Google Drive connector

The google-drive MCP adapter wraps the Google Drive API. Use it in workflow mcp_call steps to search and list files, upload attachments, export Google Docs as PDF, manage permissions, and move or archive content across folders — including shared drives when enabled.

Prerequisites

A Google account with Google Drive access
A Google Workspace connection in AgentRuntime (OAuth via the Google account card on Connections)
project_contributor access in your workspace

Connect in AgentRuntime

Connect Google

On Connections, use the Google account card and complete OAuth. See Google Workspace setup and Connections.

Enable Drive

On your Google connection, enable the Drive service so the account exposes Drive API scopes.

Add google-drive MCP instance

Go to MCP, click Add instance for google-drive. Open Instance config, wire your Google connection, and set the profile active.

Test in a workflow

Smoke-test with mcp_call in Workflow Studio. Test with list_files on a known folder ID before production workflows.

What you can build

Invoice archive — gmail attachment webhook → upload_file to Invoices/{{year}} folder → google-sheets log file ID and vendor.
Client deliverable handoff — google-docs finished doc → save_file_as_pdf → set_public_access or add_permission for client email → notify via gmail.
Shared drive janitor — Schedule trigger → search_files for stale MIME types → move_file to archive folder → trash_file on duplicates after human_task.
Backup mirror — list_files with recursion → read_file → upload to amazon-s3 or duplicate to backup folder with duplicate_file.

Tools

Search & read

Tool	Description
`search_files`	Search Google Drive files and folders by name, full text, or MIME type.
`list_files`	List files in a Google Drive folder, with optional recursion into subfolders.
`get_file_by_id`	Get Google Drive file or folder metadata by file ID.
`read_file`	Read a Drive file and return base64 content, exporting Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides when needed.
`save_file_as_pdf`	Export a Google document as PDF and save the PDF into Drive.

Create & upload

Tool	Description
`create_folder`	Create an empty folder in Google Drive.
`create_text_file`	Create a text file in Google Drive from inline text content.
`upload_file`	Upload a base64-encoded file to Google Drive.
`duplicate_file`	Copy a Google Drive file into a target folder.

Tool	Description
`add_permission`	Grant a Drive permission to a user on a file or folder.
`delete_permission`	Remove a Drive permission from a file or folder.
`set_public_access`	Make a Drive file or folder accessible to anyone with the link.

Organize & delete

Tool	Description
`move_file`	Move a Drive file from its current parent folders to a new folder.
`trash_file`	Move a Drive file to trash.
`delete_file`	Permanently delete a Drive file without sending it to trash.

Example

Upload a generated report PDF to a client folder:

{
  "id": "upload-report",
  "type": "mcp_call",
  "name": "Upload report PDF",
  "tool_name": "upload_file",
  "tool_args": {
    "file_name": "Q1-report-{{input.client_slug}}.pdf",
    "file_base64": "{{steps.render-pdf.result.base64}}",
    "mime_type": "application/pdf",
    "parent_folder": "{{input.client_folder_id}}"
  },
  "depends_on": ["render-pdf"],
  "timeout_s": 90
}

Troubleshooting

Issue	Fix
Reconnect prompt on Google connection	Re-authorize OAuth; Drive scopes may have been revoked
File not found in shared drive	Set `include_team_drives: true` on search, list, and move operations
`read_file` returns empty or wrong type	Google-native files are exported automatically; confirm the file ID and MIME type
Permission denied on `move_file`	Caller needs writer access on source and destination; use `get_file_by_id` to verify parents

Get started

Platform

Workflows

Guides

Integration setup

Connectors

AI & chat

API

Prerequisites

Connect in AgentRuntime

What you can build

Tools

Search & read

Create & upload

Organize & delete

Example

Troubleshooting

​Prerequisites

​Connect in AgentRuntime

​What you can build

​Tools

​Search & read

​Create & upload

​Permissions & sharing

​Organize & delete

​Example

​Troubleshooting

​Related

Prerequisites

Connect in AgentRuntime

What you can build

Tools

Search & read

Create & upload

Permissions & sharing

Organize & delete

Example

Troubleshooting

Related