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Setting up Google Drive Sync (Bring Your Own Credentials)

To sync a local vault with your Google Drive in Plainva, you can use your own Google API credentials. Since Plainva has not (yet) gone through Google’s central CASA verification, this Bring Your Own Credentials (BYO) approach offers a safe way to sync your private files.

You essentially set up your own little “developer project” at Google that belongs to you alone and that only you can access.

Step-by-step guide

1. Create a project in the Google Cloud Console

  1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Sign in with your Google account.
  3. At the top left (next to the Google Cloud logo), open the project dropdown and choose New Project.
  4. Enter a name (e.g. “Plainva Sync”) and click Create.

2. Enable the Google Drive API

  1. Select your newly created project in the dropdown at the top.
  2. Search for Google Drive API in the top search bar and pick the entry under “Marketplace”.
  3. Click Enable.

For Plainva to use your credentials, a consent screen (“OAuth Consent Screen”) must be set up. Since only you use the app, it stays in “testing” mode.

  1. In the left side menu under APIs & Services, open OAuth consent screen.
  2. Under “User Type” choose External (unless you use Google Workspace) and click Create.
  3. App information:
    • App name: e.g. “Plainva”
    • User support email: your own email
    • Developer contact information: your own email
    • Click Save and Continue.
  4. Scopes:
    • Click Add or Remove Scopes.
    • Search for .../auth/drive (Google Drive API, full access) and tick the box.
    • Background: full access is needed so Plainva can also sync files that you drop into your sync folder via the Google Drive web interface.
    • Click Update, then Save and Continue.
  5. Test users:
    • Click Add Users.
    • Enter exactly the Google email address you will later use for sync in Plainva.
    • Click Save and Continue, then return to the dashboard.

Important: leave the status on “Testing”. You do NOT need to publish the app. In testing mode, tokens expire after 7 days — Plainva renews them automatically in the background, but after significant changes or scope switches you may need to sign in again.

4. Create credentials (Client ID & Secret)

  1. Open Credentials in the left menu.
  2. Click Create Credentials at the top and choose OAuth client ID.
  3. As the “Application type” choose Desktop app (or “Other UI”).
  4. Name: e.g. “Plainva Desktop Client”.
  5. Click Create.
  6. A popup shows your Client ID and Client Secret.

5. Enter them in Plainva

  1. Open Plainva and go to the vault settings (gear icon for the vault in question).
  2. Open the Cloud Sync section.
  3. Choose Google Drive as the provider.
  4. Paste the copied Client ID and Client Secret into the corresponding fields.
  5. Click Connect to Google.
  6. A Google browser window opens. Sign in with the account you added under “Test users”.
  7. Google may warn that the app is unverified. Click Advanced and then Continue to Plainva (unsafe).
  8. Confirm the requested permissions.

Your vault now syncs safely with Google Drive through your own credentials.