Download Article
Download Article
This wikiHow article teaches you how to select a specific folder destination for files you download from the Internet. Keep in mind that setting the download location for one browser won't change it for any other browsers on your computer.
Steps
-
Open Google Chrome. It's a red, green, yellow, and blue sphere-shaped icon. -
Click ⋮ . This icon is in the top-right side of the Chrome window.EXPERT TIPComputer & Phone Repair SpecialistsMobile Kangaroo is a full service repair shop and Apple Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities.With Chrome, start by clicking the menu dots in the upper right corner. Choose 'Settings,' then 'Advanced,' and then 'Downloads.' You can choose your download location or ask before downloading.
Advertisement -
Click Settings . It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu. -
Scroll down and click Advanced . This option is at the bottom of the page. -
Scroll down to the "Downloads" section and click CHANGE . Doing so will open a window with your computer's folders displayed. -
Select a folder. Click a folder into which you want downloads to save. -
Click OK (Windows) or Select (Mac). It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. This will choose the folder you clicked as the default location for any subsequent downloads.- You can also click Ask where to save each file before downloading to enable or disable a prompt for each download.
Advertisement
-
Open Firefox. This is the globe-shaped icon with an orange fox wrapped around it. -
Click ☰ . It's in the top-right corner of the Firefox window. This prompts a drop-down menu to appear. -
Click Options (Windows) or Preferences (Mac). This gear-shaped icon is in the drop-down menu. -
Click the General tab. It's in the upper-left side of the window. -
Check the "Save files to" box. Click the circle to the left of the "Save files to" option to enable downloads for a specific location.- If you would prefer to be asked where to save a download every time you download something, click instead the "Always ask you where to save files" circle.
-
Click Browse (Windows) or Choose (Mac). This button is on the right side of the current download folder's name. Clicking it opens a window with folders on your computer listed. -
Select a folder. Click a folder into which you want downloads to save. -
Click Select Folder . This will choose the folder you clicked as the default location for any subsequent downloads.
Advertisement
-
Open Microsoft Edge. This app icon resembles a dark-blue "e". -
Click ⋯ . It's in the top-right corner of the Edge window.EXPERT TIPComputer & Phone Repair SpecialistsMobile Kangaroo is a full service repair shop and Apple Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities.With Edge, start by clicking the menu dots in the upper right corner of your screen. Next, choose 'Settings' and scroll lower to 'Downloads.' You can choose where to save your downloads or have it ask you with each download.
-
Click Settings . This option is at the bottom of the drop-down menu. -
Scroll down and click View advanced settings . It's near the bottom of the menu. -
Scroll down to the "Downloads" section and click Change . This will open a window with folders on your computer listed. -
Select a folder. Click a folder that you want to set as your default download location. -
Click Select Folder . This will choose the folder you clicked as the default location for any subsequent downloads.- You can also click the "Ask me what to do with each download" switch to have Edge prompt you for a confirmation before every download.
Advertisement
-
Open Safari. This app resembles a blue compass. You'll likely find it in your Mac's Dock. -
Click Safari . It's a menu item in the top-left corner of the Mac's screen.EXPERT TIPComputer & Phone Repair SpecialistsMobile Kangaroo is a full service repair shop and Apple Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities.With Safari, start by clicking on 'Safari' in the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' and then 'General.' Near the bottom, you can manually select a file download location or select 'Ask for each download.'
-
Click Preferences . This option is near the top of the Safari drop-down menu. -
Click the General tab. It's in the upper-left side of the window. -
Click the "File download location" drop-down box. This box is near the bottom of the window, to the right of the "File download location:" heading. -
Click Other… . It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a Finder window.- You can also click Ask for each download in this menu to have Safari ask you to select a specific location for each individual download.
-
Select a folder. Click a folder in the Finder to select it as your default download location. -
Click Select . This will choose the folder you clicked as the default location for any subsequent downloads.
Advertisement
Common Questions: Setting a Specific Download Folder
How do you turn off "ask where to save each file before downloading?"
On Google Chrome, click ⋮ → Settings → Downloads . Toggle off Ask where to save each file before downloading .
How do you download to a specific folder on an iPhone?
To download to a specific folder on an iPhone, go to the content you want to save. Tap the Share button and select Save to Files . From there, tap Browse or select a folder to save your content.
Tips
- Selecting the Desktop folder as your downloads' default location will ensure that you never have to navigate through your documents to find your downloads.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Changing the download folder will not move previously downloaded files from the previous download folder.Thanks
Advertisement
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 364,769 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "This was exactly what I was looking for! At work, I use Chrome on one monitor and Firefox on the other, and it has long been an annoyance that I have to go find files and move them to the appropriate spot after they download. Now I have them both set up so I can control where files go. Yay!" ..." more
Advertisement
"This was exactly what I was looking for! At work, I use Chrome on one monitor and Firefox on the other, and it has long been an annoyance that I have to go find files and move them to the appropriate spot after they download. Now I have them both set up so I can control where files go. Yay!"
..."
more
"As always, the step-by-step explanation and pictures helped."
