How to open a local office file stored in Google Drive (docs, sheets etc.) directly?

Question

I have Google Drive installed. I'd like to open local Office files inside Google Drive directly in Google Drive, that would save me an expensive subscription to Microsoft 365 Office suit. I don't want to do this from the browser, rather from the regular Windows 11 File explorer. Hence, how to do that, I could not find an answer online.

1. Files are stored/synced/streamed using Google Drive on my computer - meaning there is a corresponding file saved in the cloud (using Google Drive)
2. I want to open these files ending with docx or xlsx using the appropriate Google Drive programme online. Not as a copy, but just as a synced files as they are.

Any help appreciated.

EDIT: on Google I searched for ways to open files locally, but all I could find were ways to open files local files from within Google Drive (web-based) by uploading them. I found no way to just double-click on a docx file on my computer (in a Drive folder) and that it opens in the browser as a Google Docs rendered file.

Answer 1

Use this Chrome extension from Google Office Editing for Docs, Sheets & Slides

Once the extension is installed, Office files that you drag into Chrome, open in Gmail, Google Drive, and more, will be opened in Docs, Sheets, and Slides for viewing and editing.

According to the Chrome Webstore Listing for this Chrome extension, it was updated on January 23, 2023.

Note: Few moments ago I found this answer to How to open doc, ppt, or xls files with Google Drive with double clicks from my desktop? that suggest the same Chrome extension.

Related

• Office editing mode is now the default editing mode for Office files in Drive on the web from Google Workspace Updates, posted in 2020.
• Work with Microsoft Office files from the Google Docs Help Center.