Fix http error 403 Google Drive Download - Cant download or forbidden

Are you looking to resolve and fix HTTP error 403 Google Drive Download? In this article, we will help you with step by step instructions.

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Cloud Services have been one of the most preferred options currently, and when it comes to the best cloud services, you would want to give a try to, the most widely used options are Google Drive. This can have something to do with the ubiquitous presence of Android smartphones and the fact that Google drive comes pre-installed with Android devices. Of course, it is a great choice either from the ease of use or the functionality and convenience that it provides you access to.

However, there are times you may have faced accessibility issues with your Google Drive. One of the most commonly encountered error messages that you have most likely come across is HTTP 403. If you are one of those affected, here is how you can fix it.

Table of Contents

What is HTTP 403 Error on Google Drive?

This is one of the most common errors you would face with your Google Drive installation. The error manifests itself in not letting you download specific files from Google Drive. The error would not or may not affect all the file types or data, but you are likely to face the issues with just a few files.

The error comes with a specific error message that reads “You don’t have the authorization to view this page- HTTP ERROR 403”. The error message can make you mistake it for some server or internet error. But even with several attempts, you tend to come across the same error repeatedly for the particular file.

Here are a few fixes that should assist you in resolving the errors.

Fix 1 – Clear the Browser cache

This is one of the most elementary fixes that should solve most of the issues one would be facing is to perform a browser cache clearing. Now, we assume you are facing problems with Google Drive in Google Chrome and clearing the browser cache should be the first step that you should attempt to resolve your issue.

The steps to clear browser cache should be evident from each one of your browsers. You can follow the below-mentioned method for Chrome.

Just press and hold Shift, CTRL, and DEL keys
This should take you to the Clear cache
Choose the data you would want to clear and click on Clear data.

You can even reach the clear cache option through the Settings menu following the standard interface. You can also opt for Advanced Cache clear option if you want to be safe from recurring occurrences of the issues. We would want you to focus on clearing the Cookies, Cached Images and Files, and other site data.

Check out the options for your favorite browsers on how to clear the cache.

Fix 2 – Sign out and sign back in

Signing out of your Google account and signing again, it can be an excellent option for addressing the concern. The access permission can be one of the huge issues that may be affecting the proper functioning of your Google Account.

The issues concerning the permissions can result as a result of the actions like copying a file from some other Google Account or any other mishaps associated with your Google account. Of course, you can attempt to find the issues by moving into the permissions and checking them out one by one. Now that it would be a long drawn process, it may be advisable to sign out of the Google account and then signing back in for assuring a solution for the problem.

Make sure you restart your browser after signing out and before signing back in.

Fix 3 – Check out alternative browsers

The issue you are facing may be limited to one particular browser. It may be a good idea to check the functionality on another browser. We assume you have installed more than one browser on your computer. You can check for the proper working of the functionality on a wide range of browsers across Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox.

Another solution we would recommend is to check if you can get it working in the incognito mode on your browser. You may check the incognito mode on any of the browsers, the ones primarily used include Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The incognito mode works in the same way as if you have cleared the cache and other browser data.

Fix 4 – Disable Browser extensions

We are attempting to solve the HTTP 403 error on Google Drive by employing browser solutions. So, one of the huge factors that can complicate your browser performance can be the browser extensions you are using on your browser.

Not that every extension on your browser causes the trouble. It may be one or two rogue extensions that can be the reason for the issues. Check if you have any such browser extensions that may be causing the problems. However, we are not sure which browser causes the issue, and thus, we would need to disable all the extensions.

Once you have disabled all the extensions, check if the issue has been resolved. Once that done, enable the extensions one by one and check the functionality after each of them. You will be able to pinpoint the exact extension that may be causing the issue. This method of finding the culprit is referred to as System Elimination. That way, you can see which extension is causing the problems related to HTTP 403 on Google Drive.

Fix 5 – Create a Shareable Link

This should be the final option to resolve the issue you may be facing. If everything else above fails and you are still facing the download issues on specific files through Google Drive, the only option would be to create a sharable link.

This will let you download the private file by almost everyone. You do not even need to sign in to your account if you want to download or open the shareable link created. You will only need to paste the link to your browser address bar, and you are good to go with the best options concerning downloading the file.

Here are the steps with which you can create a shareable link for your Google Drive file –

Launch Google Drive on your browser. Any browser will do, though we prefer Google Chrome.
Right-click on the file you are facing the download issues on and click on Get Shareable Link from among the context menu.
Paste this link on the browser address bar.
Click ENTER

That does it. The browser should provide you with the download option and clicking on the Download option should let you download the file with ease and simplicity.

Fix 6 – Share the file with another Google Account

This fix is akin to the previous option, but here you would be sharing the shareable link you just created with another Google Account you may be having. Here are the steps you would need to follow –

Login to your Google Drive and find the file you are not able to download.
Right click on it and then click on Get Shareable Link option on the context menu.
Click on Share option from the pop-up menu
Make sure that you need to choose the option Anyone with the link can view the file
Under the People section, enter the Gmail account you want to share the link with
Click on Done and your link will be shared.

You can open the email on your other Gmail account and download the file as in the case of the previous fix. The only difference would be that you will be downloading the file on your other email account.

The Concluding Thoughts

Those were a few best options you can use to resolve the issues concerning the HTTP 403 error on your Google Drive service. You can opt for these fixes one by one on your browser and find which method fixes the issue on your Google Drive. The common issues for HTTP 403 error on your Google Drive can be browser related, and we assume the fixes indicated in this compilation cum tutorial should assist you in resolving the issues successfully.