How to set up your work folders backup with Google Drive

This guide explains how to set up your work folders backup with Google Drive. Once configured, it will run automatically every day.

Why Drive? Existing backups often export to platforms linked to billing accounts. If the project is deleted or billing fails, those backups disappear. This approach uploads critical data to an external Google Drive account, isolated from the platform's lifecycle.

Step 1: Enable Google Drive API. Head over to your cloud console and ensure the 'Google Drive API' is enabled for your project.

Step 2: Use a Service Account. You can either use an existing Service Account or create a dedicated one with Editor permissions. Download the generated JSON key to authenticate the Drive connection.

Step 3: Configure Google Drive. Create a 'Backups' folder on your Google Drive. Share this folder with the service account email found in the previous step, granting it Editor permissions. Copy the Folder ID from the URL, you'll need it shortly.

Step 4: Set up secrets. In your local or production environment, configure your environment variables with the minified JSON key and the Drive Folder ID.

Step 5: Deploy and verify. With the code pushed, you can trigger a backup manually to verify everything is properly configured and successfully creating structured folders in your Drive.

Once deployed, your backups will be structured gracefully by date inside Drive. Folders older than 30 days can be automatically cleared out to maintain space.