# How To Run Multiple Instances Of Google Drive On Windows System!

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/how-to-run-multiple-instances-of-google-drive-on-windows-system/204212>\
**Category:** Tutorials & Methods\
**Tags:** freebies, tips-tricks, file-management\
**Created:** [October 15, 2021, 7:11am UTC](https://onehack.st/t/how-to-run-multiple-instances-of-google-drive-on-windows-system/204212 "2021-10-15T07:11:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BlueHacker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/bluehacker/32/174721_2.png) [@BlueHacker](https://onehack.st/u/BlueHacker)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2021, 7:11am UTC](https://onehack.st/t/how-to-run-multiple-instances-of-google-drive-on-windows-system/204212/1 "2021-10-15T07:11:35Z")

</div>

Many people have multiple Google Drive accounts – say, **for work and personal use** – but Google doesn’t let you run two instances of Google Backup and Sync app on a single PC. Therefore, **users have been paying for third-party apps** just to sync multiple Google Drive accounts simultaneously.

However, in my view, paying for a feature that should have been offered by Google years ago (like Dropbox) doesn’t feel right. And so, after many experiments, I have managed to come up with simple solutions that allow you to **sync multiple accounts simultaneously without using a third-party app**. Let’s get straight to it. `(Source: hongkiat)`

#### Use different user account

You just need to **create another user account in Windows** and open another instance of Google Drive desktop app under the new account’s privileges.

Windows allows you to **open another instance of most apps in the same account** as long as it’s opened under the privilege of a different user account.

Below I’ll show you **how to create a new user account** and then open another instance of Google Drive and syncs data.

For demonstration, I’ll be using Windows 10. If you are on Windows 7 or 8, then follow these instructions on [Microsoft support page](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13951/windows-create-user-account) instead. **Make sure you create an administrator account** so you may have full access to the data.

1. Go to Windows **Settings** from the Start Menu and click on **Accounts**.
2. Now select **Family & other people** from the left panel and click on **Add someone else to this PC** under **Other people**.

![add new user](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/add-new-user.jpg)

1. Another window will open up where you click on **I don’t have this person’s sign-in information**.

![I don't have this person's sign-in information](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/dont-have-sign-in-information.jpg)

1. Afterward, click on **Add a user without a Microsoft account**.

![Add a user without a Microsoft account](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/add-user-with-microsoft-account.jpg)

1. On the next page, provide username and password for the new account and click **Next** to create the account.

![provide username and password](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/provide-new-user-details.jpg)

1. To set this account as administrator, click on **Change account type** below the created account.

![Change account type](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/change-account-type.jpg)

1. Now select **Administrator** in the **Account type** drop-down menu and click **OK**.

![select account type](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/select-administrator.jpg)

#### Run another instance of Google Drive desktop app

If Google Drive isn’t open already, then launch it and sign in with your primary account. You can **only open another instance of Google Drive from the Google Drive execute file** in the file explorer. Either manually access it from the **Program files** , or right-click on the **Google Drive Start menu** shortcut and select **Open file location** in **More** option. Afterward, follow the below instructions.

1. Hold the Shift key and **right-click** on the Google Drive app shortcut.
2. You’ll see a new option in context menu named **Run as different user** , click on it.

![Run as different user](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/run-as-different-user.jpg)

1. Now enter the username and password of the new user account you created and click **OK**.

![enter the username and password](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/provide-login-details.jpg)

Another instance of Google Drive app will open up and you’ll see its icon in the taskbar.

![another Google Drive app running](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/two-google-drive-apps-running.jpg)

#### Set up sync on secondary Google Drive app

As this instance of Google Drive app is **opened under a different user account** , things may seem a bit different. Let me guide you through the sync process:

1. Open the second instance of the app and **sign in using the secondary Google account** that you want to sync.

 ![login-secondary-google-account](https://onehack.st/uploads/default/original/3X/a/c/ac638a1ae2acb1e794d220e2eeb571fa7f1161bb.jpeg)

1. Now click on **CHOOSE FOLDER** and you’ll be able to select a folder from the PC that you want to sync.

![CHOOSE FOLDER](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/choose-folder.jpg)

1. If you want to access data of your primary account, then go to **Users** in Windows drive and open your primary user account. When prompted, click on **Continue**.

![access data of your primary account](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/access-primary-account-data.jpg)

1. Just provide the password/pin for the primary account and you’ll be able to access its data.

![primary account data accessed](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/data-accessed.jpg)

Once you have selected the folders you want to sync, click on **Next** and finish up the syncing process.

![finish up the syncing process](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/finishing-syncing-setup.jpg)

Your **data in the secondary Google Drive account will be saved in a separate Google Drive folder** listed in the new user account’s folder. And anything you add in the synced folders will automatically sync.

![Google account syncing](https://assets.hongkiat.com/uploads/multiple-instances-google-drive-free/secondary-google-drive-account-syncing.jpg)

You can **repeat the above process to sync as many Google Drive accounts as you like**.

**Important note:** Make sure you go through the above setup process when you launch the second instance of Google Drive app. For some reason, **Windows won’t allow you to set it up from the same user account in the future** (more on it below).

#### Drawbacks

By now, both of your Google Drive accounts will be running and your data will be synced. However, there are **few limitations** that you should be aware of:

- You can’t open or manage preferences of the secondary Google Drive app from the primary user account. **Nothing happens when you left or right click on it** (the primary account works fine). If you want to change your preferences in the future, you’ll have to sign out and **log in to the secondary user account** and tweak Google Drive settings from there.
- You’ll have to **manually launch the secondary Google Drive app** every time you’ll restart your PC.
- If you want to **quit the secondary Google Drive App** , you’ll have to do it from the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).

#### Concluding thoughts

So with this little setup, you can use as many Google Drive accounts on your PC as you like **without spending a single penny** or using a third-party app. If we look at the drawbacks, they are very minor and **won’t limit your usage in any way**.

**Happy learning!**