Rclone is a powerful tool for syncing files between cloud storage and your local system. In this guide, we’ll configure Rclone, add Google Drive, and mount it to a local directory for easy access.
Step 1: Install Rclone
Download and install Rclone from the official site. Follow the setup instructions for your operating system.
Step 2: Configure Rclone
Open your terminal and run:
rclone config
Select n to create a new remote, and name it gdrive.
Choose Google Drive as the storage type (typically option 13).
Step 3: Authenticate
Rclone will prompt you to authenticate with Google Drive. Select auto config if you are using a system with a browser. Grant permission when prompted, and an access token will be generated.
Step 4: Complete Setup
Accept the default settings unless you have specific customizations in mind. Verify the setup by listing your remotes:
rclone listremotes
You should see:
gdrive:
Step 5: Mount Google Drive
Create a local mount point:
mkdir -p /path/to/local/mount
Mount Google Drive:
rclone mount gdrive:/path/to/files /path/to/local/mount
gdrive: The name of your remote./path/to/files: The path in your Google Drive to mount./path/to/local/mount: The local directory where the drive will be mounted.
To run the mount in the background, add & at the end of the command:
rclone mount gdrive:/path/to/files /path/to/local/mount &
Automate Mount with Crontab
To automatically mount Google Drive at system startup, use crontab:
- Open crontab for editing:
crontab -e - Add the following line:
@reboot rclone mount gdrive:/path/to/files $HOME/gdrive - Save and exit the editor.
Unmounting Google Drive
To unmount Google Drive, use the following command:
fusermount -u /path/to/local/mount
For macOS, use:
umount /path/to/local/mount
Conclusion
With Rclone, you can easily mount Google Drive locally, providing seamless access to your cloud files. Enjoy syncing your data effortlessly!