To download Google Site content as an offline backup, you’ll use Google Takeout, which packages your site’s files into a single archive you can save and extract anywhere. The process works for both draft and published versions, and it’s the only official method that preserves your site’s structure, text, images, and embedded elements.
Why download your Google Site
Downloading your Google Site gives you a portable copy of everything you’ve built, which is useful if you want to keep a personal archive, migrate to another platform, or simply have a local snapshot before making major edits. The export includes your site’s pages, text, images, links, navigation, themes, and even attachments like file cabinet items. However, it does not include domain settings, custom scripts that run on the live site, or dynamic features like forms or comments that depend on Google’s servers. You also won’t get a fully functional website that you can re-upload to Google Sites, it’s a data export, not a site builder.
What you need before you start
Before you begin, make sure you’re the owner or an editor with full access to the Google Site you want to download. You’ll also need enough free space in your Google Drive to hold the exported archive, and you should be aware that very large sites, those with many high-resolution images or large attachments, may fail to export if they exceed Google’s size limits. If that happens, you’ll need to trim content or split the site into smaller sections before retrying. Also note that new Google Sites don’t count against your Drive storage quota, but the embedded files within the site are stored as part of the site itself, so they’re included in the export size.
Step 1: Copy your Google Site to a Drive folder
Google Takeout can only access sites that are stored in a top-level folder in your My Drive. If your site isn’t already there, move or copy it first. Open Google Sites, select your site, click the three-dot menu, and choose “Copy.” When prompted, set the destination to “My Drive” and ensure the copy is placed in a new or existing top-level folder, not inside another folder. This step is essential because Takeout won’t see sites buried in subfolders. Once the copy is ready, you can work with that version for export, leaving your original site untouched.
Step 2: Open Google Takeout and select your site
Go to takeout.google.com and sign in with the same Google Account that owns the site. You’ll see a list of all Google services. Click “Deselect all” to avoid exporting unnecessary data, then scroll down and check the box next to “Google Sites.” If you have multiple sites, you can click the arrow to expand the selection and choose only the one you want to download. Leave all other services unchecked, this keeps the export small and focused. If you need to download shared files from Google drive without permission, that’s a separate process; for Google Sites, you only need the site itself selected here.
Step 3: Choose your export settings and download
After selecting your site, click “Next step” to choose the export format. For file type, pick “.zip” (the default works fine). For delivery method, choose “Send download link via email” so you can grab the archive later without keeping your browser open. Set the export frequency to “Export once” unless you want automatic backups. Then click “Create export.” Google will begin preparing your archive, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour depending on the size of your site. You’ll receive an email with a download link when it’s ready. Click that link to save the zip file to your computer.
Step 4: Extract and explore your downloaded files
Once the zip file is downloaded, locate it in your browser’s download folder and extract it using your operating system’s built-in unzip tool or a program like 7-Zip. Inside, you’ll find a folder named after your site, containing an XML file for each page, plus folders for images, attachments, and other resources. The XML files are the core of your site, they hold the text, layout, and references to embedded content. To view a page, open the XML file in a browser or text editor; you’ll see the content as structured data. Attachments like PDFs or images are stored in separate subfolders, and embedded URLs (like YouTube videos) remain as external links. To move files from Google drive to external hard drive, simply copy the extracted folder to your drive, it’s just a regular folder at this point.
What you can do with your downloaded site
With the extracted files, you can view your site’s content offline, search through the XML for specific text, and keep a permanent backup that isn’t tied to Google’s servers. You can also edit the XML or HTML files directly to make changes, though you won’t be able to re-upload them to Google Sites as a working site. The export is primarily for archival and reference, if you want to rebuild the site elsewhere, you’ll have all the raw materials (text, images, structure) to do so manually. Just remember that the export won’t include live features like forms, comments, or custom scripts, so don’t expect a fully functional replica. For most people, this download is the best way to have a personal, offline copy of their work without relying on an internet connection or Google’s servers.
