# Bulk Downloading Documents

### Summary

Learn how to download multiple documents, or an entire case file, at once, saving you the time of clicking on individual docket entries.

### Why This is Important

In complex litigation, a case might have hundreds of filings. Downloading the Complaint, Answer, Motions, and Exhibits one by one is tedious. The Bulk Download feature allows you to grab everything you need in a single action, delivering a neat ZIP file to your computer.

### Step-by-Step Guide

#### **Step 1: Open the Case**

Navigate to the docket sheet of the case containing the documents you want.

#### **Step 2: Activate Download Mode**

1. Click the **Download Docs** button located in the toolbar at the top of the case header.
2. The docket sheet will change appearance slightly, adding **checkboxes** next to every docket entry.

<figure><img src="/files/yGY8rLJFm1MeH5dgLvHO" alt=""><figcaption><p>Clicking 'Download Docs' reveals selection checkboxes for every entry.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### **Step 3: Select Documents**

You have two options:

* **Select Specific Files:** Manually check the boxes next to the specific documents you want (e.g., Entry #1, #5, and #12).
* **Select All:** Click the **Select All** checkbox at the top of the list to grab every available document in the case.

#### **Step 4: Download**

1. Once your selection is made, click the **Download** button (usually located near the top or bottom of the selection list).
2. When the download is complete, click **Save**.
3. The system will compile the PDFs into a **ZIP folder**.
4. Save the ZIP file to your computer and extract it to view the individual PDFs.

### Important Notes on Fees

* **Cached Documents:** If a document has already been downloaded by another Docket Alarm user, it is available to you for **free**.
* **New Documents (PACER):** If a document has *never* been downloaded before (indicated by a "Get from PACER" or similar icon), downloading it may incur the standard court retrieval fee (e.g., $0.10/page on PACER), depending on your subscription plan.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Pro Tip:** Use the **Filter Docket Entries** search bar (top right of the docket sheet) *before* you click Download Docs. For example, type "Complaint" to filter the list, click **Show Only**, then click "Select All" to download only the complaints, ignoring all other entries.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

### Related Articles

* [Integrating ECF/PACER](/docket-alarm/docket-alarm-home/tracking-and-alerts/integrating-ecf-pacer.md)
* [The Analytics Workbench](/docket-alarm/docket-alarm-home/analytics/the-analytics-workbench.md)

### Need more help?

If the download button is grayed out, ensure you have selected at least one document. If the ZIP file is empty, check if the documents were "text-only" entries (which have no PDF to download).

**What's Your Next Step?**

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