You can either migrate the contents of your ASL Google Drive to a personal Google Drive account, or you can download the files onto an external storage device, such as USB drive or external hard drive, and store in a safe location.
Once your ASL Google Drive account has been deactivated, you will no longer have access to the documents stored in your ASL Google account.
Option 1: Download files and folders using Google Takeout
Once you are logged in to your ASL GoogleDrive account, go to Google Takeout. By default, all of the sliders are on, so turn off the sliders for the services that you do not want to download. Once you click the Next button, choose the type and size of your archive and then how you want the download link to be delivered to you. Note: this service will only download files that are owned by your account. Any files or folders that have been shared with you that are owned by someone else will not be downloaded.
Option 2: Download files and folders manually
For any files or folders you wish to export do the following:
Right-click (or CTRL-click) on the files/folders listed in your ASL Google Drive account and select the Download option. Folders are exported as a zipped archive into your Downloads folder. Individual files are exported into the following formats by default:
- Documents as Microsoft Word
- Drawings as JPEG
- Presentations as Microsoft Powerpoint
- Spreadsheets as Microsoft Excel
- Forms are not available for export
Option 3: Use the Multcloud service to transfer copies of your files to a personal account
Go to MultCloud and sign up for a new account (don't use your ASL email address). You will then be able to link your ASL GoogleDrive account to your personal GoogleDrive account and have your files copied over to your personal account.
Option 4: Share from to your personal account
- Move any files in your ASL Google Drive that you wish to keep into a folder called To Export.
- You then need share this folder with your personal Google Drive account.
- Now log into your personal Google Drive account and you should now see a folder called To Export.
IMPORTANT: Those files that you have just shared with your personal GoogleDrive will become unavailable once your ASL Google account is deactivated. It is therefore very important you perform the following steps prior to that happening:
- Navigate to the folder called To Export and open it.
- Inside this folder, you will see files that do not list you as the owner (easier to see in list view). Make copies of all these files — notice how you are now the owner of these copies. Don't forget to check inside any subfolders.
- Confirm the process has been successful and that all the chosen files have copied so that your personal account is the owner of those copies.
- Finally, you must move those copies into your Drive (and out of the "To Export" folder which is in the Shared with Me section of your Drive). Otherwise, when your ASL GoogleDrive account is deactivated, all of those copies will disappear along with that shared folder even though you own them.