I’m trying to figure out if there’s a way to get direct download URLs for files I have stored in Google Drive. What I need is basically a URL that I can use to download the file directly, without having to go through the Google Drive interface.
I’ve been looking into this and found some information about webContentLink and downloadUrl, but I’m not sure I understand how they work exactly. From what I can tell, webContentLink seems to be meant for opening files in a browser, while downloadUrl might work for smaller text files but needs to be used with something like XMLHttpRequest.
Is there a straightforward way to get a direct download link that I can use programmatically? Even if it’s just a temporary link that expires after some time, that would work for my use case. I just need something reliable that lets me download files without user interaction.
for sure! just make sure your files are set to ‘anyone with the link can view.’ then, use the Drive API files.get method to fetch the webContentLink. this should give you a direct download link that will avoid oauth hassles every time.
Had this exact issue last year building an automated backup system. What finally worked was switching to the Drive API with a service account instead of regular OAuth. You grab the file metadata and build download URLs that actually work consistently. Use the files.get endpoint with service account credentials, then add &alt=media to force downloads. Service accounts skip all the permission drama since they act like a dedicated user. You’ll need to share your files with the service account email first, but after that downloads work without browser popups or user clicks. Takes maybe 10 minutes to set up in Google Cloud Console and the links stay stable as long as the service account has access.
The webContentLink works but hits authentication issues. I’ve had better luck with Google Drive API’s export function for Google Docs, or the alt=media parameter for regular files. You’ll need to authenticate first, then build URLs like https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files/FILE_ID?alt=media for direct downloads. This handles big files way better than XMLHttpRequest and runs programmatically without needing browser interaction. Auth tokens expire, but you can auto-refresh them in your code. Just keep in mind - private files always need authentication, so there’s no truly public direct download unless you make the file public first.