If you have a file in you Google Drive that was uploaded but not converted to a Google Document and don’t want to re-upload here is a way to convert your file within your Google Drive.
1. Locate and right-click on the file you want to convert.
2. In the menu, mouse over Open with and click Google Docs.
3. After this, a tab will open up with the Google Doc logo, this means its converting.
4. The logo will change to your newly converted Google Doc file.
5. Close your tab and you will notice that you will have 2 files now, your original (mine is a Word file) and a converted Google Doc file.
If you don’t want to do this constantly when uploading, do this in Google Drive.
1. Click the Gear button (top right area of Google Drive).
2. Mouse over Upload settings.
3. Click on Convert uploaded files to Google Docs format.
4. Now anytime you upload a file it automatically converts it to a Google Doc.
Classroom Integration: Whether you are sharing documents with your grade level/content team or receiving homework from your students, not everyone provides you with a Google Doc. Here are a few reasons converting these files will help you.
- A Google Doc doesn’t take space from your Google Drive.
- Google Documents can be edited in real-time by multiple users.
- To be able to edit a Word file you have to download it from your drive, open it in Word, Save it in Word, and re-upload it to your drive (WAY TO MUCH WORK!)
- A Google Doc is free for your kids, meaning they can work on it from home.
- As a teacher you can comment, grade, or correct a students Google Doc, you can’t on an uploaded Word file.
- There is much more positives for using Google Docs instead of uploading a Word file but I bet you get the picture by now.
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