Last September, we reported that Google was bringing Google Drive to Windows on Arm so that you can run the Google Drive client natively without needing emulation. Then, two months later, Google announced the first beta release of Google Drive for Desktop for Windows 11 Arm devices, like the ones powered by the Snapdragon X processors.
Now, Google has announced that Google Drive for Arm-powered Windows devices is generally available. As with the beta, this version is only available to Windows 11 devices with Microsoft WebView2. If you don't know what that is, it's a runtime that allows developers to embed web content in native applications.
Google says that existing beta users will be automatically upgraded to the stable version. Strangely, Google has yet to update the system requirements page for the Drive for Desktop page. It still states that Drive for Desktop is available for 64-bit Windows versions only.
The stable release of Drive for Desktop, available to all Google Workspace customers, is expected to start today, March 24, 2025, and then gradually roll out over the next 15 days for both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains.
Windows on Arm has had its fair share of ups and downs, especially when it comes to app compatibility and performance. But with the arrival of Windows 11 for Arm, things are looking up.
Plus, Microsoft has stepped up its game, especially with its Copilot+ PCs, like the recently released Surface Pro 11 for Business, improving emulation support and boosting performance, so many go-to apps like Chrome, Adobe Illustrator, and even less popular apps like Signal Messenger now run more smoothly on Arm-based devices.
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