How to Download All Files From Google Drive

Downloading all your files from Google Drive can be a real hassle. While getting individual files from Google Drive is straightforward, downloading everything can be extremely time-consuming and inconvenient. You want to download all your files from Google Drive, but you don’t want to individually select each file to do so.

Luckily there are a few ways to do get all your files from Google Drive without spending hours on the process. In this article, we will show you how to do so on different devices.

How to Download All Files From Google Drive to a Windows PC

There are three easy ways to download all your files from Google Drive to your Windows PC.

1. You can download your files straight from the Google Drive website.
2. Use Google Backup and Sync to connect your Google Drive files to your computer.
3. Download all your Google Drive data as a Google Archive.

If your Google Drive account has more than 5GB of data, you should sync your Google Drive account to your computer using Google’s free Backup and Sync tool.

Google Drive

Open your browser and search for Google Drive.  If you’re already logged in, you will find yourself on the Google Drive page. If not, you need to log in first. From here, follow these steps:

1. Click on any file or folder to select it.
   
2. To select everything press Ctrl+A. Everything should turn blue.
   In the top-right corner, click on the three horizontal dots.
   
3. A drop-down menu will appear, select “Download”.
   
4. The files will be compressed into a ZIP folder by Google Drive.
   
5. Wait for the download to finish. Once the files have completed downloading, go to your Downloads folder and unzip them to see them.
   

Backup and Sync

Open your browser and open the Backup and Sync website. You can use the Backup and Sync page to synchronize data between your computer and your Google Drive account, allowing you to download all your Google Drive information to your PC.

The biggest advantage of this method is that any changes you make in Google Drive will be mirrored automatically in your computer’s Backup and Sync program.

After loading the website, the steps are as follows:

1. Click “Download”
   
2. When asked, click “Agree and Download” to start downloading the setup file.
3. Double-click the setup file, then click “Yes” when asked. When the installation has finished, click “Close.”
   
4. Wait for the login screen for Backup and Sync to appear.
5. Sign in to your Google Account.
   
6. You have the option to upload files and folders from your computer to your Google Drive. If you don’t want to do so, uncheck all the boxes.
   
7. Click “Next.”
   
8. When asked, click “GOT IT.” This will take you to the Google Drive Download page, where you can choose which Google Drive files to save to your PC.
   
9. Select the option that says “Sync everything in My Drive” at the top of the window. Everything on your Google Drive will be downloaded to your computer.
   
10. Click on “Start.”
    

Be patient as this process might take a while depending on the size of your Google Drive files.

Once completed, access your files in the “Google Drive” folder on your computer by selecting the Backup and Sync icon, then clicking the folder icon in the upper-right part of the Backup and Sync menu.

Google Archive

To download an archive from Google, sign in to your Google account. Open the Google Account page and follow these steps:

1. Open “Settings.”
2. Under “Data & privacy” select “Download or delete your data.”
   
3. Click “CREATE A NEW EXPORT” at the bottom of the page.
   
4. Choose “Deselect all.”
   
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and check the box next to “Drive”.
   • This box will become blue, indicating that your Google Drive files will be downloaded. You can also add any other Google items you like to the archive by checking the box next to them.
     
6. Click on “Next step.”
   
7. Choose a file size for your export. Select a size from the “Export Size” drop-down box that equals (or exceeds) the size of your Google Drive download. If the size of your Google Drive exceeds the limit, it will download as numerous zip files.
   
8. Select “Create export” at the bottom of the page to start the download.
   
9. Once the archive is created, a pop-up will appear. Click here on “Download.”
   
10. Enter Google password when asked. This will start the download of the archive file onto your PC.
    
11. Extract the files once the download has finished.
    

How to Download All Files From Google Drive to a Mac

There are also three options to download all your files from Google drive to your Mac computer. The steps vary only slightly.

Google Drive

Launch your browser and type “Google Drive” into the search bar. If you’re already logged in, you’ll be sent to the Google Drive page. If not, you must first log in. From here, proceed as follows:

1. To choose a file or folder, simply click on it.
   
2. Use Command +A to select everything. Everything should become highlighted in blue.
   
3. Click on the three horizontal dots at the upper-right of the page.
   
4. Select “Download” from the drop-down menu.
   
5. Google Drive will compress the files into a ZIP folder.
6. Wait for the contents of your Google Drive to download completely. When the files have finished downloading, navigate to your Downloads folder and unzip them to see them.
   

Backup and Sync

Launch your browser and go to the Backup and Sync page. Upon loading the webpage, take these steps:

1. Click the “Download” button.
   
2. When asked, click “Agree and Download” to begin downloading the installation file.
3. Double-click the setup file, confirm the installation if requested, and then drag the Backup and Sync icon to the “Applications” folder shortcut to complete the installation.
   
4. Wait for the Backup and Sync login screen to appear.
   
5. Log in with your Google Account.
   
6. You can upload files and folders from your computer to your Google Drive account. Uncheck all the boxes if you don’t want to.
7. Select “Next.”
8. When asked, choose “GOT IT.” This will take you to the Google Drive Download page, where you can select which Google Drive files to download to your computer.
9. At the top of the window, select the “Sync everything in My Drive” option. The contents of your Google Drive will be downloaded to your computer.
10. Press the “Start.”

Google Archive

Sign in to your Google account to download an archive. Open the Google Account page and follow these steps:

1. Go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Download or delete your data” under “Data & privacy.”
   
3. At the bottom of the page, click “Create a New Export.”
4. Press “Deselect all.”
   
5. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and check the box”Drive”.
   
6. Select “Next step.”
   
7. Choose the file size.
   
8. Select “Create export” and then “Download” from the pop-up.
   
9. Type in your Google Account password.
   
10. Extract the files to access them.
    

How to Download All Files From Google Drive to an iPhone

Downloading files from your Google Drive to your iPhone is simple, but you must first have the Google Drive app installed on your iPhone. If you don’t already have the Google Drive app installed on your iPhone, you can get it from the App Store.

To download files from Google Drive to your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. On your iPhone, launch the Google Drive app.
   
2. Tap the menu icon to the right of the file you want to download.
   
3. Select “Open In.”
   
4. Choose the program in which you want to open the file, and it will be downloaded to your smartphone.
   

How to Download All Files From Google Drive to an Android

From your Android phone’s settings app, you can access your Google Drive storage just as you would your internal storage. You can then copy folders to your internal storage from there.

1. Open “Files.”
   
2. Open the side menu.
3. Choose “My Drive.”
   
4. Open the folder where you want to save the file.
5. Long press the folder.
   
6. Click the three dots button in the upper right corner.
   
7. Click the “Copy to…”
   
8. Choose the location where you wish to save it on your phone.
   
9. At the bottom right, press the “Copy” button.

How to Download All Files From a Specific Google Drive Folder

It’s straightforward to download a folder from your Google Drive, and the method is the same whether you’re using a PC or a Mac.

1. Log in to your Google account and open Google Drive on your computer.
   
2. Go to the “Folders” section and choose the folder you wish to download.
   
3. Right-click on the folder and choose “Download” towards the bottom.
   

Access Your Files Offline

There are many reasons why you may need to download files to your PC or phone from your Google Drive. In this way, you can access them anytime without an internet connection. Or you’ve decided to delete your Google account and want all your files before you shut it down. In any case, using any of these methods will help you to quickly and safely get all your files.

Have you ever downloaded all your files from your Google Drive? Have you had any trouble doing so? Let us know in the comment section below!