How to Download Files From Etsy
When purchasing digital files on Etsy it is advisable to do so while signed into your account on their website.
The benefit of doing so is two-fold; you have multiple ways to access the file links and the downloads are available forever in your purchase history. Built in backup!
Using guest checkout of course is possible, but it has the disadvantage of an email only access point. Lose that email and you lose the ability to download your files. You'll then need to rely on the seller to help you out.
Sign into Etsy to Purchase
For the smoothest transaction, particularly if you're wanting to download your new purchase quickly, start by logging into your Etsy account.
NOTE: while you can make digital purchases from the Etsy app, you won't be able to download from here - you can only download from Etsy's website.
From the website (not the app) once you make your purchase and the payment has been confirmed, access to your download should appear right on the confirmation page.
Etsy changes what this looks like from time to time and it can be easy to miss so if you've closed that page already you can find your files in one of two ways:
1. locate the purchase receipt in your email, links will be included here
2. navigate to the purchase history of your Etsy account on the website, see screenshots of this below.
Troubleshooting Email Links
Etsy sends the purchase receipt and download links all in one email. These will come from transactions@etsy.com. If it doesn't show up in your inbox you'll need to check your spam folder, or if you use gmail check the promotions or social tabs for your inbox.
Links in the email will take you to a download page on Etsy's website, but only if you are logged into your Etsy account, otherwise you will most likely get their 'uh oh' page or an error message. Simply login and try again.
TIP: Sometimes buyers are accidentally logged into a second Etsy account, so double check which one you actually purchased from!
Guest Checkout Emails
If you checked out as a guest on Etsy, you can only access your download files from the email, so it's important when ordering to ensure you are using the right email address and that you've typed it correctly. (mistakes happen!)
If you can't find a purchase receipt from Etsy anywhere in your email, spam or otherwise, the only solution is to contact the seller to ask for assistance.
As an added challenge, Apple's 'Hide My Email' function has meant that some buyers are accidentally logging into Etsy via their Apple account and inadvertently using an anonymous email for checkout. This works the exact same way as guest checkout, so you'll only be able to download files from the email link, only via website and only if you are not logged into your Etsy account.
TIP: Etsy often hides the download link in the purchase receipt (the email design changes from time to time). If it isn't obvious, look to the list of itemized products in your purchase receipt - these will be links to download the file, you'll be re-directed to the Etsy website for this.
Downloading Files on a Mobile
As mentioned above, you can only download purchased files from the Etsy website, and not from the Etsy app. This gets a bit tricky when using something like an iphone if you want to both purchase and download on that same device.
If you do NOT have the Etsy shopping app installed on your device and you are using a web browser to login into your Etsy account to shop you will go through the exact same process as mentioned above for downloading.
However, if you DO have the Etsy app installed you will need to bypass this in order to download your files. In this case you must login to your Etsy account via a web browser and navigate to your purchase history for the download links. Clicking the links in the Etsy email receipt almost always causes the app to open and you'll either get an error message or nothing at all will happen. Downloads simply can't be accessed this way.
TIP: If your download includes a zip folder, you'll need an app to manage that kind of download. See How to Unzip Folders for more information.
Happy shopping!
Shawnna