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Google Drive is a widely used cloud storage application that enables users to store, sync, and share files across devices. It provides seamless integration with Google Workspace and other productivity tools. In this article, I will show you how to deploy the Google Drive application using Intune (a.k.a. MEM). Intune simplifies the process of packaging and deploying Google Drive to endpoints, ensuring efficient management for IT administrators.
| Application name | Download link | File extension |
| Google Drive | https://dl.google.com/drive-file-stream/GoogleDriveSetup.exe | *.exe |
| Win32 Content Prep Tool | https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2065730 | *.zip/ *.exe |
Steps and methods to deploy Google Drive with Intune
Microsoft Intune supports a variety of app types and deployment scenarios on Windows devices. In this post, we use the Win32 apps deployment method. The high-level steps to deploy Google Drive browser using Intune include:
- Download the installer for Google Drive.
- Preparing applications for deployment in Intune.
- Create a new application for Google Drive in Intune Portal.
- Assign or deploy Google Drive to the computers managed by Intune.
- Tracking the deployment in Intune.
Intune software deployment considerations
When deploying any app using Microsoft Intune admin center, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:
- Have a reliable internet connection because the Microsoft Intune admin center relies on cloud-based services for app distribution.
- Ensure that your devices meet the minimum requirements for app installation, including the necessary operating system version and available storage space.
- Consider the impact of Intune software deployment on device performance. Deploying too many applications at once or on devices with limited resources can decrease performance and affect user dissatisfaction.
- Plan to test Intune app deployments on a subset of devices before rolling them out to the entire organization. This allows you to identify any potential issues and make adjustments as needed.
Download the installer for Google Drive
1. The initial step is to download the Google Drive installer for application development, which is available as an executable (.exe) file, from the official link provided below:
Official download link: https://dl.google.com/drive-file-stream/GoogleDriveSetup.exe
2. Click on the Download link to download the .exe installer file to your computer. We will use this installer to create a package for Intune in the next step.
Alternatively, you can use the Windows Package Manager to download the installer. The Windows Package Manager is a comprehensive package management solution pre-installed on Windows 11 and newer versions of Windows 10.
To download the installer for the Intune deployment. Let’s open PowerShell / Terminal or CMD as administrator then run the following command:
winget download --id Google.GoogleDriveAs shown in the output below, the direct download link can be obtained from the official website, and the downloaded file is saved in the Downloads folder.
https://dl.google.com/release2/drive-file-stream/gfj7luqffy6x3ig5bcc466nmni_104.0.4.0/setup.exe# Output
Found Google Drive [Google.GoogleDrive] Version 104.0.4.0
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Microsoft is not responsible for, nor does it grant any licenses to, third-party packages.
Downloading https://dl.google.com/release2/drive-file-stream/gfj7luqffy6x3ig5bcc466nmni_104.0.4.0/setup.exe
██████████████████████████████ 310 MB / 310 MB
Successfully verified installer hash
Installer downloaded: C:\Users\admin\Downloads\Google.GoogleDrive_104.0.4.0\Google Drive_104.0.4.0_Machine_X64_exe_en-US.exe
Related post: Install and Update Apps Using Windows Package Manager.
Preparing applications for deployment in Intune
Before deploying applications using the Intune admin center, you need to convert the app using the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool. The tool allows you to wrap your applications in an Intune-specific container, which will have an .intunewin file extension. This process ensures that the applications are secure and can be easily managed and distributed through the Intune admin center.
1. Download the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep tool from Microsoft’s official GitHub repository. This tool is essential for converting any app installer files into .intunewin format, suitable for Intune.
2. Download the file IntuneWinAppUtil.exe or download the source code as a zip file then extract the downloaded file to your computer.
3. Next, you need to organize your files. Create a dedicated folder and subfolders for better management of the original and converted files.
| D:\Intune | The root folder for package creation (files, folders, scripts...) |
| D:\Intune\Input | All files and folders will be compressed into a single .intunewin file format |
| D:\Intune\Output | Output folder where zipped intunewim file will be created (setup.intunewin) |
4. Copy the file IntuneWinAppUtil.exe → D:\Intune folder. Ensure that the file is located at the same level as the Input and Output folders. The Intune Win32 Prep Tool zips all files and folders when it creates .intunewin file. Hence, it’s important to not keep the tool in the Input (Source) folder. Else, the tool will also include in the application installation package.
5. The next step, copy the *.exe installer that you downloaded in the first step to the D:\Intune\Input folder, then rename it to setup.exe.
6. Next, go back to the D:\Intune folder, double click on the file IntuneWinAppUtil.exe to run the IntuneWinAppUtil tool. The screen should look like a Command Prompt. Or you can run the tool from the command window (Terminal, PowerShell or Command Prompt).
7. Please specify the source folder: Enter the full path of the Input folder (“D:\Intune\Input”).
8. Please specify the setup file: You need to enter the full path of the .exe installer in the Input folder. For example: “D:\Intune\Input\setup.exe”.
9. Please specify the output folder: Enter the full path of the Output folder you’ve created earlier. For example: “D:\Intune\Output”.
10. Do you want to specify catalog folder: Decide whether to specify a catalog folder. It is not necessary, so press Enter to proceed.
11. The tool is now performing its task, creating an Intune package for us. Once completed, it will close automatically. Browse to the output folder, and we see an .intunewin file is ready.
Create a new application for Google Drive in Intune Portal
Once the Win32 app content is ready, the next step is to upload it to Intune. Use the following steps to upload Win32 app to Intune:
1. Head over to Microsoft Intune Admin Center then sign-in using an administrative account.
2. Select Apps → All Apps → + Add.
3. On the Select app type pane, under the Other app types, select Windows app (Win32).
4. In the App information, click on Select app package file link.
5. In the app package file pane, click on the Browse button. Then, select the .intunewin file that you’ve created in the previous steps in the D:\Intune\Output folder.
6. After uploading the file, you will see some information including the name of the app, the version, and other useful information. Go ahead and click OK to continue.
7. Next, you will see some information and be able to make a few adjustments. You can change the name of the app, description, add the publisher, and the category.
8. The last optional option is to specify the application logo. This icon is displayed with the app when users browse through the company portal. We recommend specifying the logo here because it makes easy for users to identify the applications via the logo.
9. Next, you will see the Program page where you can specify how the application will be installed on devices. Enter the install and uninstall commands as shown in the table below. Click Next when done.
| Install Command | "setup.exe" --silent --skip_launch_new --gsuite_shortcuts=false |
| Uninstall Command | "%ProgramW6432%\Google\Drive File Stream\104.0.4.0\uninstall.exe" --silent --force_stop |
- Install command – Installation command line used to install app.
- Uninstall command – Command used to uninstall the app.
- Allow available uninstall – Click Yes or No to allow users from uninstalling the app in the company portal.
- Install behavior – If you select System this app will be installed for all users on a device. If you select User, the app will be installed for the user that is logged in.
- Device restart behavior – You can choose the behavior of the device once the application has successfully downloaded. In my case, I will allow the App installation to force a device to restart.
10. Requirements: In the Requirements page, specify the rules for the app to be installed on the device. I am going to require 64-Bit for Operating System architecture and Minimum operating system of Windows 10 1607. Specify the best choices based on your company’s needs.
Related post: Understanding App Requirements Rule in Microsoft Intune.
11. Detection rules: The detection rules allow us to verify whether the application being deployed is already present on the device. If the application version is already on the device, it will not install. However, if nothing is detected, it will proceed with the deployment.
There are two options: one is to manually configure detection rules, and the other is to use a custom detection script. I will choose to manually configure detection rules → + Add.
12. Intune supports three types of rules to choose from: MSI, File, and Registry. In this case, we will use the File detection method.
13. Enter the below information to validate the presence of the app based on file or folder detection, date, version, or size.
| Rule type | File |
| Path | %ProgramFiles%\Google\Drive File Stream\104.0.4.0 |
| File or folder | GoogleDriveFS.exe |
| Detection method | File or folder exists |
| Associated 32-bit app on 64-bit clients | No |
14. Dependencies: You can specify app dependencies where the applications that must be installed before your app can be installed. In this case, I am selecting no dependencies.
Related post: App Deployment with Dependencies in Microsoft Intune.
15. Supersedence: When you supersede an application, you can specify which app will be updated or replaced. To update an app, disable the uninstall previous version option. To replace an app, enable the uninstall previous version option. In this case, we are not going to configure anything.
Deploy Google Drive to the computers managed by Intune
1. On the Assignments tab, you can select the Required, Available for enrolled devices, or Uninstall group assignments for the app. The options are explained below:
- Required: The Win32 app is installed on devices in the selected groups.
- Available for enrolled devices: Users install the Win32 app from the company portal app.
- Uninstall: The Win32 app is uninstalled from devices in the selected groups.
Related post: Understanding App Assignments Using Microsoft Intune.
2. After you select your groups, you can also configure End user notifications, Availability, and Installation deadline for the app.
3. On the Review + Create tab, go through the values and settings that you entered for the app. Verify that you configured the app information correctly. Select Create to add the app to Intune.
4. In the top-right corner of the Intune portal, you will see a notification that the application is being uploaded. If app content is uploading, wait for it to finish.
5. After a few minutes, you will see that the app upload has finished and the deployment is ready. The application has been targeted to the devices.
Tracking the app deployment in Microsoft Intune
1. To verify the development, login to a managed system, allow some time to sync the device. Or you can force the sync from the Windows Settings or the Company Portal app.
Related post: How To Sync Intune Policies on Windows Devices Manually.
2. On a managed device, you can check the system notifications to see if the app has been installed successfully.
And the app should be in the list of installed applications on the managed client.
Once the app is deployed, you can monitor its deployment status and track installation progress. Intune provides detailed reports and logs, allowing you to troubleshoot any deployment issues and ensure successful app installation.
Related post: How To Access and Read Intune Management Extension Logs
3. To check the app deployment status within Intune portal, go to the Apps section and select the app from the list. The Device Status shows the devices that have installed with the app.
4. Click on Device install status or User install status, we will be able to see list of devices or users with installation status shown.
Related post: How To Monitor App Deployment Using Microsoft Intune.
Uninstall Google Drive using Microsoft Intune
Anytime, if the app is no longer needed. You can uninstall it using Intune automatically.
1. Log in to the Intune admin center, then navigate to Apps → All apps then select the app you want to remove from Intune remotely.
2. Go to Properties → Click on Edit next to Assignments
3. To uninstall the application, add a group in the Uninstall section. Ensure that the same user or device is not a part of the group which has been added to the Required section. For demo purpose, I’ve removed the test group from the Required section and add it into the Uninstall section.
4. Wait for the next Intune device check-in, or sync it manually to automatically remove the app.
As you can see, the app has been removed from the device automatically.
Deploy Google Drive with the Enterprise App Catalog
Microsoft Intune Enterprise App Management enables you to easily discover and deploy applications and keep them up to date from the Enterprise App Catalog. The Enterprise App Catalog is a collection of prepared Microsoft and non-Microsoft applications. These apps are Win32 apps that are prepared as Win32 apps and hosted by Microsoft. Benefits of Enterprise App Management:
- You can save time and reduce complexity by streamlining the app management process. Discover and add apps directly from the Intune console.
- You do not need to manually download the installer, nor do you need to manually create the .intunewin file using Win32AppUtil.
- There is no need to search for the silent install and uninstall commands, as well as the detection rules. All information is automatically populated by Microsoft.
- Stay current with updates, you’re able to keep apps up-to-date by easily creating apps for the new versions of products as they’re available in the catalog. Use the Enterprise App Catalog apps with updates report.
Before you begin, please note that the Enterprise App Catalog is a feature of Enterprise App Management (EAM), which is an Intune add-on included in the Intune suite. Ensure you have the one of the following licenses before continuing.
The process of adding an app from the Enterprise App Catalog to Microsoft Intune is actually quite straightforward.
1. Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center.
2. Select Apps > All Apps > +Add.
3. Select Enterprise App Catalog app on the Select app type pane under the Other app types.
4. Click Select button to add the app type. The Add app pane appear and shows the steps needed to add the app to Intune.
5. The App information steps allows you to select an app from the Enterprise App Catalog based on name and publisher.
6. Once you search and select the app, you can choose a specific app package based on package name, language, architecture, and version.
7. When you’ve completed selecting the app, the app information is displayed. Based on the app that you chose, the values for this step are automatically filled in. You can adjust the information as you need. For example, add the logo for the app.
8. On the Program step, you configure the app installation and removal commands for the app. Many of the app details are pre-populated and designed to function without change. Changing the install commands might cause the app installation to fail.
9. On the Requirements page, verify the pre-filled information and click Next. Or you can specify the requirements that devices must meet before the app is installed.
10. The Detection rules step allows you to configure the rules to detect the presence of the app. Enterprise App Management automatically prefills this information.
11. In the Assignment page, you can select the Required, Available for enrolled devices, or Uninstall group assignments for the app.
12. Review the values and settings that you entered for the app. Verify that you configured the app information correctly. Select Add app to add the app to Intune.
Wait for the app deployment to be created, then you can monitor the deployment status in the Intune admin portal or log files on a managed device.
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