Connecting Google Drive
Link your Google Drive so Filently can organize documents directly in your storage.
Written By Valentin from Filently
Last updated 8 days ago
Your Documents Stay in Your Drive
An important thing to understand about Filently: your documents are stored in your Google Drive, not on Filently's servers. When you upload a document through Filently, it goes straight into your Google Drive. Filently reads, renames, and moves files within your Drive on your behalf.
This means you always have full ownership and control over your files.
Connecting During Onboarding
When you sign up for Filently, the onboarding process will guide you through connecting your Google Drive. Here is what to expect:
Choose your storage provider – Select Google Drive as your storage destination (more providers coming in the future).
Sign in with Google – A Google consent screen will appear asking you to grant Filently access.
Review and accept permissions – Read through what Filently is requesting, then click "Allow".
What Permissions Does Filently Request?
Filently requests only the permissions it needs to manage your documents:
Access to files Filently creates – This allows Filently to upload new documents to your Drive, rename them, and move them into the correct folders.
Read your folder structure – Filently needs to see your folders (names and hierarchy) so it can understand your organization and suggest the right filing locations.
What Filently Can and Cannot Access
With the default permissions, Filently does not have access to your existing personal files. It can only interact with:
Files that Filently itself creates (documents you upload through Filently)
Your folder structure (folder names and hierarchy, not file contents)
Your personal photos, spreadsheets, documents, and other files in Google Drive remain completely private and inaccessible to Filently.
Some optional features (like Inbox Folder Watching) require broader access to handle files added to your Drive from outside Filently. If you choose to enable those features later, Filently will ask for additional permissions at that time – never without your explicit consent.
For a deeper dive into exactly how permissions work, see Google Drive Permissions Explained.
Next Step
Once your Google Drive is connected, the next step is choosing where Filently should organize your documents.