Files shared on a channel are available in the team’s SharePoint folder and can be accessed via the Files tab. They are also available in OneDrive for Business (for one-on-one or group chat). To download a shared file, you can click on the More Options icon (three horizontal dots) next to the file name and select the Download option. Once downloaded, the files will appear in the Downloads folder of your device.
Why won’t Teams let me download a file?
Microsoft Teams may not allow you to download a file if you don’t have permission for the same. This can also happen due to a network or browser issue. If you’re using the Teams Desktop app, the ‘The file didn’t download‘ error may occur if the file path consists of an apostrophe (‘) character.
Fix Microsoft Teams not downloading files
If Microsoft Teams is not downloading any files, you can fix this issue and successfully download the file using the following solutions: Let us see these in detail.
1] Check for file permissions
Sometimes the shared file can only be opened and viewed by the recipient. If you’re not able to download the file, chances are, the file is being shared with Restrict View permission. Ask your IT/Office 365 admin to check whether you have permission to download the file. If not, you may request the file owner for permission to resolve the file download issue.
2] Check for invalid characters in the file path
” * : ‘ < > ? / \ | and leading and trailing spaces are invalid characters that are not allowed in file and folder names in OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online. If the path of the shared file consists of any of these characters, you won’t be able to download the file.
3] Use a different version and then try
Try to download the problematic file by switching to a different version of Teams. For example, if you’re using the desktop version of Teams, try downloading the file using Teams for the web. If you’re already using the browser version, try changing the browser, clearing your browser’s cache, or switching to the desktop or mobile version of the app. Read: Microsoft Teams Login issues: We couldn’t sign you in.
4] Clear MS Teams cache
If the above solution didn’t work, clear the cache data of the Microsoft Teams desktop client. Clearing the cache will help fix issues you experience with Teams. It will not remove any user data. To clear the Microsoft Teams cache: Note: If you’re not able to find the Teams folder, your files may not be synced to File Explorer on your Windows 11/10 PC. To sync shared files in a channel, go to the Files tab and click on the Sync option. This will sync your files on OneDrive for Business, which is different from your personal OneDrive account.
5] Download the file using SharePoint Online
Files shared on Teams are stored in a Document Library folder in SharePoint Online. If you’re not able to download a file from your Teams account, try downloading it through SharePoint. Use the Open in SharePoint link to go to the SharePoint site linked to your Office 365 account and download the file.
