Extend Gmail Search To Find Files and Documents Stored in Google Drive

Even before Google Drive, I used Google Docs not just as online office document editor but also store those files in cloud. However, to search for document or files in Google Drive, you have to open new tab and then use search bar. Here’s a solution by which you can search files in Google drive right from Gmail search bar without leaving or opening new tab.

Gmail search bar only searches Email in various folders/labels of Gmail and offers option for Web Search. Extending Gmail Search to Google Drive Files is made possible by Gmail Labs. Follow the Steps to do it yourself:

How to Extend Gmail Search to Google Drive

1. Open Gmail account and Go to Gmail Settings from the Gear icon on top right.
   
2. Click on “Labs”
3. Enter “Apps Search” in Search Box.
   
4. Click on “Enable” radio button.
5. Now, click Save Changes button.

That’s all. Gmail will reload and relogin and you are ready to use extended Search tofind files in Google Drive right from Gmail Search Bar.

From now on, whenever you enter any search term, results will appear in two categories. On the top, Mail results for your search term are shown followed by Docs and Sites Results at bottom.

You have an option to see “only Docs results” or “Mail and Docs Results”.

On clicking the file you found, Google Document viewer opens if it is an office document while for others like archives (zip, rar), download option is offered.

This is indeed useful because most of the time, I have Gmail Window Open either for “Chat” or just like that to keep an eye on new mails. And now, with Google Drive, it is more than office file editor but also Cloud Storage space. So, if you are searching a file, attachments and GDrive could be scanned in one click in same window.

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