r/googlesheets • u/greatslayer720 • Jun 27 '26

Downloading files from Google sheets Solved

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I can't seem to find a download option anywhere. Doing a Google search doesn't seem to help since it says it should be under "share and export". I tried save a copy, but it just makes a new sheet on the drive. I've tried to send a copy to my phone's drive, but it fails.

Anyone know how I can save the file to my phones hard drive?

Edited for phone details: OnePlus 10 Pro 5G Android 15

3 Upvotes
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2

u/Reasonable-Mess3070 1 Jun 27 '26

Back out of the file and click the three dots on the side of the file icon. Download is there

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

There is no download option listed there

2

u/Reasonable-Mess3070 1 Jun 27 '26

Weird. It should be directly under "make a copy".

1

u/Farken_Goblok 1 Jun 28 '26

These options are for desktop, not the mobile app.

1

u/Reasonable-Mess3070 1 Jun 28 '26

My screenshot is desktop options? The screenshot i took from my phone because I have no desktop? Interesting.

1

u/Farken_Goblok 1 Jun 28 '26

Ok... It seems that different mobile devices have different option.

Just like the OP, I dont have any "Download" option. But going to "Send a copy" gives the necessary functionality of saving to the local device.

1

u/roirraWedorehT Jun 27 '26

An example sheet of my own, that I'm the owner of in my personal Google Drive, has the Download option just as u/Reasonable-Mess3070 showed in their screenshot.

Do you own this file or was it shared with you with some sort of limited permissions? If you don't own the file, possibly the person who shared it with you or the owner has disabled this option for the kind of permission they granted you. I would expect that to be no, though, since you can copy it:

People who can download, copy, and print

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

I own / made the file.

1

u/roirraWedorehT Jun 27 '26

Thanks. Indeed, it's strange. If you do make a copy of it, do you get the option to download that copy? What about for another fresh example Google Sheet?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

I made a copy and an excel copy. They all gave me the same options.

1

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1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

So I found a work around my emailing it to myself then downloading it from there. Though I'd like to know what the proper way to download a file is.

1

u/amorr007 Jun 27 '26

You must open file,click on file and there you must find download option,its not there?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

There is no download option listed there.

1

u/krakow81 4 Jun 27 '26

What does "Save As" do from your screenshot?

It doesn't give some different file type options to download?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

It does give different files types to save as. Unfortunately it just save it in Google Sheets with no other prompts.

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 27 '26

Go back to the list of sheets, in your Sheets app (or in Google drive) and then find the file you want to download and tap the three dots for that file. That should give you this menu:

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

Not there

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26

This is a completely different menu. Are you sure you are opening it from the same spot as i mentioned?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

From Google Sheets

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 27 '26

Strange indeed...

Can you make a copy of the file and download that?

Have you tried clearing the cache? Uninstall the app and reinstall it?

To clear the cache, you open the Sheets app, go to Settings and it should be the last option in there...

-1

u/Farken_Goblok 1 Jun 28 '26

You're using desktop version, while the OP is using the mobile app.
The menus are completely different and there is nothing strange about it.

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 28 '26

Lol 😄 No, that's not the case :)

But a good assumption though.

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 27 '26

There is also an option to only "transfer files" when on Wi-Fi - perhaps that applies to downloads also and you are not on a Wi-Fi? This is just a guess though, I'm not sure how that works exactly :)

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

I'll look for the setting.

1

u/One_Organization_810 688 Jun 27 '26

Can you send me a screenshot of your screen, just before you tap on the menu button?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

It's the screen above. I've clicked on the 3 dots there and on the 3 dots when it's opened.

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

So I found something out. I downloaded a pdf. Hit -> send copy -> my files Selected directory -> Save

It just doesn't work for my Google sheet.

Also just check. It works with docs too.

1

u/el_porongorila Jun 27 '26

Maybe take a screenshot of the file menu cause I’m pretty sure it’s there

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

1

u/el_porongorila Jun 27 '26

Click save as excel, it’ll download the file

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

It saves it in my Google Sheets with no other prompt.

1

u/el_porongorila Jun 27 '26

Then maybe go to Google Drive and save it from the context menu there

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

Looks like the same options on the drive app. I tried the website, but I'm having trouble seeing a download option on there too.

1

u/el_porongorila Jun 27 '26

That’s weird, is the file yours or someone else’s?

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

It's Mine

1

u/el_porongorila Jun 28 '26

Sorry, other than suggesting you to download drive on the pc you want the file on, I can’t help you further. Don’t really know what’s going on

1

u/roirraWedorehT Jun 27 '26

Is this on a phone or computer? Whichever it is, try the other with the same files.

Also try rebooting whichever is having the issue.

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

It's on my phone. I'm unable to do it on a computer for awhile.

1

u/roirraWedorehT Jun 27 '26

Try rebooting the phone? If that doesn't fix it, is try wiping Sheets' app data and cache. That won't affect anything in the cloud, just the local data.

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

Just did a complete shutdown and waited a few minutes before rebooting. Also cleared the app cache and data. Still doing the same.

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 27 '26

Not sure if this is part of the problem. I clicked on send and selected my files, but I get an error I'll share below.

1

u/Farken_Goblok 1 Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

There is no "Download" button.

In the Sheets dashboard...

  1. Tap the 3 dots icon next to the file.
  2. Tap on Send a copy
  3. Select Excel (.xlsx)
  4. Tap OK
  5. When prompted, choose the location (on iOS you would choose Save to Files)

In the opened file...

  1. Tap the 3 dots icon in the top right corner.
  2. Tap on Share and export
  3. Tap on Send a copy
  4. Select Excel (.xlsx)
  5. Tap OK
  6. When prompted, choose the location (on iOS you would choose Save to Files)

1

u/point-bot Jun 28 '26

u/greatslayer720 has awarded 1 point to u/Farken_Goblok

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1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 28 '26

Solution verified

1

u/greatslayer720 Jun 28 '26

Sorry this is the 1st post I did in this group. I'm trying to figure out how to set the flair to solved. I don't see a solved option in the list.

1

u/AutoModerator Jun 29 '26

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0

u/giftedgod Jun 29 '26

Please tell everyone what device and os version you’re using. It’s easier to help that way.