Howto: Download from Scribd without an Account

If you are looking for how to download documents from Scribd, I got the answer. At least until they come up with a block.

Step 1: Grab the Android App

Grab the Scribd app for Android. It’s free and available on the Play Store. If you don’t have an Android phone, too bad. You are stuck with using an emulator – e.g. Bluestacks, or Remix.

The free version of the app allows you to read up to 3 files a month, without a subscription or needing to log in even.

Step 2: Load the file of interest

Search via the mobile app, and load up the file. Once the download completes, you can exit the app.

Step 3: Get familiar with a file manager

From your favourite file manage, head to the following folder.
Android -> Data -> com.scribd.app.reader0 -> files -> document_cache -> ‘id number

There should be a file named Content. Copy it out, rename it with an extension of .pdf and boom, mission accomplished.

“Solutions” that no longer worked

When googling, I found some proposed methods, including using the document id and access key to download via a shockwave plugin. Another proposed using the mobile website instead. Both didn’t work. I also tried the popular “bugmenot.com” website but no luck there.