate access in the new platform, ideally granting only what people still need, and then send collaborators the new links.
Is there a file size limit when moving files to NevTan Drive?
Yes. NevTan Drive accepts single files up to 100 MB, with no limit on the number of files beyond your overall storage quota. Identify larger files, often videos or archives, before you start, and decide whether to compress, split, or store them elsewhere.
How long should I keep Google Drive after migrating?
Keep it available for at least two to four weeks after the move, and keep your Takeout archive as a backup afterward. The parallel period lets your team report anything missing while the original is still accessible. Only delete or cancel the old account once everyone confirms their files are in place.
