files download
Download a File or Folder to Local Storage
Pull a single file, or a whole folder, from any connected remote down to your device. Files are saved into a
downloads folder next to your FileFortress database, mirroring their
folder layout on the remote so they're easy to find. Works with Google Drive, OneDrive, AWS S3,
Backblaze B2, and Local remotes.
Syntax
filefortress files download <remote> <path> [options]
remote: Name (or ID) of the remote to download from.
path: Path of the file on the remote, exactly as shown by filefortress ls or filefortress search — or of a folder, with --recursive (use / for the whole remote). The remote must have been scanned first.
Options
| Option | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
-r, -R, --recursive |
Download a folder and everything in it, including subfolders. Required for folders in script mode, so a script never pulls a whole folder by accident. | --recursive |
-d, --destination |
Folder to download into. Defaults to a downloads folder next to the database. |
--destination ~/Downloads |
--overwrite |
Replace local files that already exist. Without it, a folder download skips files you've already downloaded. | --overwrite |
--non-interactive |
Run in script mode — fail rather than prompt for a missing remote or path. | --non-interactive |
Where Files Land
Unless you pass --destination, files go into a
downloads folder next to your FileFortress database, organized by
remote and mirroring the remote's folder structure:
downloads/<remote-name>/<same path as on the remote>
For example, downloading photos/2024/trip.jpg from a remote named
myS3 saves it to downloads/myS3/photos/2024/trip.jpg.
Downloading the folder photos recreates the same tree under
downloads/myS3/photos/.
Downloading a Folder
- Every file under the folder in your index is downloaded, subfolders included, one file at a time.
- Files you've already downloaded are skipped, so re-running a folder download picks up where you left off. Add
--overwriteto fetch them again. - If one file fails, the rest still download. You get a summary at the end, and the command exits with an error code if anything failed.
- Without
--recursive, a folder path stops with a message pointing you to--recursive. In interactive mode, FileFortress recognizes the folder itself and shows the file count and total size before asking you to confirm. - Only files in your latest scan are included — scan the remote first if you've added files since.
Encrypted remotes
Files on RClone Crypt encrypted remotes are decrypted automatically as they download, and the password you configured never leaves your machine. Remotes using FileFortress's own AES-256-CBC encryption can still be browsed and searched; downloading their decrypted contents is coming in a future release.
Examples
Download a file from an S3 remote:
filefortress files download myS3 photos/2024/trip.jpg
Download a whole folder, subfolders included:
filefortress files download myS3 photos/2024 --recursive
Download everything on a remote:
filefortress files download myLocal / --recursive
Download into a specific folder, replacing any existing copy:
filefortress files download gdrive "Reports/Q3.pdf" --destination ~/Downloads --overwrite
Pick the remote and the file or folder interactively:
filefortress files download
With no arguments, FileFortress prompts you to choose a remote and enter a file or folder path. While browsing with filefortress ls, you can also download a file from its detail view, or pick Download this folder to download the folder you're in.
Prefer the desktop app?
Open the desktop GUI (filefortress --gui or double-click the app), select a file in the explorer, and click Download in its details pane. To download a folder, open it in the File Explorer and click Download folder in the toolbar — you'll see what it covers before it starts, then live progress, with the option to cancel, and a shortcut to the downloaded folder when it's done.