How to Extract Google Drive Backup Archives in OneDrive
Question details
The user needs to extract a compressed Google Drive backup archive directly within their OneDrive cloud storage.
- Product
- OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Transferring backed-up files from Google Drive to OneDrive via a ZIP archive and attempting to access the contents online.
- Observed behavior
- OneDrive on the web does not provide a native feature to directly extract ZIP or other archive files, leaving the backup contents inaccessible until unpacked.
Verify that your computer has sufficient local storage capacity to temporarily hold both the downloaded ZIP archive and the newly extracted files.
Download, Extract Locally, and Re-upload
Since OneDrive web cannot unpack archives, you must download the backup to your local computer, extract it using built-in OS tools, and manually upload the folders back to OneDrive.
OneDrive currently lacks a built-in unzipping utility on its web interface. To access the contents of your Google Drive backup, the extraction process must be handled locally by your operating system.
Log in to OneDrive on the web, locate your uploaded Google Drive backup ZIP file, select the file, and click the 'Download' button from the top toolbar.
Locate the downloaded file on your computer. On Windows, right-click the file and select 'Extract All'. On macOS, simply double-click the ZIP file to extract its contents using the Archive Utility.
Return to the OneDrive web interface, navigate to your preferred destination folder, click 'Upload', choose 'Folder', and select the newly extracted folder to sync it back to your cloud.
Edit Your Extracted Backup Files with WPS Office
If your Google Drive backup contains documents, spreadsheets, or presentations, you will need a reliable suite to view and edit them after extraction. WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative to Microsoft Office that ensures seamless migration and perfect document compatibility.
- 1. Open Extracted Documents: Launch WPS Office and click 'Open' to navigate to the local folder where you extracted your Google Drive backup.
- 2. Edit Seamlessly: Make your changes using professional tools that perfectly retain original Microsoft Office formatting.
- 3. Save to Cloud: Save the document directly back into your synced OneDrive directory to keep your cloud storage updated automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Google Drive backup download as a ZIP file?
When you export multiple files or use Google Takeout to back up your Google Drive data, Google automatically compresses the files into a ZIP archive to reduce the file size and speed up the download process.
Are there any web extensions to unzip files directly in OneDrive?
No, Microsoft OneDrive does not currently support third-party web add-ins for unzipping files directly within the browser interface. All extraction must be done locally or via third-party cloud transfer services.
Will I lose file metadata when extracting the backup locally?
Extracting a ZIP file using built-in Windows or macOS tools generally preserves basic metadata like file names and modification dates. However, specific cloud sharing permissions and version histories from Google Drive will not carry over in the ZIP.
What should I do if the extracted files take up too much local space?
If local storage is limited, consider downloading and extracting the ZIP file to an external hard drive. Once extracted, upload the folders to OneDrive via the web and delete the local copies to free up space.
