Overview
This node enables interaction with Azure Blob Storage to manage files within containers. Specifically, the File - Download operation allows users to download a blob (file) from a specified Azure Blob Storage container and output it as binary data in the workflow.
Common scenarios include:
- Retrieving files stored in Azure Blob Storage for further processing or analysis in an n8n workflow.
- Automating backup or synchronization tasks by downloading blobs on demand.
- Integrating Azure Blob Storage file retrieval into larger automation pipelines.
For example, you might use this node to download an image or document stored in Azure Blob Storage and then pass it to another node for conversion, analysis, or sending via email.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Container Name | The name of the Azure Blob Storage container where the blob is stored. |
| Blob Name | The exact name of the blob (file) to download from the specified container. |
| Binary Property Name | The name of the binary property in which the downloaded file will be stored in the output. |
Output
The node outputs an array of items, each containing:
json: Metadata about the downloaded blob, including:blobName: The name of the downloaded blob.containerName: The container from which the blob was downloaded.size: Size of the downloaded file in bytes.contentType: MIME type of the blob content.lastModified: Timestamp of the last modification.etag: Entity tag for the blob version.url: URL to access the blob.
binary: Contains the actual downloaded file data under the user-specified binary property name. This binary data includes:data: Base64 encoded content of the blob.mimeType: Content type of the blob.fileName: Original blob name.fileSize: Size of the file in bytes.
This structure allows subsequent nodes to easily access both metadata and the raw file content.
Dependencies
- Requires an Azure Blob Storage API credential configured in n8n with appropriate permissions to access the target storage account and container.
- Uses the official Azure SDK for JavaScript (
@azure/storage-blob) to interact with Azure Blob Storage. - Network connectivity to Azure Blob Storage endpoints.
Troubleshooting
- Blob does not exist error: If the specified blob name does not exist in the container, the node throws an error
"Blob \"<blobName>\" does not exist". Verify the container and blob names are correct and that the blob exists. - Authentication errors: Errors related to invalid authentication methods or credentials indicate misconfiguration of the Azure Blob Storage API credential. Ensure the credential has valid keys or tokens.
- Failed to get blob stream: Indicates issues retrieving the blob's data stream. This could be due to network issues or permission problems.
- Binary property missing: If the specified binary property name does not match any existing binary data in the input (for upload operations), an error is thrown. For download, ensure the binary property name is set correctly to store the output.
To resolve these issues:
- Double-check container and blob names.
- Confirm the Azure credential is properly set up with required permissions.
- Check network connectivity.
- Use the "Continue On Fail" option in n8n to handle errors gracefully if needed.