Operate Google Drive from the terminal via `rclone` — list, upload, download, search, sync, mount, check quota, export Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, browse Shared Drives, and manage trash. Use whenever the user mentions Google Drive, Drive folders, or anything stored in Google Workspace files from the command line. Trigger phrases include "google drive", "g drive", "gdrive", "drive cli", "upload to drive", "download from drive", "list drive", "search drive", "sync to drive", "backup to drive", "mount google drive", "mount drive", "check drive quota", "drive storage", "drive space", "google docs export", "shared drive", "shared with me", "drive trash", "empty drive trash", "google workspace files", "drive folder", "rclone drive", "rclone gdrive".
Operate Google Drive from the terminal via `rclone` — list, upload, download, search, sync, mount, check quota, export Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, browse Shared Drives, and manage trash. Use whenever the user mentions Google Drive, Drive folders, or anything stored in Google Workspace files from the command line. Trigger phrases include "google drive", "g drive", "gdrive", "drive cli", "upload to drive", "download from drive", "list drive", "search drive", "sync to drive", "backup to drive", "mount google drive", "mount drive", "check drive quota", "drive storage", "drive space", "google docs export", "shared drive", "shared with me", "drive trash", "empty drive trash", "google workspace files", "drive folder", "rclone drive", "rclone gdrive".
Google Drive CLI Skill
Interact with Google Drive via rclone. This skill covers listing, uploading,
downloading, searching, syncing, mounting, exporting Google Workspace files
(Docs/Sheets/Slides), and handling Shared Drives and trash.
The underlying tool is rclone — a cloud storage swiss-army knife — but this
skill is scoped to Google Drive. For other providers (S3, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.)
don't use this skill; run rclone directly with the appropriate remote.
Constraints
rclone must be installed (brew install rclone on macOS).
A Google Drive remote must be configured via rclone config. OAuth is
browser-based and cannot be automated — the user must run rclone config
themselves.
Remote names are user-chosen (e.g., gdrive:, tx-gdrive:, personal:).
Always run rclone listremotes first — never assume a name.
Destructive operations (sync, move, delete, purge) can permanently
erase Drive data. Run with first and confirm before executing.
--dry-run
Daily upload quota on Google Drive is 750 GB per user. Plan accordingly.
Google Docs/Sheets/Slides have no file size and can't be downloaded as-is
unless you pass --drive-export-formats to convert them.
Preflight Check
Before any Drive operation:
rclone version # confirm install
rclone listremotes # find the Drive remote name
Google Workspace files have no native file — you must tell rclone what format to
export them as. --drive-export-formats accepts a comma-separated priority list:
# Export Docs as .docx, Sheets as .xlsx, Slides as .pptx
rclone copy gdrive:Projects ~/local/projects \
--drive-export-formats "docx,xlsx,pptx" -P
# Prefer PDF for everything
rclone copy gdrive:Projects ~/local/projects \
--drive-export-formats "pdf" -P
# Markdown for Docs, CSV for Sheets
rclone copy gdrive:Notes ~/local/notes \
--drive-export-formats "md,csv" -P
# 1. Dry-run
rclone sync ~/project gdrive:Backups/project --dry-run -v
# 2. Show output to user, get confirmation, then real run with safety net
rclone sync ~/project gdrive:Backups/project \
--backup-dir gdrive:Backups/_versions/$(date +%Y-%m-%d) \
--max-delete 100 \
-P
If the user is on Google Workspace, they may have Shared Drives (formerly Team Drives).
# List Shared Drives available to this account
rclone backend drives gdrive:
# To access one, either:# (a) Reconfigure the remote with "Configure as Shared Drive? y" in rclone config# (b) Use --drive-shared-with-me or --drive-team-drive flags ad-hoc# Example: operate on a specific Shared Drive by ID
rclone ls gdrive: --drive-team-drive 0ABCDEF1234567890
Shared-with-me
Files other users shared with you but that don't live in your My Drive:
# List trashed items
rclone ls gdrive: --drive-trashed-only
# Restore from trash (rclone backend command)
rclone backend untrash gdrive:path/to/file
# Empty trash (PERMANENT)
rclone backend drop gdrive: --dry-run # preview first
rclone backend drop gdrive: # execute
Mount Drive as a filesystem
Requires FUSE. On macOS: brew install --cask macfuse. Note that Homebrew's
rclone formula excludes mount — install rclone from https://rclone.org/install/
for full mount support, or use nfsmount subcommand.
mkdir -p ~/mnt/gdrive
rclone mount gdrive: ~/mnt/gdrive --vfs-cache-mode full --daemon
# Unmount
umount ~/mnt/gdrive # macOS
fusermount -u ~/mnt/gdrive # Linux
Generate a share link
rclone link gdrive:shared/file.pdf
# Returns: https://drive.google.com/open?id=...
Bandwidth control
Useful on metered connections or to avoid hitting Drive's rate limits:
rclone copy ~/bigfolder gdrive:backup --bwlimit 5M -P
# Schedule: 1M during work hours, unlimited overnight
rclone copy ~/bigfolder gdrive:backup --bwlimit "08:00,1M 18:00,off" -P
# Cap API transactions per second
rclone copy ~/bigfolder gdrive:backup --tpslimit 10 -P
Error Handling
Symptom
Cause
Fix
command not found: rclone
Not installed
brew install rclone
didn't find section in config file
Wrong remote name
rclone listremotes to check
Failed to get oauth token
Expired refresh token
rclone config reconnect gdrive:
directory not found
Path typo or missing :
Double-check <remote>:<path>
quota exceeded
Drive full or 750 GB/day hit
Wait 24h or free space
userRateLimitExceeded (403)
Too many API calls
Add --tpslimit 10
exportSizeLimitExceeded
Google Doc too large to export
Split the doc or use --drive-export-formats pdf
mount: command not found
Homebrew rclone lacks mount
Install from rclone.org or use nfsmount
Slow transfers
Default 4 parallel streams
Try --transfers 8 --checkers 16
References
For the full flag-by-flag reference of every subcommand, including Drive-specific
flags and advanced usage, read references/command-reference.md.
Behavior Scenarios
Scenario 1: Check Drive quota
Given rclone is installed and a Drive remote is configured
When the user asks about Drive storage or quota
Then run `rclone about <remote>:`
And report total, used, free, and trashed space
Scenario 2: Upload to Drive
Given a Drive remote is configured
When the user asks to upload a file or folder to Drive
Then run `rclone copy <local> <remote>:<path> -P`
And report files transferred and total size
Scenario 3: Sync local folder to Drive (destructive)
Given the user wants to mirror a local folder to Drive
When the user asks to sync or backup to Drive
Then first run `rclone sync <src> <dst> --dry-run -v`
And show planned deletions/overwrites to the user
And only execute real sync after explicit user confirmation
And prefer `--backup-dir` for recoverability
Scenario 4: Browse Drive interactively
Given a Drive remote is configured
When the user asks to explore or browse Drive
Then prefer `rclone ncdu <remote>:` for interactive use
Or use `rclone lsjson <remote>:<path> | jq` when Claude needs to process output
Scenario 5: Export Google Docs / Sheets / Slides
Given the user wants to download Google Workspace files
When the user asks to export or download Docs/Sheets/Slides
Then pass `--drive-export-formats` with appropriate targets (docx/xlsx/pptx/pdf/md/csv)
And explain that Google-native files have no size and must be exported
Scenario 6: Access Shared Drives
Given the user is on Google Workspace with Shared Drives
When the user asks to list or access a Shared Drive
Then run `rclone backend drives <remote>:` to list available Shared Drives
And either guide reconfiguration or use `--drive-team-drive <ID>` flag
Scenario 7: Shared-with-me items
Given the user wants to access files others shared with them
When the user asks about "shared with me" items
Then add `--drive-shared-with-me` flag to any list/copy command
And explain these items don't live in My Drive
Scenario 8: rclone not installed
Given rclone is not on PATH
When the user asks any Drive operation
Then report the missing install and suggest `brew install rclone` (macOS)
Or the platform-appropriate install command
Scenario 9: No Drive remote configured
Given rclone is installed but no Drive remote exists
When the user asks any Drive operation
Then explain OAuth cannot be automated
And walk through `rclone config`, emphasizing storage type `drive` (not `google cloud storage`)
Scenario 10: Hitting the 750 GB daily upload limit
Given a large upload encounters quota errors
When rclone reports `quotaExceeded` or `userRateLimitExceeded`
Then explain Drive's 750 GB/day per-user upload cap
And suggest resuming the next day, or adding `--tpslimit 10 --transfers 2`
And point out that `rclone copy` resumes correctly on re-run (skips existing)
