Download files to Google Drive

To save files to Google Drive from a cloud automation, use the Download a file to Google Drive step. It works without code and runs in the cloud or on the desktop.

Download a single file

Add a Go to page step that loads the page containing the file, then add Download a file to Google Drive below it.

1. Open the step finder and add Download a file to Google Drive.
2. Set Select file by clicking Select and choosing the file element on the page.
3. Set Drive folder URL to the URL of the destination folder in Google Drive.
4. Set File name to the name you want the saved file to have.

Download files from multiple pages

To download a file from each page in a list, store the URLs in a Google Sheet and loop through them. The pattern works best when every page uses the same template.

1. Add a Read data from a Google Sheet step pointing at a sheet of page URLs.
2. Add a Loop through data step using the sheet data.
3. Inside the loop, add a Go to page step. Set the URL by clicking Insert data and choosing the URL column.
4. Add Download a file to Google Drive as the next sub-step.
5. Set Select file to the file element. Set Drive folder URL to the destination folder. Set File name as desired.

Download multiple files from one page

To download several files from a single page, list their custom CSS selectors in a Google Sheet and loop through them.

1. Add a Read data from a Google Sheet step pointing at a sheet of one CSS selector per row.
2. Add a Loop through data step using the sheet data.
3. Inside the loop, add a Go to page step (only needed once per loop iteration if the URL changes; skip if it doesn't).
4. Add Download a file to Google Drive as a sub-step.
5. In Select file, click Select, choose Custom, tick Set selector from data, and pick the column with the CSS selectors.
6. Set Drive folder URL and File name. axiom.ai appends a unique number to each file when the name is reused.

Advanced settings

Force download

Some files open in the browser instead of downloading. Toggle Force download on and tick the box to force them. If the issue persists, contact support.

Auto convert

Toggle Auto convert on and tick the box to convert the file into a Google Docs editor format on download.

Download start wait time

Toggle Download start wait time on to set how long axiom.ai waits for the download to begin. The value is in hundredths of a second.

Troubleshooting

If the file doesn't download, the most common cause is an incorrect Drive folder path. Double-check the folder URL is correct and you have write access.

Download to a local folder instead

The Download a file to Google Drive step can also save files locally when running in the desktop app. See download files locally for instructions.