Python Download Files from a URL Example

This beginner-friendly example shows how to download a file from a URL in Python and save it on your computer.

You will learn how to:

download a file from a web address
save it locally
use requests.get() to fetch the file
write the file safely with binary mode
handle common problems like bad URLs and missing packages

Quick example #

import requests

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"
response = requests.get(url)
response.raise_for_status()

with open("file.txt", "wb") as file:
    file.write(response.content)

print("Download complete")

This is the fastest working example. It downloads the file and saves it as file.txt in the current folder.

What this example does #

Downloads a file from a web address
Saves the file to your computer
Uses requests.get() to fetch data
Uses wb mode to write binary data safely

What you need before running it #

Before you run the script, make sure you have:

Python installed
The requests package installed
A valid file URL
Permission to write files in the current folder

If requests is not installed, run:

pip install requests

If you are not sure Python is installed correctly, check with:

python --version

Main example: download and save a file #

Here is the full beginner-friendly version again:

import requests

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"

response = requests.get(url)
response.raise_for_status()

with open("file.txt", "wb") as file:
    file.write(response.content)

print("Download complete")

How it works #

1. Import `requests` #

import requests

This imports the requests package so your script can make an HTTP request.

If this line gives an error, see how to fix ModuleNotFoundError: No module named x.

2. Store the URL #

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"

Replace this with the direct URL of the file you want to download.

3. Send a GET request #

response = requests.get(url)

This asks the server for the file.

If you want to learn more about requests first, see how to make an API request in Python.

4. Check for HTTP errors #

response.raise_for_status()

This stops the program if the server returns an error such as:

404 Not Found
403 Forbidden
500 Internal Server Error

This is better than saving a bad response without noticing.

5. Open a local file in binary write mode #

with open("file.txt", "wb") as file:

This creates a local file named file.txt in the current folder.

If you want to understand open() better, read Python open() function explained.

6. Write the downloaded content #

file.write(response.content)

response.content contains the downloaded bytes. The script writes those bytes into the file.

Why `wb` mode is used #

wb means write binary.

This matters because downloaded files are often not plain text. Binary mode works safely for:

images
PDFs
ZIP files
text files

Using wb helps avoid file corruption, especially for non-text files.

If you want a broader introduction to reading and writing files, see Python file handling basics: read and write.

Example with a custom filename #

You do not have to save the file with the same name as the URL. You can choose your own filename.

import requests

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"
output_file = "downloaded_file.txt"

response = requests.get(url)
response.raise_for_status()

with open(output_file, "wb") as file:
    file.write(response.content)

print(f"Saved as {output_file}")

This version:

uses a custom output filename
saves the file in the current folder
keeps the path simple and easy to test

Basic error handling #

A beginner script is better if it shows clear errors instead of crashing.

import requests

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"
output_file = "file.txt"

try:
    response = requests.get(url)
    response.raise_for_status()

    with open(output_file, "wb") as file:
        file.write(response.content)

    print("Download complete")

except requests.exceptions.MissingSchema:
    print("Invalid URL. Did you forget https:// ?")

except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
    print("Connection problem. Check your internet or the website address.")

except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as error:
    print(f"HTTP error: {error}")

except PermissionError:
    print("Permission denied. Try saving to a different folder.")

This helps handle common problems such as:

invalid URLs
connection failures
HTTP errors like 404
file permission problems

Common beginner problems #

Here are the most common issues when downloading files in Python.

`requests` is not installed #

You may see an error like:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests'

Install it with:

pip install requests

The URL opens a web page instead of a file #

Sometimes the URL does not point directly to a file. It may point to a normal web page instead.

You can debug this with:

print(response.url)
print(response.headers.get("content-type"))

Example:

import requests

url = "https://example.com/file.txt"
response = requests.get(url)

print(response.status_code)
print(response.url)
print(response.headers.get("content-type"))

This helps you see:

the final URL after redirects
the status code
the content type returned by the server

If the content type is text/html, you may be downloading a page instead of the file you expected.

The saved file has the wrong name or extension #

Make sure your output filename matches the type of file you are downloading.

For example:

image data should usually be saved as .jpg or .png
PDF data should usually be saved as .pdf
ZIP files should usually be saved as .zip

The script has no permission to save the file #

If Python cannot write to the folder, you may get a permission error.

In that case:

save to a different folder
use a simpler location
check folder permissions

For help, see how to fix PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied.

When to use this approach #

This approach is a good choice when you want:

a simple download script
basic automation
a clear starting point for file download tasks

It is especially useful for beginners because the code is short and easy to test.

For very large files, a streamed download is usually better because it avoids loading the whole file into memory at once.

FAQ #

Do I need `requests` to download a file in Python? #

No. Python can also do this with built-in modules. But requests is one of the easiest options for beginners because the code is short and readable.

Why do I use `wb` instead of `w`? #

wb writes binary data. It is safer for files like images, PDFs, and ZIP files.

What if the download URL returns an error? #

Use response.raise_for_status() and wrap the request in try/except so you can show a helpful message.

Can this download large files? #

Yes, but for very large files, a streamed download is better than loading everything into memory at once.