Failed Forbidden Error on Google Drive - How to Fix

Google Drive is one of the most trusted and popular cloud storage platforms for users all around the globe. You can upload, download, share, and make changes to your files on the cloud super easily. However, a lot of users have been experiencing some major issues while downloading any file with an error message “Failed Forbidden” on Google Drive.

There could be a lot of reasons for this particular error. It can have any hardware issues, major security problems, corrupt files, and other unknown bugs you might be unaware of.

So, we did our part of the research through multiple community forums and reviews by the users and created this guide that will help you to fix the Failed Forbidden error on Google Drive.

Table of Contents

Failed Forbidden Error on Google Drive- Possible Reasons

Before we can jump over to the solutions, it is important to learn about the different reasons that led to such an error experience by multiple Google Drive users.

Here are a few we came across that could possibly lead to such a circumstance.

Corrupt File- This could be a big reason that you are coming across such an error while downloading a particular file on Google Drive. Any corrupt file uploaded by you will simply be harmful in multiple ways.
Security Reasons- Another possible reason could be due to security concerns by this cloud storage platform. There are different protocols listed by the platform that must not be breached. Due to this, Google Drive can simply limit your access to your own account or simply forbid you overall.
Hardware Acceleration Glitch- Have you heard of the Hardware Acceleration feature you have on your browser? Well, if not, it is the right time to learn more about it since you might be experiencing a small glitch or error on your browser that is leading to the Failed Forbidden error on Google Drive.

These are only a few of the many reasons that we personally came across based on multiple experiences mentioned by the users themselves. Now, we can move on to fixing the errors to be able to download the file we want.

How to Fix Failed Forbidden Error on Google Drive

1. Turn off Hardware Acceleration Function

The first method we will be trying out here to fix the error is checking the Hardware Acceleration feature on your browser.

Since we already mentioned that this could be a major cause of the problem, hence we will be starting off with this itself.

Open a new tab on your browser.
Tap on the Three Dots on the top-right corner.
Click on Settings.

Go to Advanced on the bottom-left corner.
Select System from the drop-down menu options.

Now, toggle the option to Off beside “Use hardware acceleration when available”

Once done, close the Settings tab and then try downloading all your files once again on Google Drive. Hopefully, this might work out for you.

2. Use Incognito Mode

Next up, you can try out using the Incognito Mode where you can privately browse anything you are looking for.

The main reason we will be doing this is that the browser will not track your activity or any data and thus any error caused due to other users logging in will be prevented.

Tap on the Three Dots on the top-right corner of your Chrome Browser.
Click on New Incognito Window and open a new private tab.
Now, sign in to your Google Drive account and try downloading the file again.

You can also try to open an Incognito Window on your system by simply pressing Command + N if you are using a macOS. Or else, for Windows users, simply press CTRL + Shift + N likewise.

3. Use a Shareable Link

You can also try to download your files by making your file shareable. In this manner, you might also not encounter the Failed Forbidden error on Google Drive and things might just work out for you. Here is how you can carry this forward.

Log in to your Google Drive Account.
Make a right-click on the file you want to download.
Now, select Share.

How to Fix Failed Forbidden Error on Google Drive

Head over to the Get Link section and click on Change to anyone with the Link.
Click on the drop-down menu and select Editor.

Now, copy the shareable link.
Paste the link on a new tab and try downloading the file.

You can also try doing the same using an Incognito window that might work better than a normal tab. Hopefully, it will work for you.

Conclusion

Here is all you need to know if you are looking to fix the Failed Forbidden error on Google Drive. Well, these might seem like the most basic methods, however, not everyone thinks of it in the first instance. This is why it is important that you carry on with these steps before contacting the customer forum.

Other than this, you can even try logging out of all the other accounts on Google Drive and try downloading any file. There are times that multiple accounts interfere with such processes with the reason being unknown. If at all nothing works for you, do let us know in the comment section below.

Carissa

I am Carissa Gudinoa, a technology buff, and Office online and Apple expert with over 9 years of experience. I am passionate about helping others get the most out of their Apple devices. I have written extensively about Apple products and technologies. I am committed to providing my clients with the best possible service and am always up-to-date on the latest Apple products and features. I also write extensively on other software available for use at minimal cost or free. This includes Word Online, Outlook Online, Excel Online, and other Office online programs… Check out more.