Set up cloud-only storage on ChromeOS devices

Step 1: Prevent users from saving data locally

1. Sign in with an administrator account to the Google Admin console.

   If you aren’t using an administrator account, you can’t access the Admin console.

2. Go to  Menu  Devices > Chrome > Settings. The User & browser settings page opens by default.

   Requires having the Mobile Device Management administrator privilege.

   If you signed up for Chrome Enterprise Core, go to Menu  Chrome browser > Settings.

3. (Optional) To apply the setting only to some users and enrolled browsers, at the side, select an organizational unit (often used for departments) or configuration group (advanced). Show me how

   Group settings override organizational units. Learn more

4. Go to User experience.
5. For Local storage configuration, select Do not allow users to store and read local data.
6. Choose how existing data on devices will be handled. Choose an option:
   • Migrate existing local files to Google Drive—Recommended for Google Drive. Existing local files are moved to Google Drive. Local folders are hidden, so users can't see or use them.
   • Migrate existing local files to OneDrive—Recommended for Microsoft OneDrive. Existing local files are moved to Microsoft OneDrive. Local folders are hidden, so users can't see or use them.
   • Keep existing local files in read-only mode—Existing local files remain in read-only mode.
7. Click Save. Or, you might click Override for an organizational unit.

   To later restore the inherited value, click Inherit (or Unset for a group).

Step 2: Set the default download and screenshot location

In the steps below, Google recommends that you set Download location and Screenshot location to Force Google Drive or Force OneDrive, depending on how you just configured the Local storage configuration setting. Otherwise, choose Set Google Drive as default, but allow user to change or Set Onedrive as default, but allow user to change.

1. Go to  Menu  Devices > Chrome > Settings. The User & browser settings page opens by default.

   Requires having the Mobile Device Management administrator privilege.

   If you signed up for Chrome Enterprise Core, go to Menu  Chrome browser > Settings.

2. (Optional) To apply the setting only to some users and enrolled browsers, at the side, select an organizational unit (often used for departments) or configuration group (advanced). Show me how

   Group settings override organizational units. Learn more

3. Go to User experience.
4. For Download location, ​select the cloud storage that you already configured in Before you beginStep 1: Set up cloud storage for your users. For details about the Download location setting, go to Set Chrome policies for users or browsers.
5. For Screenshot location, select the cloud storage that you already configured in Before you beginStep 1: Set up cloud storage for your users. For details about the Screenshot location setting, go to Set Chrome policies for users or browsers.
6. Click Save. Or, you might click Override for an organizational unit.

   To later restore the inherited value, click Inherit (or Unset for a group).