How Folder Re-Color for Google Drive™ Works
A simple add-on that applies consistent, professional color to your Google Drive™ folders—reliably and in small batches or individually.
Embedded Files
Step-by-Step Overview
Step 1 — Select Folders in Google Drive™
Click on one or more folders in your Google Drive™, or open a directory to color all subfolders.
Step 2 — Open the Add-On Pane
The add-on displays two actions:
"Color Selected Folder(s)"
"Color All in This Directory"
Step 3 — Folder Re-Color for Google Drive™ Begins in Batches
Should the "Color All in This Directory" mode be chosen, the add-on applies colors in groups of up to 20 folders at a time for stability. Or should "Color Selected Folder(s)" mode be selected, it will process the folder(s) without batching.
Step 4 — Click “Continue Coloring” Until Complete
A new "Continue Coloring" button appears for each part of the batch.
Each batch finishes quickly.
Select Folders → Choose Coloring Mode → Batch Processing (20 at a time) → Continue Until Finished
Selecting Folders
Users may choose:
One or more folders
The Two Coloring Modes
The Two Coloring Modes
Color Selected Folder(s)
Applies color only to the folder(s) the user has selected.
Color All in This Directory
Automatically detects the parent directory → identifies all sibling folders → colors each sibling folder.
How the Add-On Applies Colors
How the Add-On Applies Colors
Uses a fixed 12-color palette
Rotates through the palette, applies alternating color to folders in directory
Avoids repeating the same color twice in a row
Applies the color using the Google Drive API™’s folderColor Rgb field
This ensures clean, visually consistent Google Drive™ layouts.
Why Coloring Happens in Batches
Why Coloring Happens in Batches
Your add-on is intentionally designed to process 20 folders at a time to avoid:
Google Drive™ throttling
Script timeouts
API errors
UI freezing
Batching also allows:
Safe retries
Controlled progress
A smoother user experience
What “Continue Coloring” Means
What “Continue Coloring” Means
After a batch is prompted, the add-on will start coloring the first 20 folders.
Then the user clicks "Continue Coloring" to run the next part of the batch. During the process it will show:
"Batch Progress: X of Y completed"
This continues until all folders are processed.
What “Cancel” Does
What “Cancel” Does
If the user clicks "Cancel":
The add-on stops processing current batch
Already-colored folders remain as they are
The saved batch state is cleared
What Data the Add-On Accesses
What Data the Add-On Accesses
The add-on only accesses:
Folder ID & name
Parent folder ID
List of subfolders in a directory
Folder color metadata
Temporary batch progress
No content from files or folders is read.
Troubleshooting Notes
Troubleshooting Notes
Helpful points:
If nothing happens, ensure at least one folder is selected
The add-on cannot color regular files
Batch operations may require multiple “Continue” clicks
Errors usually resolve by clicking “Continue Coloring” again
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