Google Drive offers a convenient way to store files in the cloud so they are accessible everywhere, but only Google’s own file types are available offline for editing using the web app. However, offline access is expanding to include all files.
As Android Police reports, offline saving and editing for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides has been available since April this year to G Suite users. It means if there’s no internet connection you can continue to work on those files. Other file types couldn’t be marked for access offline, though, unless you opted to use the Backup & Sync desktop client.
The latest G Suite beta expands offline saving and editing using the web app for all other file types including PDF, Microsoft Office documents, images, and anything else you care to mark as accessible offline. For now, this new functionality is limited to those organizations signed up for the G Suite beta program, but it will also be available for Gmail users as long as offline access is enabled.
While offline access for all file types is great news, Google continues to limit it to Chrome users. If Google really wants Google Drive and G Suite to be used by all, then it really needs to open up all features to all web browsers, rather than attempting to force Chrome use in this way.