How to Use Earthdata Download: A Step-by-Step Guide to Installing, Downloading Data, and Troubleshooting

The Earthdata Download (EDD) application lets users download data orders of any size simultaneously. Users can view active and completed downloads, track individual file progress, and pause, restart, or cancel orders already in progress. EDD is available as a direct download option from NASA Earthdata Search, and has also been integrated into NSIDC DAAC’s Data Access Tool, which can be accessed from any data set’s landing page.

Getting Started

Earthdata Download is a native desktop application that you need to install on your computer. Download EDD from: https://nasa.github.io/earthdata-download/. Make sure to select the version that matches your operating system (i.e., MacOS Intel, MacOS Apple Silicon, Windows, or Linux.) If you have trouble with the install, refer to Troubleshooting Issue #1 below.

Note: You must have the most recent version of Earthdata Download (>= v1.0.4) installed to use this option with the Data Access Tool. You can find your current version number at the top of application's Settings page.

Before downloading data, you’ll also need an Earthdata login account. If you don’t have one, register at: https://urs.earthdata.nasa.gov/users/new. When using EDD for the first time, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Earthdata account before beginning any downloads.

Downloading Data

When you submit your first download order, you’ll be asked to choose a download location. The default location is your Downloads folder, but you can change this location any time in the settings. Once you’ve set the location and logged into Earthdata through your browser, your downloads will begin.

Files from the same order are grouped together, showing both the number of successfully downloaded files and the overall completion percentage of the full order. You can pause, resume (if paused), or cancel the order using buttons in the top right corner of the interface.
 

Select any order to see which files have completed downloading, and to check the status of any files not yet completed. From this view, you can also cancel individual file downloads within the order.
 

When the download completes, you’ll find all files from your order in a single folder within your chosen directory. You can clear completed downloads from the “Downloads” tab, while maintaining access to your full download history in the “Downloads History” tab located at the top of the interface.

Settings

The Settings menu, accessible from the top right corner of the application, includes these important options:

Download Location - This sets where your downloaded files are stored. When first using the application, you’ll be asked to confirm a download location. By default, this is set to your Downloads folder. You can change this location any time by clicking this box.

Simultaneous Downloads - This setting controls how many files can be downloaded at the same time. The default maximum is 5 files. While you can set this number higher, note that increasing it may begin to slow the download speeds of individual files.

Reset Application - This button completely resets the application to its default state. Note that resetting will clear all data, including your download history and settings. This option is particularly useful for troubleshooting application issues (see Troubleshooting below).

Note: In settings, you’ll also see “Send User Metrics”. We recommend setting this to “yes” to help improve the application.

Troubleshooting

The Earthdata Download (EDD) application launched in July 2024. While improvements are ongoing, you may encounter these known issues:

Issue #1: Cannot download and install the application

Earthdata Download is a native desktop application that requires installation. Some computers, particularly work machines, may have security restrictions that prohibit application installations.

• During installation, you may be given options to “install for all users” or to “install just for me”. The “all-users” option typically requires administrator rights, where installing for just yourself may not.
  
  Fix: Choose “install just for me” when given the option
   
• Your computer may display a security warning about installing an unrecognized app. This warning often includes a “Show more information” button, that when clicked may give you the choice to proceed with installation.
  
  Fix: Click any “more information” option in the security pop-up, then select to proceed with installation.

Issue #2: “The download could not be started”

After installing the application and placing an order, your order appears under the “Downloads” tab but shows the message “The download could not be started.” This message may appear for the entire order or displayed under individual files within the order.

This issue occurs more frequently with orders of zip files or large orders (over 2000 files).

Fix: Try this workflow: 

1. Ensure you are logged into Earthdata. If not logged in, look for the login icon on the right side of your order

2. Restart the download. Click the three-dot icon on the right side of the order/file card and select “Restart Download”.
 

3. Check your downloads location. Try a different directory if your current location has permission restrictions. Access this in the settings menu under “Download Location”.

4. If the above steps don’t work, try resetting the application. Use the “Reset Application” button in settings. Note: This will clear all application data, including download history.
 

5. If problems persist, delete the application and try a reinstall. Ensure you select the version matching your platform (Intel-based Mac, Apple Silicon Mac, Windows, or Linux).

Issue #3: “An error occurred; # files could not be downloaded”

In some cases, only part of your order downloads successfully. For example, in a 10-file order, 6 files might complete while 4 fail, producing the error message: “An error occurred; 4 files could not be downloaded”.

Fix: Follow these steps:

1. When you see this error, press the retry button on the pop-up warning:

2. Restart the downloads. For individual files, click the three-dot icon on the right of the file card, then select “Restart Download”.

3. If needed, reset the application (as described in step 4 of Issue #2).

4. If the issue persists, delete and reinstall the application. Choose the correct version for your platform (Intel-based Mac, Apple Silicon Mac, Windows, or Linux).

If these troubleshooting steps don’t resolve your issue, or if you encounter problems not listed above, please reach out to nsidc@nsidc.org for more support.

NSIDC DAAC’s Data Access Tool also offers alternative download options, including a Python script and direct transfer to Earthdata Search (which preserves any temporal or spatial filtering). To learn more about using the Data Access Tool, visit: Filter and order from a data set web page using the Data Access Tool.