How to archive Google Drive to S3, B2, or R2
Move an approved Google Drive folder into S3-compatible storage, export native files deliberately, and keep a report that explains what arrived.
Safe Archive guide
Keep the copy, keep the context, and keep a record of what arrived.
Founder of ARCED Foundation, ARCED International, and Solutions of Things Lab (SoTLab). Built FolderManifest to help teams protect file integrity and stay audit-ready.
Published August 20, 2026
Scope first
Decide what you are allowed to copy before starting the archive.
Copy second
Use a destination that will remain available after access changes.
Verify last
Keep a report that names the files copied, converted, skipped, or failed.
Quick answer
Approve the Google Drive scope, choose the S3-compatible bucket and prefix, select how native files should be exported, and review the report in the cloud destination. The source remains unchanged while the archive is created.
1. Approve the Google Drive scope
Start with the folders you are authorized to archive. Record the owner, source paths, shared-drive locations, expected file types, exclusions, and the person who approved the export. Access to a folder does not by itself decide whether its contents can be retained in another account or bucket.
- Separate personal files, company records, and folders that should be transferred instead.
- Write down the expected source set before access changes begin.
- Choose a cloud destination the receiving owner can access later.
2. Prepare the S3-compatible destination
Choose AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, Wasabi, or MinIO. Set the bucket and, when required, the service endpoint and region. Use a prefix that identifies the person, project, or archive date without putting secrets in the path.
Store credentials in the operating system keychain through the archive workflow. Do not put access keys in the handoff note, job file, or report.
3. Export native files and create the archive
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides need an export format. Safe Archive can keep editable office files, PDF copies, or URL pointers when the Drive account will remain available. Forms and Sites that cannot be exported are recorded as skipped.
Run the archive from the app or CLI. Ordinary archived files receive SHA-256 values, and the S3 destination receives _archive-report.html and _archive-report.csv with the result.
4. Verify the cloud archive before access changes
- Confirm the report is in the intended bucket and prefix.
- Compare the report scope with the approved Drive folders.
- Review conversions, skips, and failures.
- Open representative exports from the receiving account.
- Keep the report with the archived data and handoff notes.
The Google-native export guide covers format choices in more detail. Use it when the archive contains Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Sites.
Make the archive reviewable
FolderManifest copies the folder locally or to a supported destination, then creates a report with the files that arrived and the files that need attention.
Frequently asked questions
Can Safe Archive copy Google Drive directly to S3-compatible storage?
Yes. Safe Archive supports a Google Drive source and S3-compatible destinations such as AWS, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, Wasabi, and MinIO.
What happens to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides?
They are exported into the selected format because Google-native files do not have ordinary downloadable bytes. The report records the conversion and any item that could not be exported.
How do I verify a Google Drive to S3 archive?
Review _archive-report.html and _archive-report.csv in the destination. Check the source scope, converted files, skipped items, failures, and per-file SHA-256 values for ordinary archived files.
Does the archive remove files from Google Drive?
No. Safe Archive copies the source and leaves Google Drive unchanged. Ownership, access removal, and deletion are separate administrative actions.