Editing Microsoft documents in Google Drive

As you gain experience in using Google Drive, you may find that some of the documents you have uploaded into your Drive are Microsoft files such as Word, Excel, or Powerpoint.  Don’t panic!  You can still store and even edit these files in Google Drive!

If you would like the capability of editing Microsoft files in Google Drive, you will need to use an extension in Google Chrome.

1. Open a new window with Google Chrome.  On the far left, you’ll see a button labeled ‘Apps.’ Click it.

 

2. A window will open showing you the Google apps you have access to.  Click on the app “Chrome Store.”

 

3. In the Chrome Web Store, you’ll find a search bar to search for specific apps. Search for “Office Editing with Docs.” It will appear as an extension. Follow the prompts to install this extension.

4. After it is installed, every time you open a Word document in Google Drive (while using Chrome as your web browser), it will automatically open it in a format that allows you to edit it as if it were a Google Doc.

This is a great for preventing multiple versions of the same document, and you can still share it with anyone using Drive!