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How to Upload a Movie to Google Drive and Share It

Upload a movie from a computer or Android phone, then check Drive storage, playback limits, processing, and sharing permissions.
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To upload a movie to Google Drive on a computer, open Google Drive, choose New → File upload, and select the video. On Android, open the Drive app and tap New → Upload. After the upload finishes, you can open the file to play it or set sharing permissions for someone else. Uploading and video processing are separate: a movie that plays for you may not yet be ready on another device.

Choose the upload route for your device

Device and situation Upload option Useful detail
Computer, file on the computer Google Drive in a browser: New → File upload Drag-and-drop into Drive and Drive for desktop are also documented alternatives.
Android phone, video on the phone Drive app: New → Upload Google also documents selecting a video in the photos app, choosing Share, selecting Drive, and saving.

Upload a movie from a computer

  1. Go to drive.google.com and sign in to the Google Account where you want the file stored.
  2. Open the destination folder, or stay in My Drive.
  3. Select New → File upload, then choose the movie file. To upload a folder instead, Google lists Folder upload. You can also drag a file into Drive or use Drive for desktop.
  4. Wait for the upload to complete, and make sure the file appears in Drive before closing the tab or app.
  5. Open the video to check it. Playback right away in the same browser session does not necessarily mean processing is finished for other devices or people you share it with.

Upload a movie from an Android phone

  1. Open the Google Drive app and navigate to the folder where the movie should go.
  2. Tap New → Upload.
  3. Find and tap the video file, then wait for the upload to finish.

Google recommends Wi-Fi for the best upload speed. Drive also has a setting to restrict file transfers to Wi-Fi, which can help avoid using mobile data. If the video is in your photos app, Google’s Android guidance also describes using that app’s Share option, choosing Drive, and saving the file.

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Check storage before uploading a large video

Drive storage is shared by files in your account, and uploading a file into someone else’s folder still uses storage from the uploader’s account. Check your available space before starting a large transfer. Google says a video can be stored up to 5 TB only if the account has purchased at least that much storage; otherwise, the available storage in the account is the limit. This is a conditional maximum, not an allowance for every account. See Google Drive Help on video storage and playback.

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Know what Drive can store and play

Storing a video and playing its preview in Drive are different capabilities. Google says Drive can store any file type, but preview and playback support is narrower; a file may be stored successfully without being playable as a video in Drive. Google lists WebM (VP8 video, Vorbis audio); MPEG4, 3GPP, and MOV (H.264 or MPEG4 video, AAC audio); AVI (MJPEG video, PCM audio); MPEGPS (MPEG2 video, MP2 audio); WMV; FLV (FLV1 video, MP3 audio); MTS; and OGG as supported video formats, while cautioning that not all types work on every device. The extension alone does not guarantee playback: for formats with specified codecs, check both the container and the video and audio codecs. See Google’s format and playback guidance and its overview of file types stored in Drive.

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Google says videos at any resolution can be uploaded, but Drive’s maximum playback resolution is 1920 × 1080. A 4K source may therefore be stored, but do not expect Drive playback at 4K. Internet speed and connection quality can also affect playback.

Share the movie with the right permissions

  1. Select the video in Drive and choose Share.
  2. Add the intended recipient or set the link audience if that option is available to your account.
  3. Choose the least permissive role that meets the need. For someone who only needs to watch, use Viewer if available. Google also offers Commenter and Editor; editors can edit and share.
  4. Review download controls before sending. Viewers can download by default, though the owner can control that setting.
  5. Send the invitation or link only after checking the audience and access level.

Do not assume that anyone with a link can watch the file: a work or school administrator may restrict sharing outside the organization, and file permissions can limit access. Google’s Drive sharing and permissions guidance describes the available roles and controls.

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Fix a movie that is still processing or will not play

If Drive says the video is still processing

Wait and try again. Google notes that a video may play immediately after upload in the same browser session while it is still processing for other devices or people it has been shared with. See Google’s guidance on video playback in Drive.

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If the upload fails or playback does not work

Try these checks in order; they are possible troubleshooting steps, not a diagnosis:

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  1. Check that your internet connection is stable and that the file does not exceed the storage available in your Drive account.
  2. Confirm the file uses a format and codecs that Drive can preview, and remember that supported formats may still behave differently across devices.
  3. Update the browser or Drive app, then sign out of Google and back in.
  4. If using a browser, try another browser or an incognito window. Temporarily disable extensions if the problem changes in that window.
  5. Try the Drive desktop or mobile app instead of the browser, or try a different device.
  6. For browser playback, check that third-party cookies are enabled. Google also documents cookies and, in particular cases, a Chrome CORS plugin among relevant troubleshooting considerations.

Google’s video playback troubleshooting page covers these options.

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