Bug#1112092: gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed

[Jeremy Bícha]

On Mon, Dec 1, 2025 at 11:00 PM Jeremy Bícha  wrote:
> GNOME might not handle that removal for upgraders automatically (but
> you can ask them with an issue against gvfs). Debian has a helper,
> user-session-migration, that can do clean up tasks like this. Could
> you open a new Debian gvfs bug for this?

Oh, it looks like the Nautilus sidebar bookmark goes away if you
disable "Files" for the Google provider in Online Accounts. So maybe
both those issues can be fixed at the same time in
gnome-online-accounts upstream.

Thank you,
Jeremy Bícha

Bug#1112092: gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed

[Jeremy Bícha]

On Mon, Dec 1, 2025 at 10:09 PM Alban Browaeys  wrote:
> Shouldn't a bug be opened against gnome-online-account/gnome-control-
> center so as to have it stop showing or disabling the switch to enable
> google drive in the UI?

Could you report that issue upstream?
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-online-accounts/-/issues

> And no have the entry for google drive show up
> in nautilus but not working?

GNOME might not handle that removal for upgraders automatically (but
you can ask them with an issue against gvfs). Debian has a helper,
user-session-migration, that can do clean up tasks like this. Could
you open a new Debian gvfs bug for this?

Thank you,
Jeremy Bícha

Bug#1112092: gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed

[Alban Browaeys]

Sorry this should have been in the previous answer about the removal of
google drive gvfs backend.

Shouldn't a bug be opened against gnome-online-account/gnome-control-
center so as to have it stop showing or disabling the switch to enable
google drive in the UI? And no have the entry for google drive show up
in nautilus but not working?

Cheers,

Alban

Bug#1112092: gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed

[Alban Browaeys]

On Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:27:32 +0100 Simon McVittie 
wrote:
> Control: retitle -1 gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed
> Control: severity -1 wishlist
> Control: tags -1 + upstream
> 
> On Tue, 26 Aug 2025 at 10:31:26 +0200, Michele Cane wrote:
> >I have a google account added via gnome-online accounts. As of teh
latest update, I am not able to mount teh remote location from teh file
manager as I used to do.
> ...
> >I do not know if this is due to bug #1110399
> 
> Yes it is. Unfortunately, the Google Drive backend requires some 
> unmaintained libraries (libsoup2.4 and libgdata), so it was switched
off 
> after the Debian 13 release. It is not feasible to provide long-term 
> security support for the required libraries, so they are very likely
to 
> be removed from Debian during the Debian 14 cycle.
> 



Agreed that there is not much that can be done Debian side... except
probably adding a Debian NEWS file and entry, and probably plan an
entry in the Debian 14 release note.

Maybe this bug should be split into keeping adding back the feature as
wishlist, and documenting the regression as a normal bug?





> In  (which
is 
> the upstream equivalent of that change), they say:
> 
>  If people miss the Google Drive integration, we suggest that the
>  Google Drive part of libgdata could be split into a separate
library
>  and ported to libsoup3 for use by gvfs.
> 
> If that happens, then the Google Drive backend can be re-enabled.
> 
>  smcv
> 
> 



Alban

Bug#1112092: gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed

[Simon McVittie]

Control: retitle -1 gvfs-backends: Google Drive backend was removed
Control: severity -1 wishlist
Control: tags -1 + upstream

On Tue, 26 Aug 2025 at 10:31:26 +0200, Michele Cane wrote:

I have a google account added via gnome-online accounts. As of teh latest 
update, I am not able to mount teh remote location from teh file manager as I 
used to do.

...

I do not know if this is due to bug #1110399


Yes it is. Unfortunately, the Google Drive backend requires some 
unmaintained libraries (libsoup2.4 and libgdata), so it was switched off 
after the Debian 13 release. It is not feasible to provide long-term 
security support for the required libraries, so they are very likely to 
be removed from Debian during the Debian 14 cycle.


In  (which is 
the upstream equivalent of that change), they say:


If people miss the Google Drive integration, we suggest that the
Google Drive part of libgdata could be split into a separate library
and ported to libsoup3 for use by gvfs.

If that happens, then the Google Drive backend can be re-enabled.

smcv