Linux Updated Download Google Drive May 2026
pip3 install gdown Use the file’s shareable link. Example:
Here’s a solid, practical write-up covering how to download files from Google Drive on Linux, using multiple methods (command-line and GUI). Google Drive is ubiquitous for file storage and sharing, but on Linux—especially server environments without a graphical interface—downloading large or shared files can be tricky. This guide covers reliable methods to download files from Google Drive using command-line tools (curl, wget, gdown) and GUI clients for desktops. Method 1: Using gdown (Recommended for Command Line) gdown is a Python script designed specifically to bypass Google Drive’s confirmation pages for large files and shared folders. Installation pip install gdown Or, if using pip3 : linux download google drive
gdown "https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1ABC123DEF456" Alternatively, use the file ID: pip3 install gdown Use the file’s shareable link
wget --load-cookies /tmp/cookies.txt "https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&confirm=$(wget --quiet --save-cookies /tmp/cookies.txt --keep-session-cookies --no-check-certificate 'https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID' -O- | sed -rn 's/.*confirm=([0-9A-Za-z_]+).*/\1\n/p')&id=FILE_ID" -O filename && rm -rf /tmp/cookies.txt (Replace FILE_ID and filename accordingly.) curl -L -b /tmp/cookies "https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&confirm=$(curl -sc /tmp/cookies "https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE_ID" | grep -o 'confirm=[^&]*' | cut -d '=' -f2)&id=FILE_ID" -o filename Pros: No extra software. Cons: Complex for large files; can fail on virus scan warnings. Method 3: google-drive-ocamlfuse (Mount as a Filesystem) Best for interactive use, especially on a Linux desktop or server where you need persistent access. Installation (Ubuntu/Debian) sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alessandro-strada/ppa sudo apt update sudo apt install google-drive-ocamlfuse Setup google-drive-ocamlfuse -headless Follow the OAuth link, copy the verification code, paste it back. Mount Google Drive mkdir ~/gdrive google-drive-ocamlfuse ~/gdrive Now copy or download files as if from a local folder: This guide covers reliable methods to download files