FilePasterHow to copy a Google Drive folder to your computer without a zip file
Download a folder from Google Drive and you get one or more .zip files to unpack. Here's how to get the actual folder instead.
Why Google Drive gives you a zip
A browser can only download single files, so Google Drive packs a folder into a .zip first. Large folders are split into several zips that you then have to unpack and merge.
Option 1: the Google Drive desktop app
Google Drive for desktop syncs your Drive to your computer, so folders appear as real folders. It's a good choice if you want your whole Drive offline. It's a large app, though, it only handles Google Drive, and it keeps syncing in the background.
Option 2: copy and paste with FilePaster
FilePaster is a Chrome extension that copies folders from Google Drive (and Dropbox, OneDrive and SharePoint) and pastes them into a folder on your computer with the same subfolders and files:
- Install FilePaster in Chrome, plus the small FilePaster Helper app, which lets ⌘ Cmd+V / Ctrl+V paste files in Finder or File Explorer.
- In Google Drive, select the folder and press Alt+Shift+C (⌥ Option+Shift+C on a Mac).
- Open the destination folder on your computer and paste as usual.
Without the helper you can still save the copied folder from the FilePaster menu in Chrome: pick a destination and it saves the folder, not a zip. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides inside the folder are saved as Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
FilePaster copies files and folders from Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and SharePoint and pastes them into any website or a folder on your computer. 7-day free trial, then $29 a year. See how it works.