How to Backup Videos to Google Drive

Google Drive is an inexpensive Cloud Storage solution. Now you can have Shinobi automatically backup footage right onto Google Drive.

By : Moe Alam

Date Added : Mon Jun 15 2020 15:57:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Last Updated : Tue Jul 09 2024 23:39:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

This is a lengthy process compared to other Cloud Backup methods. Please read each step carefully.

Enable the Drive API in your Google Account

Steps mentioned are sourced from https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v3/enable-drive-api

  1. Go to the Google API Console.
  2. Select a project.
  3. In the sidebar on the left, expand APIs & auth and select APIs.
  4. In the displayed list of available APIs, click the Drive API link and click Enable API.

Get the OAuth Credentials

  1. Go to the Google API Console.
  2. Select a project. The one you enabled Drive API for.
  3. Click the menu in the top left and navigate to API & Services then Credentials
  4. Select the name for the desired credential set in the OAuth 2.0 Client IDs table.
  5. At the top of the page click Download JSON.
  6. You will now have a file named credentials.json.

If you do not have one please follow along in the next section.

Creating the OAuth 2.0 Client ID

Continuing from the previous section at Step 3.

  1. At the top of the page click Create Credentials and select OAuth Client ID.
  2. Set Application Type as Desktop App.
  3. Set the Name to help you distinguish it in your Credentials tables.
  4. Close the success dialog and follow the steps from the previous section in this article, "Get the OAuth Credentials".

Finally, Enabling Google Drive Backup in Shinobi

  1. Login to your Shinobi account, the one with your cameras.
  2. Click your name in the top, the main menu, and select Settings.
  3. Scroll down to Google Drive.
  4. Paste the contents of your credentials.json file in the OAuth Credentials field.
  5. Save the settings to enable the OAuth Gateway. The Settings window will close.
  6. Re-open the Settings and got back down to Google Drive then click Get Code.
  7. A prompt will appear. Choose the account that will have files uploaded to its Google Drive.
    • you may need to disable popup blockers to see the prompt.
  8. Once authenticated you will be redirected. This page may appear as a broken page on localhost, this is ok! You are provided a Code in the URL bar of this page. You can paste this in the OAuth Code field.
  9. Press Save to enable Google Drive.
    • Upon re-opening your settings you will see that OAuth Code field is now blank or says "Authorized. Token Set." after a page refresh. This is fine, it means that your Code has been accepted and a Token has been generated.

Now all videos completed recording will automatically upload to your Google Drive.

Enjoy!