Access and Manage Files Between FTP and Google Drive

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Updated on: February 8, 2025
Time to read: 5 minutes
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Since FTP doesn’t natively connect to Google Drive, transferring files between them usually requires either manual methods or third-party software. CloudMounter streamlines this process by allowing you to access both FTP and Google Drive as local drives in one place. In this guide, we’ll show you how to migrate files between the two quickly, securely, and effortlessly.

Table of Contents

Transfer data from Google Drive to FTP on Windows

If you want to move files from Google Drive to FTP, you can use manual downloading. This involves downloading files from the cloud to your computer and then uploading them to the remote server. However, this option works only for Windows users. 

Unfortunately, Finder on macOS has limited FTP functionality – while you can view and download files, uploading isn’t possible. To upload and edit files on remote servers from a Mac, you’ll need a dedicated FTP client.

Follow these simple steps to transfer files from Google Drive to FTP on Windows:

1. Sign in to Google Drive with your Gmail account.

2. Select the files or folders you want to transfer, then click the Download icon at the top or right-click and choose “Download”.

Download files from Google Drive

3. Unzip the downloaded files on your desktop.

4. Open File Explorer, go to “This PC” > “Add a network location”, enter the FTP address, and log in.

5. Upload the selected Google Drive files to your FTP server.

Move FTP files to Google Drive

Now, let’s look at how to transfer files from FTP to Google Drive. You can do this by downloading the files from the FTP server to your computer and then uploading them to Google Drive. While this method works, it’s not the most convenient and can be time-consuming.

Additionally, you’ll need enough space on your local disk to store the files downloaded from the server.

  1. Connect to the FTP server via your file manager:
      ◦ File Explorer: Go to “This PC” > “Add a network location”, type the FTP address, and log in.
      ◦ Finder: Select “Go” > “Connect to Server” (or press “Command+K”), then enter the server address and your credentials.
  2. Download the FTP files to your computer.
  3. Open Google Drive, click “+New” > “File upload”, and choose the files you downloaded from FTP. Screenshot ‘Upload files/folders to Google Drive’ The upload to Google Drive will start automatically.
Upload files to Google Drive

Alternative method for managing files between Google Drive and FTP

Looking for a more convenient way to transfer files between Google Drive and FTP? CloudMounter is an all-in-one cloud storage manager that lets you mount remote servers and cloud drive accounts as local drives, making file management effortless.

How to transfer from Google Drive to FTP with CloudMounter

Migrating files from Google Drive to FTP with our program is straightforward. Simply follow the steps below:

1. Download the desktop app for macOS or Windows and install it on your computer.

2. Run the software and connect Google Drive and FTP as local drives by clicking their icons. 

The Connections window in CloudMounter on Mac
Pick FTP and G Drive in CloudMounter on Windows PC

3. Enter the required details for each connection in the corresponding fields.

4. Click “Mount” and the utility will map your storage as a network drive.

5. Each will appear as a local drive in your file manager.

6. Now, you can easily copy files just like you would with local folders in Finder or File Explorer.

Google Drive and FTP mapped as drives in Finder
Google Drive and FTP mapped as drives in File Explorer

Additional features of CloudMounter

This tool helps you manage all your storage accounts and remote servers from one spot. Here are some of its main benefits:

  • Centralized file management: Access all your server files in one convenient location.
  • Enhanced security: Encrypt your online files for added protection.
  • Cross-platform: Available for both macOS and Windows.
  • Offline access: On macOS, you can work with your files even without an internet connection.


Other great features of CloudMounter include:

  • Wide range of services: Supports a variety of cloud storage and web services.
  • Unlimited cloud accounts: Add as many accounts as you need.
  • Remote server management: Easily manage files on remote servers, like SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol).

 

A Google document in Google Drive is just a link to a document on docs.google.com, not a physical file. It doesn’t store the document’s content but points to where it can be accessed and edited online.

CloudMounter handles online documents such as Google Docs and Sheets as links, allowing you to move them between folders. However, copying them to another account will break the links, making the documents inaccessible. Additionally, moving (not copying) such documents to your desktop or another account will result in their removal from both Google Drive and docs.google.com.

Conclusion

There are different ways to transfer files between Google Drive and FTP, such as doing it manually or using third-party software. Manual transfers can be slow and tricky, especially with large files or lots of data. But tools like CloudMounter make the process faster and easier. This application allows you to mount one or both accounts at the same time and effortlessly migrate files using copy/paste or drag and drop.