Linux has been missing an official Google Drive client for years now, and that means users have had to rely on third-party tools to get the job done in terms of syncing their cloud files and directories to their respective computers.
OverGrive is yet another third party Google Drive client that aims to provide a complete desktop solution for Linux users. It is provided by The Fan Club and supports the most popular distributions such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint (and other Ubuntu-based distros), Fedora (and other RPM distros), and Arch Linux. The following desktop environments are also supported: Unity, Gnome Shell, KDE, Cinnamon, XFCE and LXDE.
OverGrive is a closed-source paid application which costs $4.99 for a full license. However, there is a free 14-day trial which you can use to try out the app before you buy it.
This guide explains how to set up overGrive on your Linux desktop.
Installation
You’ll need to download the latest package files for your respective distributions. Ubuntu and Fedora users can download the latest version of the DEB and RPM files from the overGrive website.
Ubuntu
First activate the “universe” repository via the terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository universe && sudo apt-get update
Once you’ve downloaded the DEB file, simply double-click it to install via the Software Center, or you can use the terminal with the following commands:
sudo dpkg -i overgrive_3.1.9_all.deb
Fedora
After downloading the RPM file, you may need to install a few dependencies via the terminal. Just enter the following commands:
sudo dnf install libappindicator-gtk3 python-devel python-pip python-inotify python-gobject-base
Them install the Google API:
sudo pip install --upgrade google-api-python-client
Once the dependencies have been satisfied, install the application using the Software Center or enter the following commands:
sudo dnf install overgrive-3.1.9.noarch.rpm
Note: if you download a different version of the file, remember to modify the command to reflect the file version.
Once installed, you can launch overGrive by searching and clicking on the application icon.
First setup
Follow the steps below to configure your Google Drive account with overGrive.
1. Launch overGrive and click OK to run the overGrive setup.
2. Click “Connect Account” to authorize your Google account. A new tab will be opened in your browser for this purpose.
3. Sign into your account and grant overGrive the permission to access your Google Drive files.
4. Copy the Google authorization code and paste into the account entry box provided.
5. Select your preferred sync options and click “Validate” to confirm your account.
6. Click the “Start Sync” button to begin syncing your files.
Once your files have finished syncing, you can check the Google Drive folder on your computer to view your files. Changes made to this directory will be reflected on your Google Drive account.
How to uninstall
If after trying overGrive you decide it is not going to work for you, simply uninstall the application via the software centre or use the following commands:
Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get remove overgrive
Fedora:
sudo dnf remove overgrive
Let us know your experience with overGrive and how well it worked for you in the comments section below. If you use other alternative Google Drive solutions, feel free to share in the comments as well.
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Ayo Isaiah
Ayo Isaiah is a freelance writer from Lagos who loves everything technology with a particular interest in open-source software. Follow him on Twitter.
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