Create a Copy of Google Drive Files or Folders

Copy Files:

Step 1: Open Google Drive
Go to https://drive.google.com and sign in with your Butler account.

Step 2: Locate the Files
Files you own are in "My Drive".
Files shared with you are in the "Shared with me" section on the left sidebar.

Step 3: Select the Files
Use Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) to select multiple files.
You can select Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, PDFs, images, and other file types.
Note: You can only copy files that allow downloading or copying. If the owner has restricted permissions, copying may not be possible.

Step 4: Make a Copy
Right-click on the selected file(s).
Choose “Make a copy” from the menu.
A new file will appear in your My Drive with the name “Copy of [filename]”. 
You can rename the file to remove the "Copy of" and it is also suggested that you make the new name something different than the original filename to avoid confusion.

Step 5: (Optional) Move the Copy to a Folder
Right-click the new copy.
Select “Move to” and choose or create a folder to organize your files.

Important Notes
You become the owner of the copied file, even if the original was shared with you.
The new copy is independent of the original. Changes made to the copy do not affect the original file.

Copy Folders:

Downloading Folders from Google Drive

Google Drive doesn’t allow direct folder downloads in some views, so here’s the best way:

1. Go to Google Drive
   Open https://drive.google.com and log in.

2. Locate the Folder
   Navigate to the folder you want to download.

3. Right-click the Folder
   Select “Download” from the context menu.

4. Wait for Zipping
   Google Drive will compress the folder into a .zip file. This may take time, depending on the folder size.

5. Save the File
   Your browser will prompt you to save the .zip file. Choose a location on your computer.

6. Unzip the Folder

   Windows (Built-in File Explorer)

   1. Locate the ZIP File
      Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the .zip file.

   2. Right-click the ZIP File
      Choose “Extract All…” from the context menu.

   3. Choose Destination Folder
      A dialog will appear asking where to extract the files. You can keep the default or click “Browse…” to select a different location.

   4. Click “Extract”
      Windows will unzip the contents into the selected folder.

   5. Access the Extracted Files
      Once done, File Explorer will open the folder with the unzipped contents.

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   Mac (Built-in Archive Utility)

   1. Locate the ZIP File
      Open Finder and go to the folder containing the .zip file.

   2. Double-click the ZIP File
      macOS will automatically use Archive Utility to unzip it.

   3. Wait for Extraction
      The extracted folder will appear in the same location as the original .zip file.

   4. Access the Extracted Files
      Open the new folder to view the contents.

Part 2: Uploading Folders Back to Google Drive

You can upload folders directly using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

1. Open Google Drive
   Go to https://drive.google.com.

2. Navigate to the Destination
   Open the folder where you want to upload the files.

3. Click the “+ New” Button
   Located on the left sidebar.

4. Select “Folder Upload”
   Choose the unzipped folder (or the original folder if unchanged).

5. Confirm Upload
   Click “Upload” when prompted. Google Drive will upload the entire folder structure.

6. Wait for Completion
   Upload time depends on your internet speed and folder size.