How to automatically email files to Google Drive

When you're on the go or using a shared computer, one of the easiest ways to save files is to email them to yourself. When you're back in front of your own computer, you probably upload them to Google Drive.

But there are a couple of problems with that scenario. First, you have to actually remember to do it (we all get waylaid by our to-do lists). And second, scrolling through your emails is time-consuming—particularly if a few days or even weeks have gone by.

You could set up an automation using your Gmail or Outlook account to save attachments to Google Drive automatically. But then you'd need to create filters to avoid uploading every random attachment from newsletters, receipts, and spam. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to use Email by Zapier instead. It gives you a dedicated @zapiermail.com address that only receives the messages you deliberately send it, without having to set up filters.

Skip ahead

• How to save new attachments to Google Drive

• How to use AI to act on your saved files

Automatically save new attachments in Google Drive

Zapier lets you create automated workflows called Zaps, which send your information from one app to another. You can create your own Zap from scratch without any coding knowledge, but we also offer quick templates to get you started. 

If you'd like to start with a template, click the button below, and you'll be taken to the Zapier editor. You'll need to create a Zapier account if you don't already have one. Then, follow the directions below to set up your Zap.

Set up your Email by Zapier trigger 

First, set up your trigger—the event that starts your Zap. If you're using the Zap template, this will be set up for you. Otherwise, search for and select Email by Zapier as the trigger app and New Inbound Email as the trigger event. Click Continue.

Next, customize the email address that Zapier has already set up for you. This is a series of random letters and numbers followed by @zapiermail.com. 

Before the pre-set characters, Zapier will ask you to add in a word. In this instance, we've used the word gdrive, but it can be any combination of letters and numbers you choose, as long as it's in lowercase. Copy the email address to your clipboard and add it to your address book.

If the only person using this Zapier address will be you, choose User-specific for the email address type. If others on your team will use it as well, pick Account-wide.

When you're done, click Continue.

Now, it's time to test your trigger step. Send a new email to your newly created Zapier address with an attached file. In the Zap editor, when you click Test trigger, Zapier will pull this email and show it as a test record.

Select it, then click Continue with selected record.

Set up your Google Drive action

It's time to set up the action—the event your Zap will perform once it's triggered. If you're using the Zap template, this will be set up for you. Otherwise, search for and select Google Drive as your action app and Upload File as your action event. Then, connect your Google Drive account to Zapier and click Continue.

Now it's time to customize where you want your files to go. 

Click on the dropdown under Drive and select My Google Drive. Click on the dropdown under Folder and select the Google Drive folder where you want your email attachments to live. If you don't want your files to be saved in a specific folder, you can leave that option blank, and Zapier will save the files to your main Google Drive.

Next, in the File field, click the plus sign (+) and select Attachment: (Exists but not shown) from the modal.

You also have the option to convert your attachments into an editable document. If you want to do this, select True in the Convert to Document field. Otherwise, you can leave it blank.

By default, Zapier uses the same name and extension as the original file attachment you're uploading. If you want to change this, click on the plus sign (+) in the File Name field and select other data from your previous Email by Zapier step in the modal. You could, for example, change it to the contents of your email's subject line. 

The same rules apply for the File Extension field. Just note that you can only change the file extension if you add a file name. 

Once you've finished setting up your action, click Continue.

Now it's time to test your action. When you click Test step, Zapier will send an email attachment to your Google Drive according to how you set up your action event.

Here's the image I sent myself, saved to the correct Google Drive folder.

If your test was successful, just remember to publish your Zap.

Use AI to act on your saved files

Now that your files are landing in Google Drive automatically, you can take things a step further with AI. Instead of manually opening, reading, and organizing each file, you can set up additional Zaps that use AI to process your saved files the moment they arrive.

Here are a few templates to get you started. Using AI by Zapier, our built-in AI tool, these Zaps can analyze and parse your attachment, then send them to your database, docs, or chat app. AI by Zapier integrates with models from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Azure OpenAI, so you can connect to whichever one you prefer. (You can also easily swap the final action steps in these Zaps with the tools your team uses.)

If your needs go beyond a single workflow, try building a Zapier agent that monitors a specific Google Drive folder and makes decisions about each new file based on rules you define. For example, you could set up an agent that:

• Validates naming conventions and auto-suggests a standardized file name if the original doesn't match your format.

• Extracts structured data—like line items from a receipt or contact info from a scanned business card—and sorts it into the appropriate table or spreadsheet.

• Routes files to the right destination based on their content. Invoices go to your finance folder and get logged in your accounting tool. Photos go to a shared team album. Contracts get flagged and forwarded to your legal team in Slack.

The specifics depend entirely on the kinds of files you're emailing yourself on the go, but the core idea is the same: once the file hits your drive, AI takes it from there. To learn how to set up a customized AI agent, check out our Zapier Agents feature guide.

Send all your files to Google Drive automatically

The next time you need to save a file to Google Drive, open your email app, attach the file, and email it to your new Google Drive email address. When someone emails you with a file, you can forward that email and copy the attachment—and Zapier will save that to Google Drive, too.

It's the easiest way to send files to Google Drive.

This article was originally published in September 2018 by Matt Guay and was later updated by Khamosh Pathak. It was most recently updated in March 2026.