How to Download from Baidu Pan

If you have received a pan.baidu.com link for the first time, you may notice that downloading from Baidu Pan works differently from using a normal direct download link.

Baidu Pan, also known as Baidu Netdisk, is a widely used cloud storage and file-sharing service in China. Chinese websites, online communities, sellers, and content creators often use it to distribute files such as design assets, datasets, videos, software-related resources, course materials, and other digital products.

Instead of receiving a direct .zip, .pdf, or file download URL, you may receive:

• a Baidu Pan share link
• an access code, if the share is protected

For users already familiar with Baidu Pan, this is a normal way to share files. For people outside China, however, the process can be less obvious.

The main thing to understand is that a Baidu Pan share link is usually not the same as a direct download link.

The standard workflow is generally:

Open the share link → enter the access code → view the files → save them to your own Baidu Pan account → download them to your device¹²

This guide explains that process step by step.

What Is Baidu Pan?

Baidu Pan is Baidu's cloud storage and file-sharing service.

You may see it referred to by several names online:

• Baidu Pan
• 百度网盘
• Baidu Cloud
• Baidu Netdisk
• pan.baidu.com

These names generally refer to the same Baidu cloud storage ecosystem.

Users can store files in their accounts and create share links for individual files, multiple files, or entire folders.

A typical Baidu Pan share link looks like this:

https://pan.baidu.com/s/xxxxxxxx

If someone sends you a link in this format, it is usually a shared file or folder hosted on Baidu Pan.

Why Do Websites and Sellers Use Baidu Pan Links?

Baidu Pan is commonly used in China to distribute files that would otherwise be inconvenient to host directly on a website.

Instead of keeping large downloads on their own servers, a website, seller, or content provider can upload the files to Baidu Pan and send users a share link.

Files from Chinese websites and online communities

You may encounter Baidu Pan links when downloading:

• tutorial files
• datasets
• design assets
• model files
• videos
• software-related files
• document collections
• community-shared resources

In some cases, clicking a download link on a Chinese website will eventually take you to pan.baidu.com.

Digital products and virtual goods

Baidu Pan is also sometimes used to deliver digital purchases.

For example, a Chinese seller may use it to provide:

• design templates
• image or video assets
• 3D models
• course materials
• document bundles
• data files
• software-related resources
• other downloadable digital products

After a purchase, the seller may provide something like:

Baidu Pan link + access code

So if you buy a digital product from a Chinese seller and receive a Baidu Pan link instead of a direct download, that is not unusual. It is simply a different delivery method.

What Does a Baidu Pan Share Usually Include?

Before you try to download from Baidu, it helps to understand the basic parts of a Baidu Pan share.

Baidu Pan share link

This is the URL that opens the shared content.

For example:

https://pan.baidu.com/s/xxxxxxxx

When the link is still valid, it should open a page showing the files or folders shared by the owner.

Access code or extraction code

Some Baidu Pan shares are protected by a short code.

You may see this referred to as:

• access code
• extraction code
• password
• share code
• 提取码

For example:

Access code: a1b2

The code is used to unlock that specific shared link.

It is important to note that this is not your Baidu account password.

If the owner did not add an access code, you may be able to open the share directly.

Files and folders

A Baidu Pan share can contain:

• one file
• multiple files
• a folder
• several levels of folders

Before saving anything, it is useful to check the file names, file sizes, and folder structure to make sure the shared content matches what you expected.

What Do You Need Before Downloading from Baidu Pan?

If you are using the standard Baidu Pan download process, you will usually need the following.

1. A valid Baidu Pan share link

You need a share link that is still active.

If the owner has removed the share, deleted the files, or allowed the link to expire, you will not be able to continue.

2. The access code, if required

If the share is protected, enter the code provided by the seller, website, or person who sent you the link.

If the page does not ask for a code, you can skip this step.

3. A Baidu account

For the normal Baidu Pan workflow, you will generally need a Baidu account.

That is because the usual process is not simply:

share page → download to computer

Instead, shared files are typically saved to your own Baidu Pan storage first.¹²

The flow is more like:

share page → save to your Baidu Pan → download from your account

If you are not already signed in when you try to save the files, Baidu will usually ask you to log in.²

This guide focuses on the standard download process rather than account registration.

If you do not have a Baidu account, see:

How to Download from Baidu Without an Account

4. A browser, and possibly the Baidu Netdisk app

A browser is normally enough to:

• open the share link
• enter the access code
• view the shared files
• save the files to your account

Chinese Baidu guides describe this share-link workflow as opening the link, entering the extraction code when required, selecting the shared content, and saving it to the user's own Netdisk.¹³

For the final download step, Baidu may offer a browser download or direct you to the Baidu Netdisk desktop app. Baidu's own user-guide content notes that larger files may prompt users to download through the client.⁴

How to Download from Baidu Pan: Standard Method

Here is the typical process for downloading files from a Baidu Pan share link.

Step 1: Open the Baidu Pan share link

Open the link you received in your browser.

It will usually look similar to:

https://pan.baidu.com/s/xxxxxxxx

If the share is still active, the link should open the Baidu Pan share page.

Step 2: Enter the access code

If the share is protected, Baidu will ask for an access code or extraction code.

Enter the code provided by the person, website, or seller that shared the files.

If the share does not use a code, this step will not appear.

Step 3: Review the shared files

Once the share opens, you can see the files or folders it contains.

Before continuing, check details such as:

• file names
• number of files
• file sizes
• folder contents

This is especially useful when the files came from a digital purchase, because it lets you confirm that the delivered content looks correct.

Step 4: Save the files to your Baidu Pan

Next, select the files or folders you want to keep and use the option to save them to your own Baidu Pan.

Depending on the interface, this may appear as an option similar to:

• Save to Baidu Pan
• Save to My Netdisk
• Transfer to My Netdisk

The wording may change over time, but the purpose is the same:

copy the shared files into your own Baidu Pan storage

Current Baidu-hosted guidance describes this as selecting files or folders on the share page, choosing Transfer to Netdisk (转存到网盘), and selecting a destination folder in your own storage.¹ This is one of the main differences between a Baidu Pan share link and a typical direct download link.

Step 5: Sign in to your Baidu account if required

If you are already signed in, you can usually continue directly to choosing where the files should be saved.

If you are not signed in, Baidu will generally ask you to log in when you try to save or transfer the shared files. Baidu Experience documentation shows the login prompt occurring after the user selects Save to My Baidu Netdisk when not already signed in.²

A useful way to think about it is:

You may be able to open the share without signing in, but you will usually need an account to save the files to your own Baidu Pan.

Step 6: Choose where to save the files

After signing in, choose a folder in your own Baidu Pan account.

Once the transfer is complete, the files should appear in the destination you selected in your personal cloud storage.¹²

At that point, the files are no longer only visible through the original share page. They have been saved to your own Baidu Pan account.

Step 7: Download the files from your Baidu Pan

Open your own Baidu Pan storage and locate the files you just saved.

You can then download them to your computer or other local device.

Depending on the current Baidu download flow, you may be able to download through the browser, or Baidu may prompt you to use the Baidu Netdisk app.

Baidu Pan Browser vs. Baidu Netdisk App

One thing that can confuse first-time users is that the share link works in a browser, but the actual download may involve the Baidu Netdisk app.

The browser and the desktop app do not always handle the same parts of the workflow.

For occasional use, the browser may be enough for the first part of the process.

For the final download, Baidu may use either the web interface or the desktop app depending on the file and the current service rules.

Why Can Baidu Pan Feel Complicated Outside China?

If you already use Baidu Pan regularly, the process above is fairly normal.

For someone who only receives an occasional Baidu link from a Chinese website or seller, however, it can feel more complicated than services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or a normal direct download.

You may need a Baidu account

A share link can let you view the content, but the standard workflow usually involves saving the shared files to your own Baidu Pan account.

If you do not normally use Chinese online services, creating and maintaining another account just to retrieve one file may feel like extra work.

Downloading is often a two-stage process

Many users are used to:

Open link → click Download → receive file

With Baidu Pan, the normal flow is often closer to:

Open share → save to your cloud storage → download from your cloud storage

So there are effectively two separate actions:

1. save the shared content to your account
2. download it from your account to your device

That difference is easy to miss if you are using Baidu Pan for the first time.

You may be asked to install the Baidu Netdisk app

If you only need one file, you may not want to install software that you do not expect to use regularly.

However, Baidu may direct some downloads through its desktop client depending on the current download method and file type. Baidu Experience guidance specifically notes that somewhat larger files may trigger a prompt to use the desktop client.⁴

Download speeds may vary

Users outside China may also encounter download issues such as:

• slow transfer speeds
• downloads staying at 0 KB/s
• interrupted downloads
• unstable client connections

These are download-stage problems rather than problems with the share link itself.

Other Ways to Get Files from a Baidu Pan Link

If you already have a Baidu account and use the service regularly, the official workflow is usually the most straightforward option.

If you only occasionally receive Baidu Pan links, there are other approaches worth considering.

Option 1: Use the official Baidu Pan workflow

This makes the most sense if you:

• already have a Baidu account
• can sign in normally
• do not mind using the Baidu Netdisk app
• expect to use Baidu Pan regularly

The basic process is:

Share link → save to your Baidu Pan → download

Option 2: Ask the file provider for another delivery method

If the link came from a:

• seller
• colleague
• friend
• course provider
• content publisher

you can ask whether they can provide the files another way.

Possible alternatives include:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• OneDrive
• Mega
• a direct download link

This can be especially useful when you purchased a digital product and the seller offers support.

Option 3: Use a file download service

If you already have a valid Baidu Pan share link but do not want to set up a Baidu account, transfer files into your own cloud storage, or install the Baidu client, a file download service can be another option.

This is most useful when you only need to download from Baidu occasionally rather than use Baidu Pan as an ongoing cloud storage service.

References

Footnotes

1. Baidu Netdisk Enterprise — “Baidu Netdisk Shared File Saving Guide” (百度网盘共享文件保存指南). Describes opening a share link, entering an extraction code when required, selecting files or folders, choosing “Transfer to Netdisk” (转存到网盘), and selecting a destination folder. https://eyun.baidu.com/knowledge/dc02b78a236345f9b4995188b87646a1.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Baidu Experience — “How to Save Shared Baidu Netdisk Files to Your Own Netdisk” (怎么把分享的百度网盘文件保存到自己的网盘里). Shows the sequence of opening a shared link, entering the extraction code, selecting “Save to My Baidu Netdisk,” signing in when required, and choosing a destination folder. https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/ed15cb1b3c39d85be36981a4.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

3. Baidu Experience — “How to Save Resources from a Shared Baidu Link to Netdisk” (百度链接分享的资源怎么保存到网盘里). Covers opening the shared link, entering the extraction code, selecting the desired files, and saving them to Baidu Netdisk. https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/75ab0bcb7920f2d6864db213.html ↩

4. Baidu Experience — “Beginner’s Guide to Baidu Netdisk (Desktop/Mobile)” (新手百度网盘使用方法（电脑版/手机版）). Explains the share-link workflow and notes that larger files may prompt users to download through the desktop client. https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/a501d80cced3f8ad620f5e05.html ↩ ↩²