Download files from SharePoint document library using PowerShell

In this PowerShell SharePoint tutorial, we will discuss how to download all the files from all the document libraries in a SharePoint site collection. The same PowerShell script, we can use to download files from SharePoint 2013/2016 document library.

It is always good to know the scenario before we learn something. The scenario for implementing this script is, in an organization finance team wants to withdraw all the documents from the SharePoint site because of various security and confidentiality reasons.

Download files from sharepoint document library PowerShell

I have implemented the below PowerShell script to download all the files from SharePoint libraries across the site collection. You can run the PowerShell script using PowerShell ISE.

param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
[ValidateScript({asnp *sh* -EA SilentlyContinue;if (Get-SPSite $_){$true}else{Throw "Site collection $_ does not exist"}})]
[string]$SiteCollection,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
[ValidateScript(
{
if (Test-Path $_)
{$true}
else{
$d = $_
$title = "Destination folder $_ doesn’t exist?";
$message = "`n`n Do you want to create the folder through script ?";
$yes = New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription "&Yes", "Creates directory $_";
$no = New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription "&No", "Exits script";
$options = [System.Management.Automation.Host.ChoiceDescription[]]($yes,$no);
$result = $host.ui.PromptForChoice($title,$message,$options,0);
switch($result)
{
0 {New-Item $d -Type Directory;$true}
1 {Throw "`nPlease create the destination folder before executing the script. `nTerminating the script !!!"}
}
}
})]
[string]$Destination
)

Asnp *sh* -EA SilentlyContinue
Start-SPAssignment -Global | Out-Null
function Get-SPWebs($SiteCollection)
{
$SiteCollection = Get-SPSite $SiteCollection
$webs = @()
$SiteCollection.allwebs | %{$webs += $_.url}
return $webs
}

function Get-SPFolders($webs)
{
foreach($web in $webs)
{
$web = Get-SPWeb $web
Write-Host "`n$($web.url)"
$lists = $web.lists | ?{$_.itemcount -ge "1" -And $_.Hidden -eq $false -And $_.BaseType -eq "DocumentLibrary"} #Excludes all hidden libraries and empty libraries
#$lists = $web.lists | ?{$_.title -eq "Documents" -and $_.itemcount -ge "1" -And $_.BaseType -eq "DocumentLibrary"} #Change any identifier here
foreach($list in $lists)
{
Write-Host "Library Name- $($list.RootFolder.url)"
#Download files in root folder
$rootfolder = $web.GetFolder($list.RootFolder.Url)
Download-SPContent $rootfolder -fldName 0

[string]$fld = $destination + "\" + $rootfolder.Name
if (Test-Path $fld)
{$true}
else{
New-Item $fld -Type Directory;$true
}

#Download files in subfolders
foreach($folder in $list.folders)
{
[string]$fld = $destination + "\" + $folder.url.Replace("/","\")
if (Test-Path $fld)
{$true}
else{
New-Item $fld -Type Directory;$true
}
$folder = $web.GetFolder($folder.url)
Download-SPContent $folder -fldName 1
}
}
$web.dispose()
}
}

function Download-SPContent($folder,$fldName)
{
if($fldName -eq "0")
{
[string]$rtfld = $destination + "\" + $folder.Name
if (Test-Path $rtfld)
{$true}
else{
New-Item $rtfld -Type Directory;$true
}
}
foreach($file in $folder.Files)
{
$binary = $file.OpenBinary()
$stream = New-Object System.IO.FileStream($destination + "/" + $folder.url + "/" + $file.Name), Create
$writer = New-Object System.IO.BinaryWriter($stream)
$writer.write($binary)
$stream.Close()
$writer.Close()
}
}

$webs = Get-SPWebs -SiteCollection $Sitecollection
Get-SPFolders -Webs $webs

Stop-SPAssignment -Global

The output will be as follows:

Advantages of this PowerShell Script

• It will show all the newly created folders during this export
• Replicates same structure on a file system
• It iterates through all the folders and replicates the files
• You can restrict which folder you want to export
• Easily customizable as per the user requirement with minimal technical knowledge

Limitations of this PowerShell script

• You can’t get the metadata associated with the files.

You may like the following PowerShell tutorials:

• How to upload files to SharePoint using PowerShell
• PowerShell SharePoint site collection example
• How to Change SharePoint Site Logo + PowerShell
• Get sharepoint site template PowerShell
• How to get file modification time and date using PowerShell
• How to remove SharePoint Online Modern Page Title using PowerShell
• How to activate SharePoint Publishing Feature Programmatically using CSOM and PowerShell
• The file is not digitally signed PowerShell script
• PowerShell read all files from folder and subfolder

In this PowerShell tutorial, we discussed how to download files from SharePoint document library using PowerShell in SharePoint 2013/2016