Google has announced a new Chrome extension which integrates web-based Drive with applications for PC and Mac. You can now open docx files stored in Drive with Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages. Users are no longer constrained to editing in the web browser, making this integration extremely powerful for many.

To get started, install Drive on your PC or Mac and sync all your files. Afterward, install the Chrome Extension which allows for this to happen. When finished, use Chrome to navigate to drive.google.com and right click on any file. You should see a dialogue similar to the one in the red box in the image below. Note: This extension may not yet be widely available yet. Google will be rolling this out over the coming week.

Select the PC or Mac app you wish to open it with and, like magic, it happens. This Chrome extension may be a game changer for individuals or businesses who rely heavily on Google Drive for file storage and sharing. It is certainly something I’ve been hoping would happen, and now we are all much better off for it.

Via: Google Drive Blog