Skip to main content
Google DriveGoogle Workspace

Google Drive tools you may not have known about

In today’s business world, productivity and efficiency are key. Google Drive, with its wide range of tools and features, has become a core asset for teams of all sizes. But beyond its basic use for storing and sharing files, Google Drive is constantly evolving with new features designed to streamline your daily work.

In this article, as Google Workspace experts, we show you three tools that will help you make the most of Google Drive and stay ahead of the curve.

Instant video playback: say goodbye to waiting

How many times have you uploaded a video to Google Drive and had to wait for it to fully process before being able to watch it? This wait, though brief, disrupts workflow and can be a hurdle when urgency is high. For this reason, Google has launched a new feature that enables instant video playback directly from the web browser.

Now, videos start playing the moment they are uploaded, completely eliminating wait times. This feature, available to all Google Workspace customers and personal account users, is ideal for quickly reviewing a video, sharing it with a colleague, or simply verifying that the file was uploaded correctly. It is a small change with a huge impact on your team’s agility and efficiency.

Sharper, clearer scans in the Google Drive mobile app

Document digitization is a common task in many companies, but scans often turn out blurry, shadowy, or low quality. That’s why Google Drive includes tools that will help you improve the quality and sharpness of your scans.

One option is to apply black-and-white filters to scans with the help of Google Photos. This tool allows you to highlight key elements, create dramatic effects, give a vintage touch, or simplify a photo’s composition by removing color distractions.

Another valuable tool is “Auto-enhancement.” With the help of auto-enhancement, the Drive document scanner will digitize paper documents into higher-quality images much faster. Depending on the document, auto-enhancement will perform actions such as white balance correction, shadow removal, contrast enrichment, automatic sharpening, light enhancement, and more.

Unseen file digest: stay up to date effortlessly

Email can be a torrent of information, and it’s easy to miss important files shared with you. To solve this problem, Google Drive implemented a digest email feature that notifies you about shared files you haven’t viewed yet.

This tool is especially useful for users who have been inactive in Drive for seven days, as the system sends them a summary with the pending shared files to review.

The email includes a direct link to the Drive “Activity” page, where you can view more details and access all files. With this feature, you can rest assured that you won’t overlook any important document, improving collaboration and ensuring your team is always on the same page.

Need help implementing these tools in your company?

At G Nerd, we are expert consultants in Google Workspace. If you want to optimize your team’s productivity, train them on using these and other tools, or migrate your business to a more efficient work environment, contact us! We will help you integrate these solutions so your team can work smarter and more productively.

Resources

One Comment