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Google Drive: Upload file content — MCP tool

Google Drive MCP tool: Uploads text or a local file to Drive — as a new file, a content replacement, or an import into Docs/Sheets/Slides.

Technical name: upload_file

What task it solves

I want to put content into Google Drive.

Creates a Drive file from inline text or a local file, replaces an existing file's content in place, or imports the bytes into an editable Google Workspace file.

When to use it

Use it to save generated text, push a local document to the cloud, update a file without changing its id and sharing (file_id), or turn a .docx/.csv/Markdown file into a native Doc/Sheet (convert_to).

What to provide

  • Exactly one of content (inline UTF-8 text) or local_path (absolute local file path).
  • name — required when creating (no file_id).
  • parent_id — optional, create only.
  • mime_type — optional. Defaults to text/plain for content, extension-based for local_path.
  • convert_to — optional: document, spreadsheet or presentation (import).
  • file_id — optional. Replace this file's content instead of creating.

What it returns

The uploaded file's full metadata (id, name, mimeType, size, parents, webViewLink, ...).

What changes in Google Drive

Without file_id a new file appears — a retry after an unclear failure would create a duplicate, so verify with search_files first. With file_id the previous content is replaced (older bytes survive only as revisions, reachable via raw_request).

Example request

Upload this meeting summary to the "Notes" folder in Google Drive as a Google Doc.

Errors and limitations

Uploads are capped at 5 MB per call (multipart) — larger files need a resumable session via raw_request. Relative local paths are rejected; a missing local file is a clear error. Conversion quality depends on Google's importers.

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Technical details