To move files from Google Drive to an external hard drive, you can either use the faster Google Drive for Desktop mirror method or the manual browser download method. The mirror method is best for transferring large amounts of data or for ongoing syncing, while the manual download is ideal for a one-time transfer of a few files. Once moved, you can backup files with seagate external hard drive to keep a redundant copy safe from cloud outages.
Method 1: Mirror files with Google Drive for desktop
Google Drive for Desktop lets you "mirror" files, which downloads a full copy directly to your computer or a chosen location. This is the most efficient way to move files from Google Drive to an external hard drive when you need to transfer many files or want to keep them in sync.
- Download Google Drive for Desktop from the official Google site. The application requires Windows 10 and newer (64-bit only) or macOS Big Sur 11.0 and newer. It does not support 32-bit Windows systems or operating systems in beta.
- After installing, sign in with your Google account.
- This will download a full copy of your Google Drive files to a folder on your computer. You can point this folder to your external hard drive if you want the files to land there directly.
- Once files are mirrored, they appear in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS). You can then drag and drop them to any other location on your external drive.
Note that Google Drive for Desktop supports Apple File System (APFS) and Hierarchical File System plus (HFS+) for macOS, and New Technology File System (NTFS) for Windows for its content cache, but it does not support network volumes like Server Message Block (SMB) or Network File System (NFS).
Method 2: Download files manually from the web
If you prefer not to install software or only need to transfer a few files, you can download them directly from the Google Drive website. This method works on any computer with a browser and is the simplest way to move files from Google Drive to an external hard drive for a quick, one-off transfer.
- Connect your external hard drive to your computer and ensure it has enough free space.
- Open Google Drive in a web browser and sign in to your Google account.
- Select the files you want to move. Use Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) to select multiple files, or Shift to select a range.
- Right-click on the selected files and choose "Download." Google Drive will compress them into a ZIP file and download it to your computer's default download folder.
- Once the download completes, locate the ZIP file in your Downloads folder.
- Right-click the ZIP file and select "Extract All" to unzip the contents into a folder.
- Open the extracted folder, select all the files, and copy them to your external hard drive by dragging them into the drive's window or using copy-paste.
How to fix the 'Download quota exceeded' error
A "Sorry, you can't view or download this file at this time" or "Download quota exceeded" message indicates that a file has been downloaded or copied too many times within a 24-hour period, not that the file is lost or corrupted. This download limit is per file, not per account, and typically resets after 24 hours. To bypass this error for a shared file, you can make a copy of the file into your own Google Drive and then download your copy. This workaround works because the quota applies to the original shared file, not to a copy you own.
Safely eject your external hard drive
After you have finished copying files, it is crucial to safely remove the drive to prevent data corruption. If you use a lacie external hard drive or any other brand, the same principle applies. On Windows, click the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon in the system tray and select your drive. On macOS, click the eject icon next to the drive in Finder or right-click the drive icon on the desktop and choose "Eject." Wait for the confirmation message before unplugging the cable. Abruptly disconnecting the drive while files are still being written can damage the data or the drive itself.
