# downloadFile

Download a Google Drive file to a local path. For Google Workspace files (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings), exports to the specified format. For regular files, downloads as-is. Streams directly to disk.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `downloadFile`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/downloadfile

## Facts

- Tool: `downloadFile`
- Server: Google Drive (`@ark7/google-drive-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp.md
- Install: `npx -y @ark7/google-drive-mcp`
- Homepage: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@ark7/google-drive-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 5 (2 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `fileId` | string | yes | Google Drive file ID |
| `account` | string | no | Alias of the Google account to target. Optional — defaults to the session/global default account, or the sole authenticated account. Run manage_accounts list to |
| `localPath` | string | yes | Absolute local path to save the file (must start with /). Can be a directory (filename auto-resolved from Drive metadata) or a full file path. Path is normalize |
| `overwrite` | boolean | no | Whether to overwrite if file already exists at localPath. When false (default), returns an error instead of replacing the file. |
| `exportMimeType` | string | no | For Google Workspace files: MIME type to export as (e.g., 'application/pdf', 'text/csv'). Auto-detected from file extension if omitted. Ignored for non-Workspac |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "downloadFile",
    "arguments": {
      "fileId": "<fileId>",
      "localPath": "<localPath>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why downloadFile is rated Low

This tool retrieves and exports file content without creating side effects on the source files or data. It reads from Google Drive and writes to local storage, which is a one-directional data transfer with no modifications to the originating resource. The most severe consequence of misuse would be unauthorized disclosure of file contents, consistent with Read severity.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description explicitly states 'Download a Google Drive file to a local path' and 'downloads as-is', which are retrieval operations with no modification or deletion of source data."

## Use case

AI agents call downloadFile to retrieve information from Google Drive without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Google Drive:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "downloadFile": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Google Drive (130)

- `deleteCalendarEvent` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletecalendarevent.md
- `deleteComment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletecomment.md
- `deleteDimensionGroup` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletedimensiongroup.md
- `deleteGoogleSlide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletegoogleslide.md
- `deleteItem` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleteitem.md
- `deleteRange` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleterange.md
- `deleteSheet` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletesheet.md
- `deleteSlideElement` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleteslideelement.md
- `removePermission` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/removepermission.md
- `authGetStatus` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authgetstatus.md
- `authListScopes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authlistscopes.md
- `authTestFileAccess` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authtestfileaccess.md
- `describeGoogleDocRange` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/describegoogledocrange.md
- `exportSlideThumbnail` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/exportslidethumbnail.md
- `getCalendarEvent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcalendarevent.md
- `getCalendarEvents` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcalendarevents.md
- `getComment` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcomment.md
- `getDocumentInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getdocumentinfo.md
- `getGoogleDocContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledoccontent.md
- `getGoogleDocContentPaginated` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledoccontentpaginated.md
- `getGoogleDocImage` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledocimage.md
- `getGoogleDocStyleSummary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledocstylesummary.md
- `getGoogleSheetCells` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgooglesheetcells.md
- `getGoogleSheetContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgooglesheetcontent.md
- `getGoogleSlidesContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogleslidescontent.md
- `getGoogleSlidesSpeakerNotes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogleslidesspeakernotes.md
- `getRevisions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getrevisions.md
- `getSlideElementInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getslideelementinfo.md
- `getSpreadsheetInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getspreadsheetinfo.md
- `listCalendars` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/listcalendars.md
- …and 100 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=ark7-google-drive-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/ark7-google-drive-mcp