---
title: 'Google Drive media & backup'
description: 'Import images from a Drive folder into the media library, and push DB/media backups to Drive — reusing the existing media pipeline and backup dump.'
canonical: 'https://cartwright.app/docs/features/google-drive'
---

# Google Drive media & backup (/docs/features/google-drive)



`googleDrive` adds two Drive (API v3) capabilities on top of the [Google Workspace connector](/docs/features/google-workspace): importing images into the media library, and pushing backups to Drive. It depends on `mediaLibrary`.

## Enable it [#enable-it]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Connect the 

    [Google Workspace connector](/docs/features/google-workspace)

     and ensure 

    `mediaLibrary`

     is on.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Turn on 

    `googleDrive`

     in 

    `/admin/features`

     (runtime).
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Configure the Drive folder in 

    `/admin/drive`

    .
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What it does [#what-it-does]

* **Media import** — pulls images from a configured Drive folder into the media library, reusing the existing `MediaAsset` + Vercel Blob pipeline with sha256 de-duplication (no parallel storage path).
* **Backup to Drive** — pushes the logical DB/media [backup](/docs/deployment/backup-restore) (reuses `lib/backup/dump.ts`) to Drive as an off-Vercel copy.

## Scheduled backup [#scheduled-backup]

`/api/cron/drive-backup` runs on a schedule (`vercel.json`), gated by `CRON_SECRET`, and no-ops when the flag is off. Admin actions under `/admin/drive` are `requireAdmin`-gated. Tools: `drive.import_folder`, `drive.backup_now`.

|         |                                                               |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Flag    | `googleDrive`                                                 |
| Tier    | runtime (depends on `mediaLibrary`)                           |
| Default | **off**                                                       |
| Needs   | Workspace connector + Drive scope, `CRON_SECRET` for the cron |

<Callout type="info">
  Fail-soft: with no connection, import/backup no-op. Drive backup complements [Backup & restore](/docs/deployment/backup-restore) — it doesn't replace Turso's physical backups.
</Callout>

<Cards>
  <Card title="Google Workspace (connector)" href="/docs/features/google-workspace" />

  <Card title="Backup & restore" href="/docs/deployment/backup-restore" />

  <Card title="Image upload (Blob)" href="/docs/features/image-upload-blob" />
</Cards>