If you want to have all your Google Drive files on your computer, you can download them from your online account to your Mac or Windows machine. Upload them directly to the Google Drive website, sync your files with Google Backup & Sync, or download them as a Google archive. For downloads over 5 GB, sync your account to your computer using Google's free Backup & Sync program.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Google Drive
Step 1. Log into Google Drive
Open this site in your computer's web browser. If you're signed in to your Google Account, your Google Drive page will open.
- Click on Go to Google Drive if you are not logged in to your account then enter your email address and password.
Step 2. Click on a file or folder
This allows you to select the file or folder in question.
Step 3. Select all content from Google Drive
To select all items, press Ctrl + A (on Windows) or Command + A (on Mac). Everything on the page will turn blue.
Step 4. Click ⋮
This button is located at the top right of the page and opens a drop-down menu.
Step 5. Select Download
This option is in the drop-down menu and allows you to download your Google Drive files to your computer.
The files will be downloaded in ZIP format
Step 6. Wait for the download to complete
When all of your Google Drive files are downloaded to your computer, you can extract them for viewing.
Method 2 of 3: Use the Backup and sync program
Step 1. Go to the Backup and Synchronization page
Open this page on your web browser. The Backup & Sync program allows you to sync files between your Google Account and your computer. All the files in your Google Drive will be downloaded to your machine.
The advantage of this method is that any changes you make in Google Drive will be reflected automatically in the Backup & Sync program on your machine
Step 2. Click Download
The blue button To download is under the heading Staff on the left of the page.
Step 3. Select Accept and Download
The Backup and Synchronization configuration file will be downloaded to your computer.
Step 4. Install Backup and Sync
Once the configuration file has downloaded to your machine, try one of the methods below depending on your operating system.
- On Windows: double click on the configuration file, select Yes at the command prompt then click To close at the end of the installation.
- On Mac: double click on the configuration file, verify the installation if prompted, drag the Backup and Sync icon to the folder Applications then wait for the installation to complete.
Step 5. Wait for the login page to open
Once installed on your computer, the Backup and Sync program will open a page that you can use to sign in to your Google Account.
- Before continuing, you may first need to click TO START.
Step 6. Log into your Google account
Enter the email address and password of the Google account linked to the Google Drive content you want to download.
Step 7. Choose the folders on your computer to synchronize
Check the box next to the folders you want to transfer to Google Drive.
Uncheck all the boxes on the page if you don't want to upload any files
Step 8. Click NEXT
This button is located at the bottom right of the window.
Step 9. Select OK when prompted
The download page where you can select the Google Drive files to download to your computer will open.
Step 10. Check the Sync entire My Drive box
This box is at the top of the window and allows you to download your entire Google Drive to your computer.
Step 11. Click START
This blue button is located at the bottom right of the window. Click on it to start downloading from your Google Drive to your computer.
- The download may take a while depending on the amount of files to be downloaded.
- When the download is complete, you will find your files in the Google Drive folder on your computer. This folder is accessible by clicking on the icon Backup and synchronization then on the folder icon in the upper right corner of the Backup and sync menu.
Method 3 of 3: Download a Google archive
Step 1. Go to the Google Account page
Open this page on your web browser. If you're signed in, this will open your Google Account settings page.
- If you are not logged in, click on the blue button Log in at the top right of the page then enter your email address and password.
Step 2. Click Define Your Content
This option is under the heading Personal information and confidentiality.
You may need to scroll down to see this option
Step 3. Select CREATE ARCHIVE
This button is on the right of the page, under the heading Download your data.
Step 4. Click SELECT NOTHING
It's the gray button on the right of the page.
Step 5. Activate the Drive switch
Scroll down the page and activate the switch next to the header Drive. It will turn blue
to indicate that your Google Drive files will be downloaded.
If there are other Google products you want to include in the archive, slide the gray switch next to the products in question
Step 6. Scroll down and click NEXT
This blue button is at the bottom of the page.
Step 7. Select an archive size
Pull down the drop-down menu Archive size then select a size that matches (or larger) your Google Drive download.
If the selected size is smaller than your Google Drive, the archive will be downloaded as multiple zip files
Step 8. Click CREATE ARCHIVE
This button is at the bottom of the page and allows you to create a ZIP folder of your Drive content.
Step 9. Wait while you wait for the archive to be created
The process usually takes several minutes, but you can proceed to the next step once the button DOWNLOAD will be visible on the screen.
- A download link will also be sent to your email address. If you prefer to download the archive using this method, open the email sent by Google and click on Download the archive to save the archive to your computer.
Step 10. Click DOWNLOAD
It's the blue button next to the name of your archive in the middle of the page.
Step 11. Enter your Google password
Type the password you use to sign in to your Google Account when prompted. The archive will be downloaded to your computer.
Step 12. Wait for the download to complete
Once the archive of your Google Drive files has downloaded to your computer, you can extract them for viewing.