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Google Workspace Drive MCP server

Organize and process files at scale with an AI agent. This MCP server enables automated file management, bulk operations, advanced search, permission management, and OCR—perfect for cleanup tasks, compliance audits, and document processing workflows.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
  • API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server​

Find the API in the catalog​

  1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
  2. Select New MCP Server.
  3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server​

  1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
  2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
  3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
  4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
  5. Select Next.

Configure authentication​

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security​

  1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
  2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
  3. Select Next.

Deploy​

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

Connect to an AI client​

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

Tips​

  • You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
  • If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
  • You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication​

Google Drive API uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. Create OAuth credentials in Google Cloud Console with the application type "Web application" and add the redirect URI https://auth.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/outbound/oauth/callback. The authorization endpoint is https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth and token endpoint is https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token. Important scopes include https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive (full Drive access), https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file (access to app-created files only), https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly (read-only), and https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.metadata.readonly (metadata only).

Available tools​

These tools let you manage files and folders, search, control permissions, and process documents.

ToolDescription
List filesQuery and retrieve files with filtering by name, type, or metadata
Create folderCreate a new folder in Drive
Upload fileUpload a file or create a new file with content
Download fileExport file content in various formats
Update fileModify file content or metadata
Delete filePermanently delete a file or move to trash
Copy fileDuplicate a file with a new name
Move fileRelocate a file to a different folder
Rename fileChange a file's name
Share fileGrant access to specific users or make publicly available
Revoke accessRemove sharing permissions for users
Create permissionSet granular access controls (edit, comment, view)
List revisionsView file version history
Restore revisionRevert to a previous version
Export documentConvert Google Docs/Sheets to PDF, Word, Excel, etc.
Get file metadataRetrieve properties like size, owner, creation date, and custom metadata
Search by queryFind files using Drive's search syntax

Tips​

Prefer drive.file scope over full drive access when possible—it restricts the agent to files it creates, reducing the blast radius if credentials are stolen.

Always run a dry-run first (search with the same criteria) when performing bulk operations like moving or deleting files to confirm you're targeting the right set of files.

Use meaningful folder hierarchies and consistent naming conventions to make search results predictable and reduce the chance of accidental operations on the wrong files.

Use share expiration dates and require download restrictions for sensitive documents; verify permissions with drive.metadata.readonly before bulk-sharing operations.

Set up alerts or logging for any file deletions and permission changes so you can audit what the agent has done—audit logs help catch mistakes quickly.