Google Drive

Connect your Google Drive to Memex for browsing and accessing files directly in conversations.

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is Google's cloud storage service that lets you store files, documents, spreadsheets, and more. With the Google Drive connector, you can browse your Drive files directly within Memex and reference them in your conversations—no need to download and upload files manually.

This connector is perfect for:

• Accessing documents and files stored in your Drive

• Referencing Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides in conversations

• Working with files across your personal and shared drives

What You'll Need

Credential	Description
Google Account	Your Google account with access to the Drive files you want to use

No API keys or service accounts required!

Unlike other Google connectors, the Google Drive connector uses OAuth—you simply sign in with your Google account and authorize Memex to access your files. No technical setup needed.

Connecting to Memex

1. Open the Memex Hub from the sidebar

2. Click on the Connectors tab

3. Click on the Google Drive card

4. Click Connect with Google

5. Sign in to your Google account (if not already signed in)

6. Review the permissions and click Allow

7. Give your connection a memorable name (e.g., "My Drive" or "Work Drive")

8. Click Add Connection

Memex requests access only to files you explicitly select or reference. Your entire Drive is not automatically indexed or accessed.

Published apps use your credentials

When you publish an app that uses your Google Drive connection, the published app will access files using your authorization. Be mindful of what files you reference in apps you plan to share publicly.

Verifying Your Connection

After connecting, you can verify access by using the @ mention feature:

1. In any conversation, type @

2. You should see your Google Drive connection listed

3. Click on it to browse your Drive folders and files

If you can see your files, the connection is working correctly.

Using Your Connection

Browsing Files with @ Mentions

The most common way to use Google Drive is through the @ popup:

1. Type @ in the message input

2. Select your Google Drive connection

3. Browse folders or search for files

4. Click on a file to attach it to your message

Memex will read the file contents and include them in the conversation context.

Example Prompts

Once you've attached a file, you can ask Memex to work with it:

Summarize the key points from this document

Extract all the action items from this meeting notes document

Convert this spreadsheet data into a chart showing monthly trends

Compare these two documents and highlight the differences

Create a presentation outline based on this research document

Working with Google Workspace Files

Memex can read native Google Workspace formats:

File Type	How Memex Reads It
Google Docs	Extracted as plain text
Google Sheets	Exported as CSV data
Google Slides	Extracted as plain text
Regular files (PDF, TXT, etc.)	Downloaded directly

For best results with Google Sheets, keep your data well-organized with clear headers. Memex reads the sheet as CSV, so complex formatting may not be preserved.

Working with Folders

You can browse your Drive's folder structure:

• Click on folders to navigate into them

• Use the back button to go up a level

• The search bar lets you find files by name across your entire Drive

Shared with Me

Files shared with you by others appear in your Drive and can be accessed through this connector, as long as you have at least Viewer permission.

Security Considerations

OAuth Permissions

When you connect Google Drive, you authorize Memex with specific permissions:

• View files that you select or reference in conversations

• Read file contents for files you explicitly attach

Memex does not have permission to:

• Modify or delete your files

• Access files you don't explicitly select

• Browse your Drive in the background

• Share your files with others

Token Security

• Your Google authorization is encrypted and stored securely by Memex

• Access tokens are short-lived and refreshed automatically

• Memex never sees or stores your Google password

Revoking Access

You can disconnect Google Drive from Memex at any time:

From Memex:

1. Open the Memex Hub

2. Go to the Connectors tab

3. Find your Google Drive connection

4. Click Delete

From Google:

1. Go to Google Account Security

2. Click Third-party apps with account access

3. Find Memex and click Remove Access

Revoking access from Google immediately invalidates Memex's ability to access your Drive. You'll need to reconnect if you want to use the connector again.

Troubleshooting

"Authorization failed" Error

This can happen if:

• You cancelled the Google sign-in flow—try connecting again

• Your browser blocked the popup—allow popups for Memex and retry

• The authorization expired—reconnect your Drive

Can't See Files in @ Popup

• Make sure your connection is listed in the Connectors tab

• Try refreshing the page

• Check that you're looking in the correct folder (try browsing to root)

"Access token expired" Error

This usually resolves automatically. If it persists:

1. Delete the connection from the Connectors tab

2. Reconnect your Google Drive

3. Try accessing files again

File Content Not Loading

• Very large files may take longer to load

• Some file types (videos, executables) cannot be read as text

• Google Workspace files convert to text/CSV, so complex formatting isn't preserved

"File not found" Error

• The file may have been deleted or moved in Google Drive

• Your access to a shared file may have been revoked

• Try browsing to the file again using the @ popup

Learn More

• Google Drive Help Center

• Google Workspace File Types

• Managing Third-Party App Access

• Google Drive Storage Limits