Have you ever downloaded a file and had no idea where your computer stored it? Or did you have to scroll endlessly through your browser history in order to download the file again?
To prevent this from happening again, you should change your browser’s default download location. In this article, we will show you how you can do it for the most popular browsers.
How to change the default download location of Google Chrome
We will start with Chrome as it is one of the most popular browsers so it is most likely your default browser.
By default, Chrome will save anything you download online to your downloads proceedings. But if you need to access files faster, you can change the default location.
- In the upper right corner, click the three points menu and select Settings.
- To go downloads.
- Click on the Change and select a new download destination.
If you want Google Chrome to ask you where to download the file each time, select the Ask where to save each file before downloading option.
How to change the default download location of Mozilla Firefox
If Firefox is your default browser, here’s how you can change the default download location:
- Open the browser menu and click Settings.
- In the left pane, select General and scroll down to Files and Applications.
- Click Browse beside save files to and select where Firefox should download your files.
If you want to specify the download location each time, select It will always ask you where to save the files. If you need more help managing your downloads, there are some download manager plugins you can try.
How to change the default download location of Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge has come a long way and offers its users plenty of reasons to set it as their default browser, including a feature that lets you share files and notes between your mobile and desktop devices.
If you want to keep a close eye on your downloads, follow these steps to change the default location:
- navigate to border://settings.
- From the menu on the left, select downloads.
- Click on the Change and select a new download location.
As you can see, Edge has more settings that you need to enable to better manage your downloaded files.
How to change the default download location of Brave Browser
Brave has quickly gained popularity due to its mission to protect your privacy by blocking all privacy-invading ads and trackers. So if you want to use it permanently, you need to change the settings related to downloads.
- To go brave://settings.
- Scroll down the menu on the left and select downloads.
- Click Change and set a new download location.
You can also decide where to save the file each time by enabling the Ask where to save each file before downloading option. If you want to check the downloaded files, click downloads from the browser ribbon.
How to change the default download location of Safari
If you own an Apple device, your default browser is likely to be Safari. If you want to change the default download location of the browser, follow the steps below:
- In the menu bar, click Safari.
- To go Preferences > General.
- Open the dropdown next to File download location.
- Click Other and set a new location. Also, you can set the download location for each file using the Ask for each download option.
How to change the default download location of Opera
If you’re running out of space on your main drive, you can change your Opera download location to avoid future problems. This is how you can do it:
- Click on the Settings icon.
- Scroll down and open the Advanced menu.
- Go to downloads and click Change.
- Select a new download location.
How to change Vivaldi default download location
Many people prefer Vivaldi over other Chrome alternatives because it is one of the fastest browsers available. If you want to improve your productivity, you should change the default download location.
- Click Settings from the bottom left corner.
- Select downloads.
- Click Select the folder of download location and browse to the new location.
If you want to speed up the download process while using Vivaldi, select the Save files to default location without asking option.
Easily change your browser’s download location
Now you know where you can find all the files you have downloaded with your browser. Many of the browsers mentioned have enough built-in features to help you keep track of your files, but you can always install a browser plugin to manage your browser downloads.
Before clicking on any suspicious link to download a file, you should check if it is safe to protect yourself from ransomware.
