Use diagrams.net with Google Drive

Google Drive is a popular cloud platform for storing and sharing files. It’s ideal for collaborative diagramming and diagrams.net add-ons are available for the Google Workplace apps - Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Sheets.

Start diagramming in Google Drive now

Authorise diagrams.net to use Google Drive

After you have selected Google Drive as your storage location for diagram files, you may be prompted to authorise diagrams.net to allow access to the files stored there.

  1. Click Authorise, then log into your Google Drive account.
  2. Click Allow to grant diagrams.net (draw.io) permission to Add itself to Google Drive.
  3. Click Allow to grant permission to View and manage Google Drive files and folders that you have opened or created with this app.
  4. Click Allow to confirm your choices.
    Grant permission for diagrams.net to access your Google Drive files

Learn about the permissions diagrams.net needs for Google Drive and Google Workplace

Note: If you sign out of your Google Drive account, you will be prompted to sign back in when your diagram is saved, but you won’t need to authorise diagrams.net again. If you are having trouble, follow these steps to fix connection issues with diagrams.net in Google Drive.

  1. Once you are logged into Google Drive, and you have authorised diagrams.net to use your account, go to app.diagrams.net to start diagramming.
  2. Click Create New Diagram to start a new diagram, or Open Existing Diagram to browse to a diagram file stored in your Google Drive account and open it.
    Start using diagrams.net with Google Drive

Create a new diagram from within Google Drive

You can also create new diagrams directly from your within your Google Drive account, instead of opening diagrams.net first.

  1. In Google Drive, click New or right-click anywhere on your file list.
  2. Select More > diagrams.net to create a new diagram.
    Create a new diagram from within Google Drive
  3. Edit the Diagram Name, select a template from the template library, or use the Blank Diagram, then click Create to open it in the diagrams.net editor.
    Select a template and enter a diagram name to create a new diagram in Google Drive

Work with diagrams in Google Drive

Double click on a file to open an existing diagram file in the diagrams.net editor or import a diagram into Google Drive.

To allow non-Google users to see your diagram, you can publicly publish it. Alternatively, encode the diagram as a link to share with people online.

All changes made to your diagrams are automatically saved to your Google Drive, and you can see these changes in the versions of your diagrams - you’ll see who made what change and when.

You can rename, copy and move your diagram files stored in Google Drive via the File menu in the diagrams.net editor.

Return to Google Drive from the diagrams.net editor

Hover over the diagrams.net logo in the top left of the editor, and you’ll see it change to the Google Drive logo. Click on the logo to save your diagram and return to Google Drive.

Use diagrams.net inside Google Workplace (G Suite) apps

Embed diagrams in documents, slides and sheets with the diagrams.net add-ons for Google Workplace apps. Using the diagrams.net add-ons means you don’t need to manually export an image and update it in your document every time you edit your diagram. Simply use the Add-ons menu and update all of your embedded diagrams at once.

It's easy to embed diagrams in Google Docs

Allow all Google Workplace users to diagram

As a Google Workplace (G Suite) administrator, you will need to install and approve the diagrams.net add-ons for Google Workplace on behalf of all users on a domain.

Embed files from Google Drive in Confluence and Jira

You can embed diagram files that you have stored in Google Drive into Atlassian Confluence and Jira using the draw.io app.

Use diagrams in Google Classroom

Both student and teachers can use diagrams.net to work with diagrams in Google Classroom when the diagrams.net add-on for Google Drive/Workspace is installed.

With useful collaboration features supporting group work and ongoing feedback, students can work remotely on more complex visualisations in diagrams.net and easily submit diagrams with their assignments.

Preview, add comments to and open diagrams in the diagrams.net editor from Google Classroom

Tip: WHen working in a group on the same diagram stored in Google Drive, right-click on the drawing canvas and share your mouse cursor with your group members in real-time.