I’m trying to figure out if Google Drive places any restrictions on the number of times a file can be downloaded. I obtained a download link for a 24MB file and tested it by downloading 28 times using three separate Google accounts that had permission to access the file. Everything worked fine until I tried the 29th download. At that point, I received an error message that stated:
Sorry, you can’t view or download this file at this time.
Too many users have viewed or downloaded this file recently. Please try accessing the file again later.
However, I found that logging in as the content owner allowed me to download the file without any issues. Does anyone know if Google Drive enforces a daily download limit for a single file, or if there’s a workaround to this problem? Any insights or advice would be much appreciated!
yo, ive run into this too. google drive can be a pain sometimes. what i do is zip the file and split it into smaller parts. that way u can download each part separately and it usually avoids the limit. also try sharing thru google groups if u have lots of ppl accessing it. works for me most of the time
I’ve actually encountered this issue before when sharing large files with my team. From what I’ve experienced, Google Drive does indeed have download limits, but they’re not always consistent or clearly defined. It seems to depend on factors like file size, number of users accessing it, and overall account activity.
One workaround I’ve found effective is to create a shared folder instead of just sharing a direct file link. This seems to bypass some of the stricter download limits. Another option is to use Google Drive’s ‘Make a copy’ feature, which allows users to create their own copy of the file in their Drive, effectively resetting the download count.
If you’re dealing with this regularly, you might want to consider upgrading to a Google Workspace account. I’ve noticed the limits are more lenient with business accounts. Alternatively, for very large files or frequent downloads, you might need to look into more robust file-sharing solutions designed for high-volume transfers.
In my experience as a project manager, Google Drive indeed enforces some kind of download limitation to prevent abuse, although the specifics are never made clear. I noticed that once the downloads exceed a certain threshold, temporary restrictions kick in, even though the owner can still access the file without issues.
One approach that yielded better results for me was using the ‘Add to My Drive’ feature, which circumvents some of the direct download hurdles. Additionally, sharing the file within a folder or syncing it through the desktop app can be more effective. For scenarios involving frequent high-volume downloads, looking into alternative file-sharing services or upgrading to a business account may help ensure smoother access.