Download a file

Download files from Google Drive with a computer, Android, or iOS device.

Important: If you try to download a suspicious file, you may get a warning message. Use caution if you download the file.

Download a file

To download a file from Google Drive:

  1. Go to drive.google.com.
  2. Click a file to download.
    • To download multiple files, press Command (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) and then click any other files.
  3. Right-click and then click Download.

Tip: You can't drag a file or folder directly to your desktop.

Save a file to a different format

When you download a file, you have the option to save the file in a different format, such as:

  • A PDF Document (.pdf)
  • Microsoft Word (.docx)
  • PowerPoint (.pptx)
  • A JPEG file (.jpg)
  1. On your computer, go to drive.google.com.
  2. Open the file in:
  3. Click File and then Download.
  4. From the list, select the desired file format.

Learn how to convert Office and other file types into Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

If you can't download a file

If you can't download a file, the owner may have disabled options to print, download, or copy for people with only comment or view access.

Further troubleshooting

If you still have problems downloading files from Drive, you can:

  • Make sure third-party cookies are allowed for Drive at chrome://settings/cookies.
    • It should say "Including third-party cookies on this site" below the site exception for drive.google.com. If it doesn't, click Trash to remove the site and then follow steps 2-5 above.
    • Under "Sites that can never use cookies," make sure there aren't any entries for googleusercontent.com, drive.google.com, or google.com. This prevents downloads from Google Drive. If you find these sites listed, click Menu  and then Remove.
  • Turn off all extensions and try to download. If you can download a file, turn the extensions on one at a time to identify any with problems.
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