To download an entire folder in Google Drive, go to drive.google.com on a computer, right-click the folder, and click Download. Google Drive zips the folder and downloads it as a .zip file. To download several files at once, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while you click each file, then right-click and choose Download.
This guide covers downloading a folder, downloading several files, downloading everything with Google Takeout, saving Docs, Sheets and Slides in other formats, and fixing downloads that won’t start. The download steps and fixes come from Google’s Download a file help article.
How to Download a Whole Folder From Google Drive
- Go to drive.google.com on your computer.
- Right-click the folder.
- Click Download.
- If your browser asks, choose where to save it.
- Open the downloaded .zip file to get your files.
Result: the folder arrives as a single.zip file. Drive compresses folders to ZIP before downloading, and that a very large folder can take a while to zip. Google adds that you can’t drag a file or folder from Drive straight to your desktop, so use Download instead.
How to Download Several Files at Once
- Click the first file.
- Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each other file you want.
- Right-click any selected file and click Download.
Result: Drive zips the selected files and lets you save the ZIP to your computer.
How to Download Everything in Google Drive
For your whole Drive, use Google Takeout:
- Open Google Takeout and sign in.
- Click Deselect All, then check Drive.
- Click Next Step and choose a delivery method (such as an emailed download link), Export Once, and ZIP or TGZ.
- Click Create Export. Google emails you when the archive is ready. The same tool can back up your Gmail messages.
Large exports are often split into multiple.zip files. If you want files kept in sync on your computer rather than a one-time copy, it suggests Google Drive for desktop instead.
Download Docs, Sheets and Slides in Another Format
Google says you can open a file in Docs, Sheets, Slides or Vids, click File > Download, and pick a format such as PDF, Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx) or JPEG.
Can’t Download?
- Owner settings: the owner may have turned off downloading, printing and copying for people with view or comment access.
- Third-party cookies: blocking them in Chrome can stop Drive downloads. Google’s fix is to add drive.google.com under “Sites allowed to use third-party cookies” at chrome://settings/cookies.
- Extensions: turn them all off and try again, then turn them back on one at a time.
- “Too many users have viewed or downloaded this file recently”: Google says this usually resets within 24 hours. If you have view access, make a copy from Shared with me and download the copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download a folder on my phone?
Google’s Android and iPhone steps cover downloading individual files: tap More next to the file, then Download. Google’s page doesn’t list a folder option for phones, so a computer is the dependable way to get a whole folder. Google also notes that the download option disappears when Data Saver is on.
Where do the downloaded files go?
To your browser’s download location, usually the Downloads folder, unless you pick a different spot when asked.
More Google Drive Guides
- How to delete and recover Google Drive files
- How to upload a PDF to Google Drive
- How to download a copy of an Excel Online file
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.