N8n does not recognize downloaded PNG file as binary file

Describe the problem/error/question

I use a HTTP request to download a png file ( e.g. https://palino-newsletter-resources.s3.amazonaws.com/250217_6f83fc83-d836-4673-99c4-91a0bc973692.png ). The node output looks fine - and binary - to me:

When I. try to write the file on the disk I get “This operation expects the nodes input to be binary”:

What is the error message (if any)?

Please share your workflow

{
“nodes”: [
{
“parameters”: {
“operation”: “write”,
“fileName”: “={{ $(‘Wordpress1’).item.json.slug }}.png”,
“dataPropertyName”: “={{ $json.data }}”,
“options”: {}
},
“type”: “n8n-nodes-base.readWriteFile”,
“typeVersion”: 1,
“position”: [
1660,
-300
],
“id”: “0fde32ec-3097-48b2-82a7-e1e87770cbac”,
“name”: “Read/Write Files from Disk”
},
{
“parameters”: {
“url”: “={{ $(‘Code’).item.json.wordsearch_3_puzzle }}”,
“options”: {}
},
“type”: “n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest”,
“typeVersion”: 4.2,
“position”: [
1400,
-240
],
“id”: “2a42d038-4c0c-43a1-a339-77550c3551b5”,
“name”: “HTTP Request2”
}
],
“connections”: {
“Read/Write Files from Disk”: {
“main”: [

]
},
“HTTP Request2”: {
“main”: [
[
{
“node”: “Read/Write Files from Disk”,
“type”: “main”,
“index”: 0
}
]
]
}
},
“pinData”: {},
“meta”: {
“templateCredsSetupCompleted”: true,
“instanceId”: “9a845bcc679d555b9df96e29edf1d1ef5ddd762eae10e4a9748fb21135fb41c2”
}
}

(Select the nodes on your canvas and use the keyboard shortcuts CMD+C/CTRL+C and CMD+V/CTRL+V to copy and paste the workflow.)

Share the output returned by the last node

Information on your n8n setup

  • n8n version:
  • latest (updated yesterday)
  • Database (default: SQLite): postgres
  • n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
  • Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): docker
  • Operating system: linux ubuntu

The file is not being returned right.
You can download images and you can then pass that to the next node

…what do you mean by not returned right? something which i can change in the settings of the http-request? (requesting the file via browser works fine)

Hi,

It seems related with mime type of file. Can you please convert response format as File in your HTTP Request?

Hope it will work

1 Like

As mentioned by @samaritan, use “File” as response format in your HTTP request node - it should do the work.

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