Google Drawings Shortcut

Google Drive for Desktop is a program that allows Google Drive users to back up and open their Google Drive files on Windows and Mac PCs. While Drive for Desktop stores actual backups of some types of files (such as .JPG and .DOCX files) on users' computers, it does not store copies of files created using Google Drawings, Docs, Slides, and other Google Workspace applications. Instead, Drive for Desktop stores shortcut files that, when double-clicked, open the associated file in the web version of the correct Google Workspace application.

GDRAW files are Drive for Desktop shortcuts that open diagrams created in Google Drawings. When a Drive for Desktop user double-clicks a GDRAW file, the related diagram opens in Google Drawings, provided the user is signed in to a Gmail account allowed to access the diagram. Each GDRAW file is a JSON file that contains a diagram's URL and document ID, as well as the name of the Gmail account used to create the diagram.

NOTE: GDRAW files were previously created by Backup and Sync from Google. Google replaced Backup and Sync with Drive for Desktop in October 2021.

If you have Google Drive for Desktop installed on your PC, or you are using a Chrome OS device, you can double-click a GDRAW file to open the diagram it references in Google Drawings. You may have to sign in to your Gmail account or request access to the diagram to open it.

If necessary, you can also open a GDRAW file in any text editor to view the URL, document ID, and Gmail account information it contains. You may want to do this, for example, if you are having trouble using your GDRAW file to open a diagram in Google Drawings. If double-clicking your GDRAW file does not open a diagram, you can try copying and pasting your file's URL into your web browser to access your diagram.

Programs that open GDRAW files

Updated: July 30, 2021