Shared Excel/Sheet: Can't download or copy via Drive API – only manual "Save as Google Sheet" works. Any API workaround?

Questions
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1

Hi, I’m trying to automate access to a Google Drive file that is shared with me by someone else (I don’t own it). I can open and use it in the browser, but I cannot access it reliably via n8n.

What works

  • Google Sheets node: I can select and read the file – but only after I have manually opened it in the browser and used “Save as Google Sheet” (or “Make a copy”). That creates a copy in my Drive, which I can then use in n8n.

What does not work

  • Google Drive – Download: Fails with “The requested conversion is not supported” (400, location: convertTo).
  • Google Drive – Copy: Creates a shortcut (mimeType: application/vnd.google-apps.shortcut), not a real copy. So I cannot get an actual copy via the API.

Manual process that works

  1. Open the shared file in the browser (Drive web UI).
  2. File → Save as Google Sheet / Make a copy.
  3. The new file appears in my Drive.
  4. Then the Google Sheets node can read it.

Question
Is there any API-based workaround to automate this “open shared file and save as Google Sheet into my Drive” step? Or do I always have to do this once manually before I can use the file in n8n?

n8n 2.4.4 (self-hosted).

Thanks for any hints.

2

ok i dont actually know the cause but it is possible that the file shared with you might note be google sheets it may be microsoft excel sheet which will not work in google sheets node or may be there is problem in node you can also replace the google sheets with http request node if there is any glitch otherwise check your cardinals again