Ready to try Proton Drive? 6 tips for using this security-first cloud storage service

Most everyone uses a cloud service. While some of us use those services daily, others use them sporadically, and others don’t even realize they’re using one. In the end, it’s about keeping your files safe and accessible from anywhere.

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One cloud storage service that you may only now be hearing about is Proton Drive. The big thing about Proton Drive is that it takes security very seriously. The end-to-end security of Proton Drive is impressive. 

For example, large files are separated into 4 MB chunks, with each chunk signed with a hash to prevent removal or reordering. When a file is opened, the file transfer and decryption algorithms ensure the file is rebuilt quickly in the correct order. This process keeps those larger files safe from anyone who isn’t you.

But is Proton Drive simple to use? Yes. It does vary from Google Drive in a few important ways but almost immediately after logging in, you’ll know what you’re doing. Even so, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the service.

1. You can migrate your files and folders from Google Drive

There’s a tool, called Google Takeout that allows you to download everything from Drive. To use it, you simply open the site in your default browser, uncheck everything but Google Drive, click “Next Step,” choose the file types to export (as well as the frequency and destination), and then export. Once you’ve exported, you can then upload those folders and files to Proton Drive. You will want to unzip the file before you upload it to Proton because it doesn’t have the ability to unpack the zipped file. In fact, you can’t even upload a .zip file to Proton Drive.

2. It doesn’t do spreadsheets

The first thing you need to know going into this is that while Proton Drive does have an outstanding cloud storage system, it’s limited in the apps it offers. 

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For instance, you’ll find the ability to create documents but not spreadsheets or presentations. Even if you upload a spreadsheet to your Proton Drive, there is no way to open it or even preview it. There’s no indication that Proton Drive will be adding spreadsheets or presentations into the mix, so you need to understand that going in. If you only deal with documents, Proton Drive will serve you well.

3. Start with the right folder hierarchy

Just like when you first started with Google Drive, One Drive, or iCloud, Proton Drive is a blank slate at first. It might be tempting to upload a ton of files to your Drive, but before you do that, I would highly recommend you start off on the right foot by creating specific folders to house your data. 

Depending on your needs, you could create main folders by year, by subject, by client, or just about anything. What’s important is that you begin your journey with Proton Drive with a modicum of organization. 

I’ve had to deal with plenty of instances where someone has jumped into a cloud storage service haphazardly and wound up with a mess on their hands. Chaos and cloud storage are not good bedfellows, so make sure you start by creating some base folders to house your data.

4. Get to know the UI

Proton has done a pretty good job of mimicking Google Drive. The first time you log in, you should feel fairly at home. There are, however, some differences. For example, there is a bit of redundancy in the UI. If you select a file, a new toolbar automatically appears in the upper right corner where you can preview the file, open the file in Docs, download the file, share the file, move the file, rename the file, view information about the file, and delete the file. 

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Those same features can be found in the file drop-down menu that appears when you click the three-dot button at the bottom right of the file’s tile. Then, there’s the app menu at the top right corner of the left sidebar, where you can access the other apps in the Proton ecosystem (Mail, Calendar, VPN, Pass, and Wallet). The Proton Drive UI should be easy for most to navigate.

5. Don’t let the Docs interface scare you off

When you create your first document in Proton Docs, you might think it’s missing some things. For example, there are no rulers or borders in documents, just what looks like a floating toolbar with your formatting elements. 

If you click the file name drop-down in the upper left corner, you’ll find another menu that includes tools like printing, word count, version history, download file (as .docx, .html, .txt, markdown, and PDF), and more. Ultimately, the Proton Docs UI is fairly minimal so nothing gets in the way of you getting things written. Personally, I like the Proton Drive docs UI, but then again, I prefer a minimal interface so things don’t get too cluttered.

6. Its editing tools are limited

At the moment, Proton Docs has a limited set of editing tools. For instance, you can add comments to a document but there are no track changes. There’s a version history tool but you have to know how to access it. Even though there’s access to version history from within the document, that point of access doesn’t work. To use version history, you have to access it from the file drop-down within Proton Drive. 

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The good news is that that version history tool is really good and even allows you to open different versions by the minute. For example, if you modified a file at 8:17 am but need to reverse it to the 8:16 version, you can do that. Although it would be nice to have track changes added into the mix, the version history tool does help smooth that missing piece over.

If you’re looking to move to Proton Drive, know that the journey will not be all that challenging. It’s important, however, to know what you’re getting into before you start; otherwise, you might find Proton Drive lacking some of the features you depend on or the UI a bit too sparse.