Download Option Not Showing in Google Drive: How to Fix It
Have you ever encountered a situation where you want to download a file from Google Drive, but you can't see the download option? This can be frustrating, especially if you need the file urgently. But don't worry, there are some possible solutions that can help you fix this problem.
In this article, we will explain why the download option is not showing in Google Drive, how to check and change the file permissions, and how to download restricted files from Google Drive. By the end of this article, you will be able to download any file from Google Drive without any hassle.
download option not showing in google drive
How to Check the File Permissions
One of the most common reasons why the download option is not showing in Google Drive is that the file owner has blocked the downloads for the shared members. This means that the file owner has set the file permissions to view-only, which prevents anyone else from downloading, copying, or editing the file.
To check the file permissions, you need to access the file on your desktop browser or mobile app. Here are the steps for both methods:
How to View the File Permissions on Desktop Browser
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the file that you want to download and right-click on it.
Select Share or Share option from the menu.
A pop-up window will appear with the sharing settings. Here you can see who has access to the file and what permissions they have.
If you see a lock icon next to your name, it means that you have view-only permission and you cannot download the file.
If you see a pencil icon next to your name, it means that you have edit permission and you can download the file.
How to View the File Permissions on Mobile App
Open your Google Drive app on your Android or iPhone device.
Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left corner of the screen.
Select Shared with me from the menu.
Find the file that you want to download and tap on it.
Tap on the three dots icon at the top right corner of the screen.
Select Details from the menu.
A new screen will open with the file details. Here you can see who has access to the file and what permissions they have.
If you see a lock icon next to your name, it means that you have view-only permission and you cannot download the file.
If you see a pencil icon next to your name, it means that you have edit permission and you can download the file.
How to Change the File Permissions
If you are the owner of the file that you want to download, or if you have edit permission for the file, you can change the file permissions to enable the download option for yourself and others. Here are the steps to do that:
How to Enable the Download Option for Shared Files on Desktop Browser
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the file that you want to download and right-click on it.
Select Share or Share option from the menu.
A pop-up window will appear with the sharing settings. Here you can see who has access to the file and what permissions they have.
If you want to enable the download option for everyone who has the link, click on the drop-down menu next to Anyone with the link and select Viewer (can view, copy, download).
If you want to enable the download option for specific people, click on the pencil icon next to their names and select Viewer (can view, copy, download).
Click Done to save the changes.
How to Enable the Download Option for Shared Files on Mobile App
Open your Google Drive app on your Android or iPhone device.
Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left corner of the screen.
Select Shared with me from the menu.
Find the file that you want to download and tap on it.
Tap on the three dots icon at the top right corner of the screen.
Select Details from the menu.
A new screen will open with the file details. Here you can see who has access to the file and what permissions they have.
If you want to enable the download option for everyone who has the link, tap on Link Sharing and select Viewer (can view, copy, download).
If you want to enable the download option for specific people, tap on their names and select Viewer (can view, copy, download).
Tap Save to save the changes.
How to Download Restricted Files from Google Drive
If you have view-only permission for a file in Google Drive, and you cannot change the file permissions, you may still be able to download some restricted files using some workarounds. However, this depends on the type of file and how it is shared. Here are some methods that may work for different types of files:
How to fix download option not showing in google drive
Download option not showing in google drive on iphone
Download option not showing in google drive on android
Download option not showing in google drive on mac
Download option not showing in google drive on pc
Download option not showing in google drive on chrome
Download option not showing in google drive on firefox
Download option not showing in google drive on safari
Download option not showing in google drive on edge
Download option not showing in google drive on ipad
Download option not showing in google drive pdf
Download option not showing in google drive video
Download option not showing in google drive image
Download option not showing in google drive folder
Download option not showing in google drive zip
Download option not showing in google drive link
Download option not showing in google drive app
Download option not showing in google drive web
Download option not showing in google drive shared file
Download option not showing in google drive shared folder
Download option not showing in google drive shared with me
Download option not showing in google drive offline
Download option not showing in google drive online
Download option not showing in google drive sync
Download option not showing in google drive backup
Why is download option not showing in google drive
What to do when download option not showing in google drive
How to enable download option in google drive
How to disable download option in google drive
How to add download option in google drive
How to remove download option in google drive
How to change download option in google drive
How to hide download option in google drive
How to show download option in google drive
How to get download option in google drive
How to use download option in google drive
How to download files from google drive without download option
How to download folders from google drive without download option
How to download videos from google drive without download option
How to download images from google drive without download option
How to download pdf from google drive without download option
How to download zip from google drive without download option
How to download link from google drive without download option
How to download shared files from google drive without download option
How to download shared folders from google drive without download option
How to fix no download button on Google Drive files and folders
How to Download Restricted Video from Google Drive
If you want to download a video file that is shared with view-only permission, you can try these steps:
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the video file that you want to download and double-click on it.
The video will start playing in a new tab. Right-click anywhere on the video and select Inspect or Inspect Element from the menu.
A panel will open with some code. Press Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Mac) and type "video/mp4" in the search box.
You will find a URL that starts with . Copy this URL and paste it in a new tab.
The video will start playing again. Right-click anywhere on the video and select Save Video As from the menu.
Choose a location and a name for your video file and click Save.
How to Download Restricted PDF from Google Drive
If you want to download a PDF file that is shared with view-only permission, you can try these steps:
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the PDF file that you want to download and double-click on it.
The PDF will open in a new tab. Click on Print icon at the top right corner of the screen.
A print preview window will appear. Click on Change under Destination and select Save as PDF from the list of options.
Click Save and choose a location and a name for your PDF file.
How to Download Restricted Google DocsIf you want to download a Google Docs file that is shared with view-only permission, you can try these steps:
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the Google Docs file that you want to download and double-click on it.
The Google Docs file will open in a new tab. Click on File at the top left corner of the screen and select Download from the menu.
A list of formats will appear. Choose the format that you prefer, such as Microsoft Word (.docx), PDF Document (.pdf), or Plain Text (.txt).
The file will be downloaded to your computer.
How to Download Restricted Google Spreadsheet
If you want to download a Google Spreadsheet file that is shared with view-only permission, you can try these steps:
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the Google Spreadsheet file that you want to download and double-click on it.
The Google Spreadsheet file will open in a new tab. Click on File at the top left corner of the screen and select Download from the menu.
A list of formats will appear. Choose the format that you prefer, such as Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), PDF Document (.pdf), or Comma-separated values (.csv).
The file will be downloaded to your computer.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned how to fix the problem of download option not showing in Google Drive. We have seen how to check and change the file permissions, and how to download restricted files from Google Drive using some workarounds. We hope that this article has helped you to download any file from Google Drive without any hassle.
Here are some tips to remember when downloading files from Google Drive:
Always check the file permissions before downloading a file. If you have view-only permission, you may not be able to download the file directly.
If you are the owner of the file or have edit permission, you can change the file permissions to enable the download option for yourself and others.
If you cannot change the file permissions, you can try some workarounds depending on the type of file. For example, you can print a PDF file or inspect a video file to download it.
Be respectful of the file owner's wishes and do not download or share files without their consent.
FAQs
Why is the download option missing in Google Drive?
The download option may be missing in Google Drive if the file owner has blocked the downloads for the shared members. This means that the file owner has set the file permissions to view-only, which prevents anyone else from downloading, copying, or editing the file.
How can I download a file from Google Drive without permission?
If you have view-only permission for a file in Google Drive, and you cannot change the file permissions, you may still be able to download some restricted files using some workarounds. However, this depends on the type of file and how it is shared. You can refer to our article for some methods that may work for different types of files.
What is the difference between view-only and edit permissions in Google Drive?View-only permission means that you can only view the file and not make any changes to it. You cannot download, copy, or edit the file. Edit permission means that you can view and make changes to the file. You can also download, copy, or share the file with others.
Can I download a file from Google Drive without signing in?No, you cannot download a file from Google Drive without signing in. You need to sign in with your Google account to access any files in Google Drive. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free.
How can I prevent others from downloading my files in Google Drive?If you are the owner of a file in Google Drive, or if you have edit permission for a file, you can prevent others from downloading your files by changing the file permissions. Here are the steps to do that:
Open your web browser and go to .
Sign in with your Google account if you haven't already.
Locate the file that you want to protect and right-click on it.
Select Share or Share option from the menu.
A pop-up window will appear with the sharing settings. Here you can see who has access to the file and what permissions they have.
If you want to prevent anyone with the link from downloading your file, click on the drop-down menu next to Anyone with the link and select Viewer (can only view).
If you want to prevent specific people from downloading your file, click on the pencil icon next to their names and select Viewer (can only view).
Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of the window and uncheck the box that says Allow viewers to download.
Click Done to save the changes.
44f88ac181
Comments