Google is not just for researching your trip but provides some valuable applications for you to use for free, allowing you to backup valuable travel documents as well as your photos.

For travel, you should become familiar with Google Drive and Google Photos then see our pages on Backup Documents and Backup Photos for more information.

This page provides some of the basic information on the following topics helping you create a Google Account to take advantage of the Google Drive and Photo applications.

1. Cloud Storage (The Cloud)
2. Creating a Google Account with (Gmail)
3. Accessing Google Applications
4. Google Drive
5. Google Photos
6. Accessing Drive and Photos on your Smartphone

Cloud Storage

There are many companies offering Cloud Storage, including Google, Microsoft and others.  Some companies provide minimal storage for free while others may charge some type of fee depending on the amount of space used.  But what exactly is Cloud Storage?

Cloud Storage is a model of data storage in which the digital data is stored in logical pools, the physical storage spans multiple servers (and often locations), and the physical environment is typically owned and managed by a hosting company. These cloud storage providers are responsible for keeping the data available and accessible, and the physical environment protected and running.  People and organizations buy or lease storage capacity from the providers to store user, organization, or application data. - Wikipedia

In short, Cloud Storage is a place you can upload digital media such as files and photos allowing you to maintain a backup copy accessible from anywhere you are logged into your account on a computer having internet access.

Creating a Google Account with Gmail

If you do not have a Google account, you will need to create one.  On the Google home page, click the 'Sign in' button where it will prompt you to use an existing account or create a new account.

You will need to select an email name as your login id.  Enter something like yourName@gmail.com and if the email is available, you can proceed with creating your account password.

After your account has been created, you will have access to several Google Applications including Google's version of email or Gmail.  Gmail is a free email service that works nicely on your Smartphone and computer allowing you to send and receive email.

Google Applications

When you are logged into your Google account, select the applications menu symbol (shown at left) which is located on the top right corner of the page.  This will display the applications menu shown below.  For travel, we are concerned with Google Drive and Google Photos.  We have highlighted the 'Drive' and 'Photos' icons for reference.

Accessing documents and photos on your Smartphone

You will more than likely use your home computer to upload documents and perhaps photos prior to your travels, but once you are on your way, to access all your files, click the Google Drive or Google Photos apps.

If your phone did not come preinstalled with the Google Drive and Google Photos apps, visit the Google Play Store and search 'Google Drive' and 'Google Photos' to install them.

Google Drive
	Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive allows users to store files on their servers, synchronize files across devices, and share files. In addition to a website, Google Drive offers apps with offline capabilities for Windows and macOS computers, and Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Google Drive offers users 15 gigabytes of free storage, with 100 gigabytes, 1 terabyte, 2 terabytes, 10 terabytes, 20 terabytes, and 30 terabytes offered through optional paid plans. Files uploaded can be up to 5 terabytes in size. Users can change privacy settings for individual files and folders, including enabling sharing with other users or making content public. On the website, users can search for an image by describing its visuals, and use natural language to find specific files, such as "find my budget spreadsheet from last December". - Wikipedia 15 gigabytes is a lot of storage and should be more than efficient to store copies of all your important travel documents. Take photos of important documents such as your passport and rail passes then upload them to your Google Drive account. See Google Drive Setup and Usage for more information. Our Backup Documents page goes into more detail on how to use this application to store your documents.
Google Photos
	Google Photos is a photo sharing and storage service developed by Google. Google Photos gives users free, unlimited storage for photos up to 16 megapixels and videos up to 1080p resolution. The service automatically analyzes photos, identifying various visual features and subjects. Users can search for anything in photos, with the service returning results from three major categories: People, Places, and Things. Google Photos recognizes faces, grouping similar ones together; geographic landmarks (such as the Eiffel Tower); and subject matter, including birthdays, buildings, animals, food, and more. - Wikipedia Photos uploaded to Google Photos are private by default unless you specifically share them with other people. If you need to upload photos larger than the 16 megapixel limit, they may be stored on Google Drive counting against the 15 gigabytes of free storage space. Our Backup Photos page goes into more detail on how to use this application to backup and share your photos.