Install Open Drive (Google Drive Linux Client) on Ubuntu Linux

Open Drive is an unofficial Google Drive Linux client written in Electron that allows automatic synchronization between files, and system notifications and runs in the system tray.

ODrive hides the complexity of synchronizing files and documents between Google Drive and your local Linux machine, including Ubuntu.

It supports Windows, Mac OS, and Linux (Ubuntu). If you’re a Ubuntu user with a Google Drive account, and you want to automatically synchronize your data, including changes, then you might want to take a look at Open Drive.

Another online storage service works with Ubuntu, but I prefer Google Drive since you get about 15GB free.

If you’re not aware, there are no office Google Drive clients for Linux systems, including Ubuntu. So you will want to use third-party tools, like ODrive to back up and synchronize your content there.

Install ODrive Deb

There are multiple ways to install Open Drive Linux client on Ubuntu. You can either use it.DEB file and install or use Snap package management.

You can find the latest releases on this GitHub page.

https://github.com/liberodark/ODrive/releases

Visit its download page and choose the package with the .deb extension to download and install.

ODrive Ubuntu Install

Once downloaded, go to your ~/Downloads folder and run the executable to install. Right-click the downloaded file and select

Open With Software Install

Odrive Ubuntu Setup

That should Open Ubuntu Software Center. From there click Install to initiate the installation process.

ODrive Ubuntu install

When prompted for your password type it and continue with the installation.

Once the installation is complete, go to the Activities Overview and search for ODrive. Then select and launch.

The first you open the app, it should prompt you to configure and authenticate to your Google Drive. Click Next to begin.

Odrive Ubuntu

Sign into Google and Allow the apps to connect to your drive.

Ubuntu ODrive

Connect to Google Drive and account and specify the local folder for synchronization.

Odrive Linux

When you’re done, click Synchronize.

That should immediately start synchronizing your Google Drive content locally. Future changes to your Google Drive will automatically be reflected locally.

Install ODrive via Snap

If you rather install the ODrive client via Snap, then use the commands below…

Snaps are containerized software packages that are simple to create and install… It’s a new way to manage packages on Linux systems and is supported by the top Linux distributions…

It’s probably the easiest way to install and manage packages on Linux systems, including Ubuntu…

To install ODrive via Snap, run the commands below

sudo apt install snapd
sudo snap install odrive-unofficial

That should install ODrive on Ubuntu.

Now navigate to your home folder and locate Google Drive. In it, you should find your Google Drive content.

Google Drive Ubuntu

Congratulations! You have learned how to set up ODrive to automatically back up your content to Google Drive online.

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