Google Drive keeps a history of changes made to your files, allowing you to view previous versions and revert to them if necessary. This feature is particularly robust for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

For Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides: #

1. Open the File: Open the Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide you wish to check.
2. Access Version History:
   • Click on File in the top menu.
   • Go to Version history.
   • Select See version history.
3. Review Versions: A panel will open on the right showing a list of saved versions, usually timestamped and showing who made the changes. More detailed versions are often grouped; click the small triangle next to a date to expand and see more granular saves.
4. Preview a Version: Click on any version in the list to see a preview of the document as it was at that time.
5. Restore a Version:
   • If you want to revert to an older version, select it from the list.
   • Click the green “Restore this version” button at the top of the page.
   • Confirm that you want to restore it. Your current version will then become a previous version, so you can always go back.
6. Name a Version (Recommended for Major Revisions):
   • In the version history panel, if you hover over a version, you’ll see three vertical dots. Click them.
   • Select Name this version to give it a meaningful name (e.g., “Client Feedback Incorporated,” “Pre-Submission Draft”). This makes important revisions easier to find.
7. Make a Copy of a Version:
   • Instead of restoring, you can also choose Make a copy from the three-dot menu to create a new document from that specific version.

For Other File Types (e.g., PDFs, Images, CAD Drawings stored in Drive): #

Google Drive also keeps versions for non-Google file types, though the interface is slightly different.

1. Locate the File in Google Drive: Go to drive.google.com or use your Google Drive for desktop folder.
2. Manage Versions:
   • Right-click on the file.
   • Select File information then Manage versions (or sometimes just Manage versions directly in the right-click menu).
3. Review Versions: A pop-up will show the current version and any previous versions that have been uploaded. You’ll see when each version was uploaded and by whom.
4. Download an Old Version: You can download a copy of an older version by clicking the three vertical dots next to it and selecting Download.
5. Upload a New Version: You can manually upload a new version of the same file (keeping the same file ID and link) by clicking Upload new version. This is useful if you’ve edited a file locally and want to update the one in Drive while keeping the old one in the version history.
6. Delete an Old Version: You can delete specific old versions (if you have edit access and are sure you do not need them), but be cautious.
7. Keep Forever: You can mark specific older versions to be kept indefinitely (otherwise, Drive might eventually prune very old versions of non-Google files to save space, though this is rare for typical usage).