In this tutorial, you will learn how to add Google Sheets to desktop.
Google Sheets’ rise to popularity is due in large part to the cloud-based nature of the software, which makes it easy to access all your Google Sheets files and collaborate with colleagues on any device that has an internet connection. Many people find the browser-based model appealing, but the added step of opening a browser and navigating to Google Drive before you can even open your files can be frustrating.
If you’re looking for a way to launch your Google Sheets files and folders directly from your desktop just like you would traditional files, this tutorial will help you do just that.
Saving Desktop Shortcuts
The first step to accessing Google Sheets directly from your desktop is to save shortcuts to the files and folders you want to access quickly. You can do this for as many or as few files and folders as you would like to gain quick access to all your important files
Here’s how:
Step 1
Open your browser of choice and navigate to the Google Sheet or Google Drive folder you want to add to desktop. Note that these instructions will work for all major browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Edge, and FireFox.
Step 2
If your browser window is maximized to fill the entire screen, restore it to a smaller window size. This can generally be done by double clicking on the bar at the top of the window, or by using the window control buttons in the corner of the window. You should be able to see both the browser and the desktop behind at this stage
Step 3
Next, look at the URL bar in your browser. If there is a small icon such as a padlock to the left of the URL, you can click and drag it to the desktop to create a shortcut. Alternatively, double click on the URL to select all of it, then click and drag that from the browser to the desktop
Step 4
A shortcut to the Google Sheet or folder located at the URL will appear on your desktop
Step 5
Repeat the above steps as needed till you have all the shortcuts you want
Using Desktop Shortcuts
Once your desktop shortcuts are created, here’s how to use them:
Step 1
Double click on a desktop shortcut to open the Google Sheet in your default browser. Note that this will only work if you are currently connected to the internet, as the file is still stored in the cloud
Step 2
Drag and drop desktop shortcuts to organize them like you would other files on your computer. You can even add them to folders or rename them