---
id: gdown
version: "6.1.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# gdown — Google Drive Public File/Folder Downloader

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 3.9M/mo

## What it is and what it does

gdown is a command-line and Python library for downloading files and folders from Google Drive when standard tools like curl and wget fail. It solves the core problem that Google serves a confirmation page for large files, which blocks automated downloads. The tool extracts file IDs from share links, skips the virus-scan prompt, and handles recursive folder downloads. It also exports Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to formats like PDF, DOCX, and CSV. Beyond Google Drive, it works as a general HTTP/HTTPS downloader.

The package requires Python 3.10 or later and depends on beautifulsoup4, filelock, requests, tqdm, and typing-extensions. It offers both a CLI interface (with options for resuming partial downloads, speed limiting, proxy support, and custom headers) and a Python API for programmatic use. The library supports hash verification, caching, and progress callbacks for integration into larger workflows.

Use it for:

- Download large files from Google Drive that curl and wget cannot retrieve due to confirmation pages.
- Recursively download entire shared folders from Google Drive to a local directory.
- Export Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides to PDF, DOCX, CSV, or other formats for offline use.
- Resume interrupted downloads of large files using the --continue flag.
- Use as a drop-in replacement for curl/wget when downloading from any public HTTP/HTTPS URL.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Downloads files and folders from Google Drive, bypassing confirmation pages that block curl and wget, and exports Google Docs/Sheets/Slides to standard formats.

Yes. gdown solves a real problem (Google Drive downloads fail with standard tools), has low install friction, is actively maintained, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive MIT license. It is well-suited for automation scripts, data pipelines, and one-off downloads. Install it if you regularly need to download from Google Drive or want a curl/wget alternative.

## Install

pip install gdown
uv add gdown
poetry add gdown

## Installing gdown

Before you install: Low friction install with five lightweight runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with a recent release; last commit 2026-08-07 and 5364 repository stars indicate ongoing support.

License in practice: MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for commercial and private projects.

Quickstart:

pip install gdown

# CLI: download a file by URL
gdown https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1l_5RK28JRL19wpT22B-DY9We3TVXnnQQ

# Python: download with output filename
import gdown
gdown.download(url="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1l_5RK28JRL19wpT22B-DY9We3TVXnnQQ", output="file.npz")

Requires Python 3.10 or later. File must be shared publicly (set to 'Anyone with the link') on Google Drive.

Verify before relying:

- Whether Google Drive's terms of service permit automated downloads of shared files via this tool.
- Rate limiting or throttling behavior when downloading multiple files in succession.
- Cookie-based authentication persistence and security implications of storing cookies locally.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 3.9M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

google drive downloader, download google drive files, bypass google drive confirmation, google docs export pdf, folder download tool, curl wget alternative, download-tool, google-drive, cli-utility

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/gdown) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/gdown/)