Finding Folders

The easiest way to find files in Google Drive is to search for them. Below I will outline both basic searches and more advanced searching techniques.

Basic Google Drive Searching

Step 1: Use the search bar by typing your search query into the search box. Keep in mind, this will search both the title and content with the documents when it shows you the results. If you have a lot of files this might not be the best method and still result in too many returns.

• Sometimes it is useful to put your search term in quotation marks, this creates a proximity search so you only receive files that have your search terms in the order of your search query. For example, a search for Noble Academy will return all documents with Noble and Academy in them, while a search for "Noble Academy" will only return the documents that have Noble Academy together.

Advanced Searching

Step 1: On the right hand side of the search bar, click on the three lines . This will open up a drop down menu that allows you to place limits on the types within your search results. Keep in mind, you do not have to use all of the options to conduct a search, you can specify one element and really begin to restrict your results.

Type Option: This allows you to specify the exact type of document your search will return.

• Documents will return any matching Google Doc or Word Files (.doc/.docx) that have been uploaded or shared with you.

• Spreadsheets will return both Google Sheets and Excel files.

Owner Option: This allows you to specify the owner of the file. If you are not sure, but know you do not own it, use the "Not owned by me option."

Location Option: This option is a little more advanced because you can limit results to specific locations in your drive. If you are not sure, but know the file was shared with you, select the "Shared with me option."

The other options drill down into the documents a little bit more, but specifying when it was last mortified (Date Modified) or if there are comments for you in the document (Follow up).