Connected Apps
Connected Apps let you use files you already keep in Google Drive directly inside Scholarly. Once Drive is connected, you can pick the exact files you want — Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, PDFs, Word docs, PowerPoints, or text files — and turn them into study material without downloading them first and re-uploading them.
Scholarly only ever reads the files you select with the Google picker. It cannot see your whole Drive.
What You Can Do With Google Drive
Once Drive is connected, you can use it in three places:
- As a source in any create window — Pick Drive files when creating flashcards, quizzes, podcasts, AI video lectures, AI slides, AI infographics, mind maps, study guides, and more. The files become the source material for whatever you generate.
- In AI Chat — A one-click Drive picker opens from the content menu. The files you pick appear in your message box, ready to ask questions about.
- In Deep Research — Link Drive documents, sheets, slides, and PDFs as grounded sources for a research report.
In every case, you choose the specific files each time — nothing is pulled in automatically.
How to Connect
The fastest way to connect is the first time you reach for a Drive file:
- In any create window, AI Chat, or Deep Research, choose Google Drive.
- If Drive isn't connected yet, click Connect Google Drive.
- Sign in with your Google account and review what you're approving.
- Once you confirm, the Drive picker opens so you can choose your files.
You can also connect ahead of time in Settings:
- Open Settings from the sidebar or your profile menu.
- Go to the Connected Apps tab.
- Click Connect next to Google Workspace.
- Sign in and approve access.
Picking Files
When you open the Drive picker, you'll see your Drive and can select one or more files. Scholarly supports:
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Google Workspace | Google Docs, Sheets, Slides |
| Documents | PDF, Word (.docx) |
| Presentations | PowerPoint (.pptx, .ppt) |
| Text | Plain text, Markdown, CSV |
The number of sources you can combine at once depends on where you're creating and your plan — see Plans and Limits.
Managing Access in Settings
Open Settings → Connected Apps to see the state of every Google account you've connected:
- Enabled — Drive access is active and ready to use.
- Reconnect needed — Google expired or revoked the connection. Click Reconnect to restore it.
- A toggle lets you turn Drive access on or off for each account without fully disconnecting.
If you've connected more than one Google account, you can mark one as the Default and switch which account a picker uses.
Disconnecting
Each connected account has its own Disconnect button in Settings. Disconnecting one account stops Scholarly from reading any of that account's Drive files — your other connected accounts are unaffected.
What's Not Available
- Google Calendar is not connected today.
- Saving content back to Drive is not available today — content you create stays in Scholarly. See Sharing for how to send it out.
Privacy
- Connecting Google Drive is opt-in. Nothing is connected by default.
- Scholarly only reads the specific files you pick with the Google picker — never your entire Drive.
- Disconnect any time from Settings, per account.
- See the Privacy Policy for the full details on how connected-app data is handled.
Pricing
Connecting Google Drive is included on every plan, including Free.
Related
- Uploading Content — all the ways to bring material into Scholarly.
- AI Chat and Voice Mode — using picked files in chat.
- Settings — find the Connected Apps tab.
- Plans and Limits — source and plan limits.