Google Docs and Drive have an offline mode that allows you to create and edit documents without an internet connection. Anything you do will sync with the online version when you're back online. You can enable this mode quite easily.
What You Need to Enable Offline Mode in Google Docs and Drive
For Google Docs and Drive offline mode to work on your computer, you will need a Google account, Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (other Chromium-based browsers might work), and the Google Docs Offline extension. You also need an internet connection to enable offline mode and download any recent files you need locally.
How to Use Google Docs Offline on Desktop
You can turn on offline access for your recent files or enable it for specific files. You'll have to do this on every one of your computers to use Google Docs offline.
Install the Google Docs Offline Chrome Extension
The Google Docs Offline extension is available on the Chrome Web Store. Navigate to it in your browser and click Add to Chrome.
In the pop-up, click Add Extension to download and install it on your computer.
Once downloaded, ensure the Google Docs Offline extension is enabled. In Chrome, click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, and head to Extensions > Manage Extensions. Find the Google Docs Offline extension and click the toggle in the bottom-left corner of the card (it will turn blue when turned on).
In Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner and select Extensions > Manage Extensions in the menu. Find the Google Docs Offline extension in the list and click the toggle next to it to turn it on.
Enable Offline Mode for Recent Files
You can enable offline access for your most recent files. Google doesn't provide information on what counts as recent, but we can assume it's anything you have created within the last 30 days.
To do that, open Google Docs in your web browser and sign in to your account. Click the hamburger menu—three-line icon—in the top-left corner of the screen and select Settings.
Then, turn on the toggle next to Offline in the pop-up to enable offline mode for Google Docs on that computer.
Make a File Available Offline
You can also make specific files in Google Docs available offline. This helps if you want to make older files available for offline editing.
To do that, click the three-dot icon next to the file on the Google Docs home page and toggle on Available offline.
You can also open the file and click File > Make available offline.
How to Use Google Docs Offline on Mobile
On mobile, all you need is Google Docs for Android or iOS, which you can download on Google Play or App Store, respectively. The steps to enable offline mode are the same on both operating systems.
Make Recent Files Available Offline
In the Google Docs app, tap the hamburger menu—three-line icon—in the top-left corner and select Settings in the menu. Then, toggle on Make recent files available offline.
Make Files Available Offline
You can make files available offline on the Home screen by tapping the three-dot icon next to the file and selecting Make available offline in the menu. You can also open the file, tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, and toggle on Available offline in the menu.
How to Use Google Drive Offline on Desktop
Google Drive also has an offline mode that allows you to access documents, spreadsheets, and Slides files without an internet connection.
Enable Offline Mode for Recent Files
You can create Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files without an internet connection in Google Drive and edit them once you enable offline mode for recent files.
To do that, go to the Google Drive website and sign in to your account. Then, click Settings—the gear icon—in the top-right corner and select Settings in the menu. In the Offline section, tick the checkbox to enable offline mode for your recently opened files.
Enable Offline Mode for Specific Files
You can also download a non-recent file to local storage to make it available for offline editing. To do that, click the three-dot icon next to it and select Make available offline.
How to Use Google Drive Offline on Mobile
The Google Drive mobile app doesn't have an option to turn on offline mode for recent files—you can only make individual files available offline. To do that, you must first install the Google Drive mobile app for Android and iOS from Google Play and App Store, respectively.
Once you open the app and sign in to your account, tap the three-dot icon next to a file and select Make available offline in the menu. When viewing a file offline in Google Drive, you won't be able to edit it. To do that, you will need its corresponding mobile app installed (e.g., Google Docs for documents or Google Sheets for spreadsheets) with offline mode enabled.
Troubleshooting Google Docs and Drive Offline Issues
Here are some common issues you may encounter when using Google Docs and Drive offline:
Offline Access Not Working
If you can't access or edit documents in Google Docs offline, check if offline mode is enabled in your settings. Also, ensure you're not in Incognito mode in Google Chrome or using private browsing in Edge—the Google Docs Offline extension might not work properly if you aren't using standard browsing.
Files Not Syncing
If you don't see the changes you made offline appear in the online version, ensure you're connected to the internet. Wait for a few minutes, and if the changes still don't appear, refresh the page or reopen the document.
Conflicting Edits
When multiple people edit the same document offline, conflicts can arise. Google won't resolve a conflict automatically, requiring you to manually review and choose which edits to keep. Ask anyone editing the document to use the Suggest Edits feature instead of making changes directly to make the process easier.
Out of Storage Space
If there is not enough space on your computer to store offline files, try clearing your browser cache. You can also make Chrome take less storage space by selectively choosing which files to make available offline instead of enabling offline access for all recent files.
Enabling offline mode in Google Docs or Drive is a great way to stay productive when your internet is down, you're off-grid, or just taking a break from being online. Your work does not need to stop just because you are offline.