gdown is a Python package (current version 5.2.1) designed to download public files and folders from Google Drive, providing functionality that standard tools like curl or wget often lack for Google Drive links. It handles large files by skipping security notices and supports recursive downloads for folders (up to 50 files per folder). The library has an active development cycle with regular updates addressing features, enhancements, and bug fixes.
pip install gdownVerified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
This quickstart demonstrates how to download a publicly accessible file from Google Drive using its URL. The `gdown.download()` function handles the process, including bypassing Google Drive's security notices for large files. The example also includes cleanup for repeatability.
Upgrade your Python environment to 3.8+ and gdown to version 5.0.0 or later.
Upgrade gdown to version 4.7.3 or later to ensure compatibility with Google Drive's User-Agent requirements.
Remove the `--id` flag when using the CLI; simply pass the file ID or URL as an argument.
Upgrade to gdown >= 5.2.1 to ensure that files are only moved to their final location after successful hash verification, preventing corrupted files from being retained.
Ensure the Google Drive file or folder you are trying to download has appropriate public sharing permissions.
For folders with more than 50 files, consider manually splitting them into smaller folders on Google Drive or compressing the folder into a single archive (e.g., a .zip file) before downloading.
If using `gdown.cached_download`, update your code to use the `hash` parameter instead of `md5` and specify the desired hash algorithm (e.g., `hash='sha256:...'`).
Run `pip install gdown` in your terminal or `!pip install gdown` in a Jupyter Notebook to install the package.
Ensure the Google Drive file's sharing setting is set to 'Anyone with the link' with viewer permissions. If access is still denied, Google might be throttling downloads; try again later or, for persistent issues, consider exporting browser cookies and placing them in `~/.cache/gdown/cookies.txt`, or using the `--no-cookies` flag with the CLI or `use_cookies=False` with the Python API.
Wait for the quota to reset (typically 24 hours). For critical large files, you might try copying the file to your own Google Drive and generating a new public link, or breaking down large downloads into smaller sessions, or using `--no-cookies`.
Activate your Python environment if using one. In Jupyter, use `!pip install gdown` (or `%pip install gdown` for modern versions) and then `!python -m gdown.cli --id <FILE_ID>` or `gdown.download(id='<FILE_ID>', output='output_file')` in Python. For global CLI use, verify that Python's script directory (where `gdown` is installed) is correctly added to your system's PATH.