I’m having trouble with Google Drive’s spam feature that started in May 2023. It’s the spam section you can find below the trash in Drive interface.
I built an Apps Script tool for backing up files. Here’s how it works:
UserA (company account) puts files in a staging directory under My Drive and gives UserB (personal Gmail) view access.
UserB scans this staging directory and moves files elsewhere.
This system worked great for several months but now files keep vanishing. UserA uploads 5 files and sees all 5, but UserB only sees 3 files. After lots of troubleshooting I discovered many files ended up in UserB’s Drive spam section.
When I check a file that’s in spam, it doesn’t show up when I list its parent directory contents. The spam section uses a special URL that I can’t access programmatically.
Here’s my test code that works for normal files but fails for spam files:
function checkFolder(){
var documentID = "<some long ID>";
var targetFile = DriveApp.getFileById(documentID);
var folderList = targetFile.getParents();
var mainFolder = folderList.next();
console.log(`Folder ID: ${mainFolder}`);
var allFiles = mainFolder.getFiles();
while (allFiles.hasNext()) {
currentFile = allFiles.next();
console.log(`ID: ${currentFile.getId()}, Title: ${currentFile.getName()}`);
}
}
Is there a way through the API to search the spam section and recover files that should be in my staging directory?
You’re using Google Apps Script to automate file transfers between a company Google Drive account (UserA) and a personal Gmail account (UserB). Files uploaded by UserA are unexpectedly ending up in UserB’s Google Drive spam folder, inaccessible via the Apps Script API. Your current script, designed to list files within a directory, fails to find these spammed files. This breaks your automated backup system.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Google Drive’s spam filtering aggressively detects and blocks automated cross-account file access patterns that look suspicious. Your script, repeatedly accessing files from UserA’s account using UserB’s credentials, triggers this spam filter. Google’s algorithm interprets this as potentially malicious activity. The DriveApp API in Apps Script is specifically designed to work within the Google ecosystem’s security constraints and cannot directly access the spam folder.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Migrate to a Third-Party Automation Platform: The most reliable solution is to avoid fighting Google’s spam filter entirely. Instead, use a platform designed for robust cross-account file operations, such as Latenode (mentioned in the original answer). These platforms typically offer more sophisticated authentication mechanisms, better error handling, and the ability to manage retries for files flagged as spam. The improved OAuth handling prevents your automation from appearing suspicious to Google’s system.
(If sticking with Google Drive) Adjust Permissions and Access: As an alternative (though less reliable), reconfigure file access. Instead of UserA sharing individual files, share the entire staging folder with UserB, granting edit access, not just view access. This signals Google that UserB is an authorized collaborator, reducing the likelihood of triggering the spam filter. Additionally, add delays (2-3 seconds) between file processing operations within your script to prevent rapid, sequential access, which is a major red flag for the spam algorithm.
Manual Spam Recovery (for existing files): Files already in UserB’s spam folder must be manually recovered using the Google Drive web interface before they can be accessed programmatically. This is necessary because the API doesn’t offer access to the spam section.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Rate Limits: Even with permission changes and delays, be mindful of Google Drive API rate limits. Exceeding these limits might further exacerbate the issue. Check the Google Drive API documentation for your current usage and quotas.
Error Handling: Implement robust error handling in your Apps Script. Log specific error messages related to file access failures to diagnose issues and implement appropriate retry logic.
Alternative Backup Strategies: Consider alternative backup solutions that don’t rely on direct cross-account file access in Google Drive. This could include using a different cloud storage provider with better interoperability or incorporating version control systems.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
unfortunately there’s no direct api method for the spam folder, but try drive.files.list() with includeItemsFromAllDrives=true - sometimes catches files before they vanish. also have userB manually move files back from spam if possible - that usually restores normal api access.
Had this exact problem last year during a client migration. Google’s spam filter kicks in when it sees cross-account file access patterns, especially personal Gmail hitting business files. Here’s what fixed it for me: Change UserB’s permissions BEFORE they touch anything. Don’t just give view access - give edit permissions on the staging folder itself, not individual files. Google then sees UserB as a real collaborator instead of someone randomly accessing files. Also, add delays between file operations. I built in 2-3 second waits between processing files and spam rates dropped big time. The algorithm hates rapid sequential access. For files already flagged as spam, UserB has to manually restore them through the web interface first. Then they’re accessible via API again. It’s annoying but it’s the only reliable fix I’ve found.
You’re attempting to download files selected via the Google Drive Picker API on your server, but receive 401 errors even with a valid access token. You want to avoid using restricted Drive scopes like https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive or https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly. Your current approach uses the downloadUrl provided by the Picker API in a server-side fetch request.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
The core issue is that the downloadUrl provided by the Google Drive Picker API is intended for client-side use only. It’s tied to the user’s browser session and the authorization context established there. Attempting to access this URL directly from your server bypasses this crucial authorization step, leading to the 401 “Unauthorized” errors. The server lacks the necessary authentication context to validate the request, even with a valid access token obtained separately.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Migrate to a Client-Side Download and Server-Side Upload: Instead of attempting a server-side download using the downloadUrl, perform the download in your client-side JavaScript code. Use the user’s access token to authenticate the request. This leverages the existing session authorization, bypassing the limitations of directly using downloadUrl on the server.
Here’s how to modify your client-side code:
const onPickerResult = async (result) => {
if (result.action === window.google.picker.Action.PICKED) {
for (const file of result.docs) {
try {
const response = await fetch(file.url, {
headers: {
Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`, // User's access token
},
});
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`File fetch failed: ${response.statusText}`);
}
const blob = await response.blob();
// Send the blob to your server for S3 upload
const formData = new FormData();
formData.append('file', blob, file.name);
await fetch('/upload', { // Replace '/upload' with your server endpoint
method: 'POST',
body: formData,
});
} catch (error) {
console.error(`Error processing file ${file.name}:`, error);
}
}
}
};
Your server-side code will now simply receive and process the uploaded file blob. This eliminates the need to directly access the downloadUrl from the server.
Update Server-Side Endpoint (/upload): Create a server-side endpoint (e.g., /upload) to handle the file uploads from your client. This endpoint will receive the file blob from the client and upload it to your S3 bucket. This will require proper S3 authentication credentials on your server.
Verify Access Token: Double-check that the access token (token in the code examples) you’re using is valid and has the necessary permissions to access the selected files (even if only for download). Ensure the token is correctly obtained during the Google authentication flow.
Handle Errors Robustly: Implement comprehensive error handling on both the client and server to catch issues such as network problems, failed uploads, and invalid tokens. Log errors appropriately for debugging purposes.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
CORS: Ensure your server’s CORS policy allows requests from your client’s origin. Otherwise, the client-side fetch request might fail.
Large Files: For very large files, consider streaming the upload to S3 to avoid memory issues on both the client and server.
Rate Limiting: Google Drive and S3 both have rate limits. Monitor your usage and implement appropriate retry mechanisms with exponential backoff to avoid exceeding these limits.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
We’ve been dealing with this spam filtering issue around the same time too. Google’s ML algorithm thinks cross-domain automated access looks suspicious and flags it as malicious.
Here’s what worked for me: don’t have UserA share individual files. Instead, create a dedicated shared folder where UserA owns it and UserB gets permanent editor access at the folder level. Then UserA just moves files into this shared space instead of sharing from their personal drive. Google recognizes this as legitimate collaboration.
Also, add exponential backoff to your script when files disappear - they often come back after Google’s spam review finishes (usually 24-48 hours). Your getFiles() method will catch them on the next retry.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Step-by-Step Guide:
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!