Use this guide in your authorized rclone environment. Obtain any organization-specific client configuration and access instructions from your administrator.
1. Install rclone
Get the appropriate version for your device from the official rclone downloads page and follow the installation instructions.
Run this command in your terminal to confirm installation:
rclone version
2. Configure Google Drive
Start rclone’s configuration wizard:
rclone config
Create a new remote named mydrive, select Google Drive, and follow the authorization prompts. If using your own OAuth client, configure the client ID and secret according to the rclone Google Drive guide. Never paste secrets into support messages.
Read the app name and permissions on Google’s consent screen before granting access. The OAuth client name must match the application you intend to use. For remote or headless machines, follow rclone’s documented remote setup process.
3. Choose the right operation
| Operation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Copy | Copies new or changed source files. Leaves extra destination files in place. |
| Sync | Makes the destination match the source. Can delete destination files. |
| Dry run | Shows planned changes without applying them. |
Start with a small test folder. Replace the local folder and remote destination with your own paths.
4. Preview, then copy
Preview copying a local folder to Drive:
rclone copy "./Project files" "mydrive:Backups" --dry-run
After reviewing the dry-run output, run the copy:
rclone copy "./Project files" "mydrive:Backups" --progress
For a mirror operation, first inspect a sync dry run. Destination-only files may be deleted when you later run sync without --dry-run.
rclone sync "./Project files" "mydrive:Backups" --dry-run
Read the official copy and sync documentation before running operations on important data.
5. Permissions and next steps
Rclone supports different Drive scopes. Broad Drive access may be necessary for some workflows, while a narrower scope may be sufficient for others. Review the permissions in your configured client and on Google’s consent screen. Only use scopes authorized for your internal workflow.
Review data practices, learn how to disconnect an account, or get help.