I’m trying to figure out how to download Google Drive files straight to Android phones without opening the Drive app. Right now, I’m using this link in my webpage:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID
It works fine on computers, but on phones it just opens the Google Drive app instead of downloading the file. Weirdly, if I paste the same link into my phone’s browser, it downloads the file like it should.
I found another way using the Drive API that seems to work on phones:
https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files/FILE_ID?alt=media&key=API_KEY
But this has a problem too. The downloaded file gets named after the file ID, not the actual file name.
I’m looking for a solution that:
- Works on all devices without opening Google Drive (except iPhones and iPads)
- Keeps the original file name or lets me set a custom one
Any ideas on how to do this? I can’t use server-side stuff, so it needs to be client-side only. Thanks!
hey, i found a trick that might work for u. try using this url:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID
just replace FILE_ID with ur actual file id. it should download directly on android without opening the app. worked for me on most devices. hope this helps!
I’ve struggled with this issue too, and found a workaround that might help. Instead of using the standard Google Drive link, try using the ‘export’ parameter in your URL like this:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID
This method has worked consistently for me across different Android devices without opening the Drive app. It also maintains the original file name, which is a big plus.
One caveat: for larger files (usually over 100MB), Google might throw up a virus scan warning. In those cases, you might need to implement a two-step process where users first get a confirmation page and then proceed to download.
If you’re dealing with public files, another option is to use Google’s ‘publish to web’ feature. This generates a direct link that usually works for downloads across platforms. Just be aware this makes the file publicly accessible to anyone with the link.
I’ve found a reliable method for downloading Google Drive files on Android without opening the app. Use this modified URL structure:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID
Replace FILE_ID with the actual file ID from your Drive link. This approach works consistently across Android devices and preserves the original filename.
For larger files (over 100MB), you might encounter a virus scan warning. In such cases, you may need to implement a two-step download process.
If you’re dealing with public files, consider using Google’s ‘publish to web’ feature. This generates a direct download link that works across platforms, but be aware it makes the file publicly accessible.
Remember to set appropriate sharing permissions for your files to ensure accessibility.