Google Drive Direct Download Link Generator

A direct download link skips Drive's preview page

A normal Drive share link opens the file in Drive's viewer. The visitor then has to find the download button. A direct download link sends the file itself. The address uses the same file ID as your share link:

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOpQrStUvWxYz012345

That sample shows the shape of the link. Paste your own share link in the box above and the page builds yours. Nothing is sent to Google; the link is built in your browser.

The file must be shared with anyone who has the link

The download link has the same access as the file. If only you can open the file, only you can download it. Everyone else sees a request-access page.

1. In Google Drive, right-click the file and choose Share.
2. Under General access, choose Anyone with the link.
3. Press Copy link and paste it in the box above.

This page cannot check the sharing setting, because it never asks Google. Open the download link in a private browser window to test it.

Large files stop at Google's virus-scan page first

Google scans small files for viruses before it sends them. A file too large to scan opens a Google page first. It says Google cannot scan the file, and the visitor presses Download anyway. That step comes from Google, and no link can skip it.

Google can also pause downloads of a file that very many people download in a short time. Visitors then see a Google error until the pause ends.

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and folders need a different route

A Google Doc, Sheet or Slides file is not a stored file, so it has no direct download link. Use File, then Download, and upload the PDF or Word file to Drive. Then share that file.

Drive cannot hand over a whole folder as one link. Download the folder as a zip file, upload the zip, and share that.

To shorten a normal Drive link without changing what it opens, see how to shorten a Google Drive link.

Shorten it when you want to count downloads

Press Shorten it to save the download link as a zip1.io address. The custom ending, the part after zip1.io/, is optional. Use letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores, up to 12 characters. Leave it blank and zip1.io chooses an ending.

After you shorten, you can switch the QR code to the short link, and each scan that opens it counts as a click. A click means someone opened the link. It does not mean the download finished.

The stats page shows country, browser, operating system and referring site, and the time of the last click. Anyone with the short link can open its stats. Visitor IP addresses are stored to count unique visitors. They are never shown on the stats page or included in the export. Read more on click tracking.

FAQ

• How do I make a Google Drive file download directly?

  Share the file with anyone who has the link, copy the share link, and paste it in the box on this page. It gives you a link in the form drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id= followed by the file ID. Opening that link starts the download.

• Why does my link open a virus-scan warning?

  Google scans small files before it sends them. A file too large to scan opens a Google page first, and the visitor presses Download anyway. No link can skip that page.

• Why do people see a request-access page?

  The file is not shared with anyone who has the link. In Drive, open Share, set General access to Anyone with the link, and try again. The download link itself does not need to change.

• Can I make a direct download link for a Google Doc or a folder?

  No. Download the Doc as a PDF or Word file, or the folder as a zip file, upload that to Drive, and share the uploaded file.

• Does this page contact Google?

  No. The link is built in your browser from the file ID in the address you paste. The page cannot tell whether the file exists or is shared.

• What do the click numbers include?

  A click means someone opened the short link. It does not mean the download finished. The stats page shows country, browser, operating system and referring site, and the time of the last click. Anyone with the short link can open its stats. Visitor IP addresses are stored to count unique visitors. They are never shown on the stats page or included in the export.

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