{"id":"data-transfers.copy-a-whole-cloud-account-to-a-drive","url":"/faq/data-transfers/copy-a-whole-cloud-account-to-a-drive","category":{"id":"data-transfers","title":"Data Transfers"},"subcategory":{"id":"basics","title":"Data Transfers basics"},"question":"How do I download everything from a cloud account to my external drive?","alt_questions":["back up Google Drive to external hard drive","download entire Dropbox to external SSD","copy all OneDrive files to a drive","save a local copy of my cloud storage","export cloud account to external drive mac","sync Google Drive to external drive automatically"],"short_answer":"Create a Copy with the cloud account's root as the Source and a folder on your external drive as the Destination. Add a schedule to keep it topped up; only new or changed files are fetched each time.","answer_markdown":"Use a **Copy** from the account to a folder on your external drive:\n\n1. **New Transfer** → **Copy**.\n2. **Source**: cloud button → **Use … root** for the account (or Browse to a folder).\n3. **Destination**: folder button → a new folder on your external drive.\n4. Start it. Files come straight to the drive, not your Mac's internal disk.\n\nAdd a **Daily** or **Weekly** schedule to keep the drive copy topped up — each run only fetches what's new or changed. Choose **Sync (one-way)** instead if you want the drive copy to also drop files you've deleted in the cloud.\n\nRelated: [Use … root](/faq/data-transfers/use-the-root-of-an-account) · [Is a transfer a backup?](/faq/data-transfers/data-transfers-vs-data-backup)","answer_html":"

Use a Copy from the account to a folder on your external drive:

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  1. New Transfer → Copy.
  2. Source: cloud button → Use … root for the account (or Browse to a folder).
  3. Destination: folder button → a new folder on your external drive.
  4. Start it. Files come straight to the drive, not your Mac's internal disk.
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Add a Daily or Weekly schedule to keep the drive copy topped up — each run only fetches what's new or changed. Choose Sync (one-way) instead if you want the drive copy to also drop files you've deleted in the cloud.

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Related: Use … root · Is a transfer a backup?

","answer_text":"Use a Copy from the account to a folder on your external drive:\n\n1. New Transfer → Copy.\n2. Source: cloud button → Use … root for the account (or Browse to a folder).\n3. Destination: folder button → a new folder on your external drive.\n4. Start it. Files come straight to the drive, not your Mac's internal disk.\n\nAdd a Daily or Weekly schedule to keep the drive copy topped up — each run only fetches what's new or changed. Choose Sync (one-way) instead if you want the drive copy to also drop files you've deleted in the cloud.\n\nRelated: Use … root · Is a transfer a backup?","tags":["cloud","external drive","download all"],"related":[{"id":"data-transfers.use-the-root-of-an-account","question":"What does “Use … root” mean in the cloud picker?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/use-the-root-of-an-account"},{"id":"data-transfers.data-transfers-vs-data-backup","question":"Is a scheduled transfer the same as a backup?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/data-transfers-vs-data-backup"},{"id":"data-transfers.schedule-a-recurring-transfer","question":"How do I schedule a transfer to run automatically?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/schedule-a-recurring-transfer"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I download everything from a cloud account to my external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Create a Copy with the cloud account's root as the Source and a folder on your external drive as the Destination. Add a schedule to keep it topped up; only new or changed files are fetched each time.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Data Transfers","path":"/faq/data-transfers/"},{"name":"How do I download everything from a cloud account to my external drive?","path":"/faq/data-transfers/copy-a-whole-cloud-account-to-a-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/copy-a-whole-cloud-account-to-a-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I download everything from a cloud account to my external drive?","alternateName":["back up Google Drive to external hard drive","download entire Dropbox to external SSD","copy all OneDrive files to a drive","save a local copy of my cloud storage","export cloud account to external drive mac","sync Google Drive to external drive automatically"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Use a Copy from the account to a folder on your external drive:\n\n1. New Transfer → Copy.\n2. Source: cloud button → Use … root for the account (or Browse to a folder).\n3. Destination: folder button → a new folder on your external drive.\n4. Start it. Files come straight to the drive, not your Mac's internal disk.\n\nAdd a Daily or Weekly schedule to keep the drive copy topped up — each run only fetches what's new or changed. Choose Sync (one-way) instead if you want the drive copy to also drop files you've deleted in the cloud.\n\nRelated: Use … root · Is a transfer a backup?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/copy-a-whole-cloud-account-to-a-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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Data Transfers · Data Transfers basics

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How do I download everything from a cloud account to my external drive?

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Short answer: Create a Copy with the cloud account's root as the Source and a folder on your external drive as the Destination. Add a schedule to keep it topped up; only new or changed files are fetched each time.

\n

Use a Copy from the account to a folder on your external drive:

\n
  1. New Transfer → Copy.
  2. Source: cloud button → Use … root for the account (or Browse to a folder).
  3. Destination: folder button → a new folder on your external drive.
  4. Start it. Files come straight to the drive, not your Mac's internal disk.
\n

Add a Daily or Weekly schedule to keep the drive copy topped up — each run only fetches what's new or changed. Choose Sync (one-way) instead if you want the drive copy to also drop files you've deleted in the cloud.

\n

Related: Use … root · Is a transfer a backup?

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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