Download as file

Download the file behind a link (an image, a PDF, a document) to your computer.

What it does

Download as file reads a web address from a field of the incoming item, fetches that address and saves what it gets to your Downloads folder. It runs once per item, so ten items with ten image links give ten downloads.

The saved file is named File name plus the extension of File type, for example file.json with the defaults. It does not convert data into a file: the field must hold a link to an existing file.

When to use it

• Save images or PDFs whose links you scraped from a page.
• Download a report from a link that an API returned.
• To save text you generated (CSV, JSON, Markdown), use Save as File instead. To build a file for an upload or attachment, use Convert to File.

Inputs and settings

Einstellung	Typ	Was es bewirkt
FieldPath PFLICHT(erforderlich)	Text	The path to the field to pick from the input object (without the node's name or id) that contains the url to download.
File type	Choice	The type to use for the file to download in case the type can't be determined from the input data. 17 options. Standard: json
File name	Text	The name of the file to download. If not provided, a random file name will be generated based on the input data. Standard: file
Options	Group	The options for the node.
Options › Return input fields	Toggle	Whether to return the input fields in the output. Standard: Off

• FieldPath is the field name only, without {{ }}: imageUrl, or image.src for a nested field.
• Set File type to match the file (for example png or pdf). It also sets the extension of the saved file, so a PDF saved with the default json ends up as file.json.
• Type File name without an extension. Use an expression such as {{ $input.title }} to give each download its own name.

Outputs

• Output

By default the node outputs an empty item, so the next step simply runs after the download starts. Turn on Return input fields to pass the incoming item on unchanged.

Dependencies and credentials

None. This node needs no connection and has no slots for other nodes.

Example workflow

1. Get Images from Link lists the image addresses of a product page in a field named images.
2. Split Out on images gives one item per image.
3. Limit keeps the first 5.
4. Download as file with FieldPath images, File type jpg and File name product saves each image.

Common issues

• “Field “…” does not exist in the input object” The name in FieldPath does not match the incoming data. Open the previous node’s output and copy the exact field name.
• “Field “…” is not a string in the input object” The field holds a list or an object, not a single link. Point FieldPath at the link itself, or use Split Out first to get one link per item.
• The file has the wrong extension or will not open. File type decides the extension. Pick the type that matches the file.
• Nothing is downloaded, and no error appears. The node does not wait for the download, so a link that cannot be fetched fails quietly. Check that the address opens in your browser.

Related nodes

• Save as File: save text you generated as a file.
• Convert to File: build a file for uploads and attachments.
• Split Out: turn a list of links into one item per link.