It is entirely possible to import files available in a public Google Drive into your media library as external files. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when doing so.

It is possible to import files available in a public Google Drive into your media library as external files. However, there are a few things to bear in mind. First of all Please note the copyrights to the files. If necessary, contact the person who published the files on Google Drive. Even if the files are publicly available there, they will be included in your media library as external files that are hosted locally. This is due to the access restrictions that still exist on the part of Google Drive despite public files. Requirements Google Drive allows access to publicly available files in the browser, but neither direct download nor access via API without an API key. You therefore need a Google Drive API key in any case. Preparations You need: A Google Drive Access Token. The External files for the media library plugin contains a link that you can use to do this quickly. The Folder Id of the public Google Drive. This is the number-letter sequence in the URL of the Google Drive directory. It usually starts with "1". Procedure Go to Media library > External files > Google Drive. Enter your Google Drive Access Token in the field here. Enter the Folger Id in the field below. Click on "Show". You can then import the files from the directory into your media library.

External files in the media library

WordPress plugin

free of charge

media library

Add one or more files, including their URLs, under „Media → Add New Media File.“ This allows you to use external files anywhere the media library is available.

Plugin page:

https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/external-files-in-media-library/

Support forum: https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/external-files-in-media-library/

GitHub repository: https://github.com/threadi/external-files-in-media-library

Articles

How can I import files from a public Google Drive?
It is entirely possible to import files available in a public Google Drive into your media library as external files. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when doing so. Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
Integrate files via WordPress REST API
The „External files in the media library“ plugin allows you to use files from various external sources, e.g. via the WordPress REST API. Read more
feature
I want to upload .tar.gz files—how do I do that?
Files with the extensions .gz and .tar.gz are not permitted by WordPress itself. This is primarily for security reasons, as these files are unfortunately often used for attacks or to infiltrate malware. With the plugin „External Files for the Media Library,“ you can still upload them to WordPress—as described here. Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
Settings for file types
You can determine how the plugin handles file types supported by WordPress. The default settings allow all files to be stored externally. Read more
settings
Automatically populate a list with downloads
By combining two plugins I developed, you can display a download list maintained via FTP on your own website without having to use the backend regularly. Read more
use case
Integrate files from the local server
The plugin „External files in the media library“ allows you to use files from various external sources, e.g. from the server on which WordPress itself is installed. Read more
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Free up storage space and move files to external storage
Nothing is more annoying than having a super interesting website project but no more storage space available on your own hosting. How the plugin „External Files in the Media Library“ can help with this is described here. Read more
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Create an image gallery from an FTP directory
With the „External Files for the Media Library“ plugin, it is possible to access external directories in order to use the files contained therein in image galleries. Read more
use case
Can I restrict other users from storing external files?
Yes, the External Files plugin in the media library comes with a wealth of permissions. Here you can find a description of what is possible. Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
I get timeouts when loading the FTP directory.
What solutions are available for timeouts when loading directories and files via FTP? Read more
Frequently Asked Questions