G Suite users now have additional ways to find files quickly on Google Drive. In late February 2019, Google added access to filters that display when you click in the search box for Google Drive in a desktop browser.
With your cursor active in the Google Drive search box, wait a second or two–you should see several file filter options appear. Possible options include filtering of files by people, file type, edit date, or file status (e.g., “starred”). You might also see recent Google Drive search terms. Click–or if you have a touchscreen, tap–on an icon to display items that match your desired filter.
SEE: G Suite: Tips and tricks for business professionals (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
Different people will see different options; the specific options will vary based on how you use Google Drive. The filters shown adapt to reflect your usage patterns (Figure A).
Figure A
In every case, an Advanced Search option remains available in the lower left area below the search box. Select that and you’ll gain access to a variety of search options. The fields may look familiar: They’re the same options you’ll see when you select the Google Drive search box drop-down triangle. As of March 2019, the interface now gives you two ways to access Google Drive search selectors.
Google Drive search on iOS and Android apps
Similar one-tap search filters are also available in Google Drive apps on iOS and Android devices. In Google Drive on iOS, tap the magnifying glass in the upper right corner to access search. You may see options such as: People, File Types, Date Modified, or Owned By. Tap any of these options to see the selected set of files on your device (Figure B).
Figure B
Cloud Search
G Suite Business or Enterprise edition users may also search G Suite for files with the Cloud Search app, which is available for Android, iOS, or the web (cloudsearch.google.com) (Figure C).
Figure C
Cloud Search can help you find files that might not necessarily be on Google Drive. For example, I’ve used Cloud Search to locate a file that I’d received in Gmail, but hadn’t stored on Drive. The app lets you search for data across Gmail, Sites, Groups, and Calendar, as well as Drive. Cloud Search is a handy option when you can’t quite recall where you encountered a file.
You can still type search terms and selectors into the search box on Google Drive to find files. Put quotes around words to search for the entire term (e.g., “Proposed Project Budget”), or type before: or after: followed by a date (e.g., before:2019-04-01). But many people will likely appreciate one tap/click access that quickly displays a few relevant files.
Your experience?
If you use these fast filters on Google Drive for work, what has your experience been? Are the files displayed the ones you seek? Let me know how these one tap/click Google Drive search features work for you. Either add a comment below, or let me know your thoughts on Twitter (@awolber).
