---
method: GET
path: /api/media-items/:id/download
auth: jwt
area: media-items
---
<!-- source: internal/handlers/media.go:2766 MediaHandler.ServeFile -->

# Download Media Item File

Serves the book file itself (epub, pdf, …) for the given media item, enforced
against the requester's **visible-library set** (family lens). This is the
registered route — distinct from the dead `MediaHandler.DownloadBook` code
path referenced by pre-2026 docs.

Success is the raw file bytes with the file's MIME type. There is no JSON
body.

## Errors

| Status | Body | When |
| ------ | ---- | ---- |
| 400 | `{"error": "invalid library ID"}` / `{"error": "invalid path"}` / `{"error": "invalid media item ID"}` | malformed ids |
| 403 | `{"error": "library not accessible"}` | library outside the visible set |
| 404 | `{"error": "book not found"}` / `{"error": "book file not found"}` / `{"error": "file not found"}` | missing row or file on disk |
| 500 | `{"error": "failed to check library access"}` | unexpected server error |