How to download files from Google Drive shared files

2014-05-06


Not a single time my friends complained they could not download files which I shared through Google Drive. They said "Can Not download" meant they could not find download button.

I think this is the bad design from Google’s few mistakes. The downloading file in Google drive, is really not friendly.

You have to know the downloading ways are different for a shared file and a shared folder.

1: If you received a Shared file:

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Please click the shared file, if the file is a zip file, you will see a window which list all separate files in the zip file.

For downloading, please select File menu and select download item. 

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2: If you received a shared folder.

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Then click the shared folder, You will see a file list page like the following, click any single file which you want to download:

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After you click the file name, you will see a dark screen like following, you can see the download button on right bottom corner:

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Now you see how Google Drive make users confusing.