Connecting a free Google Drive account to Make.com requires four steps: create a Google Cloud project, enable the Cloud Resource Manager API, configure an OAuth consent screen with your email as a test user, and generate an OAuth Client ID and Secret to paste into Make.

Make.com is the only automation platform we recommend for this integration. If you are still on Zapier, read the full Make.com FAQ for Zapier switchers before you start, and check the Make vs. Zapier feature breakdown to understand why this matters for your workflow budget. If you are brand new to Make, start with the plain-English guide to Make scenarios first.

This guide covers personal (free) Google Drive accounts only. OAuth credentials for personal accounts behave differently from Workspace-managed credentials — the most important difference is that test-user authorizations expire after seven days.

What You Need Before You Start

• An active Google account (personal, free tier)
• A Make.com account (free plan works)
• Access to Google Cloud Console
• Five to ten minutes of uninterrupted time

Make’s operations with Google Drive comply with the Google API Services User Data Policy. No charges apply for the OAuth consent screen configuration described below.

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Project

1. Go to console.cloud.google.com and sign in with your Google credentials.
2. Click Select a project in the top navigation bar, then click NEW PROJECT.
3. Enter a project name (e.g., Make Integration) and click CREATE.
4. Once created, select the new project from the project selector so all subsequent steps apply to it.

Keep this tab open. Every step below happens inside this same project.

Step 2: Enable the Required API

1. In the left sidebar, navigate to APIs & Services > Library.
2. Search for Cloud Resource Manager API.
3. Click the result and then click ENABLE.

You can also enable additional Google APIs (Gmail, Google Sheets, etc.) from the same Library page if you plan to build multi-service scenarios. See 10 automations that are easy to build with Make and AI for ideas on what to connect next.

Step 3: Configure the OAuth Consent Screen

1. Navigate to APIs & Services > OAuth consent screen.
2. Select External and click CREATE. (No charges apply for this option.)
3. Fill in the required fields:
   • App name: Make (or any label you prefer)
   • Authorized domains: make.com
4. Skip the Scopes and Optional info sections. Click Save and Continue through each.
5. Under Test Users, click ADD USERS and enter the email address of the Google account you will use inside Make.
6. Click Save and Continue to finish.

Step 4: Generate OAuth Client Credentials

1. Navigate to APIs & Services > Credentials.
2. Click + CREATE CREDENTIALS and select OAuth Client ID.
3. Fill in the fields:
   • Application type: Web application
   • Name: Make (or any label)
   • Authorized redirect URIs: https://www.integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted
4. Click CREATE. A dialog appears showing your Client ID and Client Secret.
5. Copy both values immediately and store them in a secure location (a password manager works). You will not be able to view the Client Secret again without regenerating it.

Step 5: Connect Google Drive Inside Make.com

1. Open Make.com and create a new scenario or open an existing one.
2. Add a Google Drive module (e.g., Watch Files, Upload a File).
3. When prompted to create a connection, select Create a connection.
4. Paste the Client ID and Client Secret from Step 4 into the corresponding fields.
5. Click Sign in with Google and complete the OAuth authorization flow using the test user email you added in Step 3.
6. Authorize the requested permissions. Make now has access to your Google Drive.

If you are migrating automations from another platform, this guide on switching from Zapier to Make without breaking workflows covers connection mapping in detail.

How to Know It Worked

• The connection appears as Active (green indicator) inside your Make scenario’s connection panel.
• A test run of your Google Drive module returns data or a successful empty result — not an error.
• No “Access blocked” or “App not verified” error appears during the OAuth flow. If it does, confirm you added your email as a test user in Step 3.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the test user step. The OAuth flow fails if the authorizing account is not listed as a test user. Return to the OAuth consent screen and add the email before retrying.

Wrong application type. Selecting “Desktop app” instead of “Web application” prevents the redirect URI from working. The redirect URI field only appears for Web application type.

Wrong redirect URI. Use exactly https://www.integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted — including the subdomain. A single character difference breaks the OAuth handshake.

Losing the Client Secret. Google only shows it once after creation. If you lose it, regenerate credentials in the Credentials tab and update Make with the new values.

Forgetting the 7-day expiry. Test-user authorizations expire after seven days. Your Make scenarios will fail silently until you re-authorize. Plan for this or apply for Google app verification to remove the restriction.

What to Build Now That Google Drive Is Connected

With Google Drive live in Make, the most immediate wins are file-triggered workflows: automatically organize uploads, generate document copies when a form is submitted, or sync files to a second cloud destination. For a broader view of what becomes possible, see what a Make scenario can do and 10 automations that are finally easy to build with Make and AI.

If you are building HR or operations workflows, this field report on non-technical HR teams building their own automations with Make shows what teams accomplish once Google Drive is part of their stack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a paid Google account to connect Google Drive to Make?

No. A free personal Google account works. The OAuth credentials you create in Google Cloud Console are free. The only limitation is the seven-day token expiry that applies to apps in test mode.

Why does authorization expire after seven days?

Google enforces a seven-day expiry for OAuth tokens issued to unverified apps in test mode. Once your app passes Google’s verification process, the expiry restriction is removed. Make has no control over this limit.

Can I use the same credentials for multiple Make connections?

Yes. The same Client ID and Client Secret can be used to authorize multiple Google accounts as separate connections in Make, as long as each account is listed as a test user in your OAuth consent screen.

What happens if I lose my Client Secret?

Regenerate a new Client Secret in the Google Cloud Console Credentials tab, then update the connection in Make with the new values. Existing authorizations using the old secret stop working immediately.

Is this setup different for Google Workspace accounts?

Yes. Workspace-managed accounts can use Internal app type, which bypasses test-user restrictions and the seven-day expiry. The OAuth consent screen setup and redirect URI remain the same.

Additional Reading

• What Is a Make Scenario? The Plain-English Guide for Zapier Users
• Make.com FAQ: Everything Zapier Users Ask Before Switching
• Make vs Zapier: A Straight Pricing and Feature Breakdown for 2026
• How to Switch From Zapier to Make Without Breaking Your Existing Workflows
• 10 Automations That Are Finally Easy to Build With Make + AI — No Developer Needed
• How a Non-Technical HR Team Started Building Their Own Automations With Make + AI
• Make vs N8N: When Self-Hosting Stops Being Worth It
• Why I Stopped Recommending Zapier to My Clients — And What Changed My Mind
• How to Build a Make Scenario With Claude: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
• AI-Assisted Make Builds vs. Manual Builds (2026): Which Is Better for Your Automation?
• DIY Automation vs. Hiring a Make Partner in 2026: When to Do Each
• Make.com vs. Zapier in 2026: Which Is Right for Your Operations?
• How to Run an OpsMap Audit Before Automating Anything
• 7 Questions to Ask Before You Automate Anything (The OpsMap Checklist)
• Make vs Zapier vs N8N in the Age of AI: Why MCP Changes the Entire Conversation — Complete 2026 Guide