Google Drive keeps your files safe in the cloud and makes them available on any device. With Gumloop you can search, organize, and share those files automatically - no manual clicking required.

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What is Google Drive MCP?

When you create a Google Drive MCP node, Gumloop builds a custom node that understands Google Drive’s API. You can then control Drive with natural language prompts and receive structured data in return. Save the node once and reuse it in any workflow.

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What Can It Do for You?

  • Instantly find files and folders by name, keyword, or property
  • Create, copy, move, rename, or delete files hands-free
  • Generate new plain-text documents or nested folder structures on demand
  • Share files with the exact permission level you need and grab the sharing link

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Available Tools

ToolWhat It DoesExample Use
SearchSearch for files in Google Drive”Search for files containing search keyword modified after date and return name, id, and webViewLink”
Copy FileCreate a copy of a specified file”Copy file titled source file name into folder destination folder name and return new file id and webViewLink”
Create Folder SubfolderCreate folders and subfolders”Create a folder named project name with subfolders Design, Docs, and Assets and return their ids”
Move FileMove a file from one folder to another”Move file titled file name into folder target folder name and return structured data”
Create Plain Text FileGenerate a new file from plain text”Create a plain text file named meeting notes file name inside folder parent folder name with body file content and return file id and webViewLink”
Add File Sharing PreferenceAdd a sharing scope and get a sharing URL”Share file titled file name with anyone who has the link (view access) and return sharing URL”
Update NameRename a file or folder”Rename file with id file id to new file name and return name and webViewLink”
Get FileRetrieve metadata and, when supported, file content”Get metadata for file titled file name and return name, id, mimeType, and webContentLink”
List ContentsList all files and folders, optionally within a given folder”List contents of folder named folder name recursively and return names and ids”
DeleteDelete a file or folder”Delete file titled file name and confirm deletion”

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How to Use

1

Create Your Google Drive MCP Node

Go to your node library, search for Google Drive, and click “Create a node with AI”
2

Add Your Prompt

Drag the Google Drive MCP node to your canvas and add your prompt in the text box.
3

Test Your Node

Run the node to see the results. If it works as expected, you’re all set! If you run into issues, check the troubleshooting tips below.
4

Save and Reuse

Once your Google Drive MCP node is working, save it to your library. You can now use this customized node in any workflow.

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Example Prompts

Here are some prompts that work well with Google Drive MCP: File Search 
Search for files matching `keyword` that were edited in the last `number days` and return name, id, and modifiedTime
Create and Store Notes 
Create a plain text file named `document title` with content `file content` inside folder `parent folder name` and return file id and webViewLink
Share a File 
Share file titled `file name` with anyone via link (comment access) and return sharing URL
Audit Folder Contents 
List contents of folder named `project folder name` recursively and return name, id, mimeType, and size
Duplicate a Template 
Copy file titled `template file name` into folder `new project folder name` and return new file id and webViewLink
Start with a simple search or list prompt to grab file and folder ids, then feed those ids into follow-up nodes for move, rename, or share actions.

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Troubleshooting

If your Google Drive MCP node isn’t working as expected, try these best practices:

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Keep Prompts Simple and Specific

  • Good: “Search for company presentation and return id and webViewLink”
  • Bad: “Search for company presentation, move it to Archive, rename it to Old Presentation, and then share it with view access”
While this prompt might work, it’s more efficient to break it into separate nodes. Google Drive MCP works best with focused, single-action prompts.

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Match What Google Drive Can Do

  • Good: “Create a folder named Q3 Reports in the root and return folder id”
  • Bad: “Create a folder named Q3 Reports and then write its id into my Google Sheet”
Google Drive MCP excels at file operations in Drive. For writing to Sheets, combine it with Google Sheets Writer in your workflow.

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Break Complex Tasks Into Steps

Instead of trying to do everything in one prompt (which might cause timeouts or unexpected results): 
Search for all files containing `invoice`, copy them into folder `2025 Invoices`, rename each file to `client name - invoice`, and share each one with edit access
Break this into smaller, focused nodes that each handle one task:
1

Step 1: Find Invoices

Search for files containing invoice and return file ids
2

Step 2: Copy Files

Given a file ID add the file into folder 2025 Invoices and return new file ids
3

Step 3: Rename Files

Given a File ID, rename each new file id to client name - invoice
4

Step 4: Share Files

Given a file URL, share each new file id with edit access and return sharing URLs
In your workflow, connect these nodes sequentially. The file ids output from Step 1 become the input for Step 2, and so on.

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Focus on Data Retrieval

Google Drive MCP is great at getting information from Drive. For analysis or content creation, connect it to other nodes. Example:
  • Good prompt: “Get metadata for file titled budget spreadsheet and return name, id, ownedByMe”
  • Bad prompt: “Get metadata for file titled budget spreadsheet, analyze spending trends, and draft a summary”
Use Ask AI or Extract Data for analysis and content creation. Let Google Drive MCP focus on retrieving the file data.

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Troubleshooting Node Creation

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