Google has finally added support for cut, copy, and paste shortcuts for files on the web version of Google Drive. In a blog post, the company said the new feature will work across multiple tabs and will eliminate the need for the right-click menu before the above-listed functions will work.
To use them, simply cut, copy, and paste like you would in any other app on a PC or Mac. To cut, copy, and paste files, use Ctrl+X (⌘+ X on Mac), Ctrl+C (⌘+ C on Mac), and Ctrl+V (⌘+ V on Mac). “This saves you time by allowing you to copy one or more files and move them to new locations in Drive, and across multiple tabs, with fewer clicks,” the company noted
Google says that cutting, copying, and pasting works not only between different folders in Google Drive, but also in Google Docs or even an email, since when you copy or cut a file from Drive, its URL and title are also saved. In addition to the aforementioned keyboard shortcuts, Google has added support for Ctrl+Shift+V, allowing users to create and add shortcuts to any file on Drive without duplicating it. The Ctrl+Enter keyboard shortcut can also be used to open a file in a new browser tab.
New features began rolling out on May 26 for Rapid Release track users, and on June 1 for Scheduled Release track users. Google, however, notes, “Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts when using Google Chrome”.
Even though the new features are great improvements, they have a huge flaw that many people will find unacceptable. Users of other browsers, such as Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera, will not be able to use the new keyboard shortcuts unless they switch to Google’s Chrome browser.
This is a restriction that non-Google Chrome users may find difficult to accept. We can only hope that Google will resolve this issue in the not-too-distant future and make the Drive shortcuts available across all browsers.
Google Drive, which was introduced in 2012, is a cloud-based file storage service that allows users to upload and store files. It’s one of Google’s most popular products alongside Search, Gmail, and Maps.
Google Drive has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, and you can also use it on the web. All Google account users receive up to 15GB of free cloud storage, with the option to purchase up to 30TB of additional storage for a monthly fee. In addition to the standard 100GB tier, which costs $1.99 per month, users can also pay $299.99 per month for the 30TB tier.
