Open and download
Look at a file without leaving Drive, download it, and copy the link of an Item to send to someone.
This page helps you look at files in Drive, download them, and send the link of an Item to someone.
Preview a file
- Double-click the file, or right-click and choose Preview.
- The file opens full screen.
- Click Close or the browser's back button to return.
You can preview images, PDF, video, audio, text files, CSV, HTML and fonts. A text file shows only the first 256 KB, and a CSV shows only the first 200 rows. Other kinds of file must be downloaded and opened on your computer.
If you open an image, you can look at the other images in the same folder. Click Previous or Next, press the left and right arrow keys, or click a small picture on the bar at the bottom.
Download a file
Right-click the file and choose Download, or click Download on the top bar of the preview page.
You can download only files. You cannot download folders, databases or forms.
Copy the link of an Item
- Right-click the Item and choose Copy link.
- Paste the link where you want it, for example an email or a chat.
The person who opens the link must be signed in, and the Item must already be shared with them, because the link of an Item does not give any extra access. A file opens in the preview page, a folder opens in Drive, and other Items open in their own app.
If it will not open
- If it says "This file isn't there, or you don't have access to it.", the file was deleted, is in the trash, or was not shared with you. Ask the owner to share it with you.
- If it says "Opens in Map Studio, which isn't installed on this site", your platform does not have the app that opens this Item.
- A file in the trash cannot be opened. Restore it first.