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Firefox does NOT allow u to select location of d/l files even when check the appropriate box under options. Answer?

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In FF you go Tools ---->options-----> Files & applications -----> downloads . Then you check box for "Always ask where you save files" Does NOT work. You get no chance to choose location or even and esp to rename a file from something like " abd345%" to something sensible like "hsbc 31 May 2018" Files just "disappear " to I've no idea where. Anybody help?

In FF you go Tools ---->options-----> Files & applications -----> downloads . Then you check box for "Always ask where you save files" Does NOT work. You get no chance to choose location or even and esp to rename a file from something like " abd345%" to something sensible like "hsbc 31 May 2018" Files just "disappear " to I've no idea where. Anybody help?

All Replies (7)

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Hello,

The Refresh feature (called "Reset" in older Firefox versions) can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your bookmarks, history, passwords, cookies, and other essential information.

Note: When you use this feature, you will lose any extensions, toolbar customizations, and some preferences. See the Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings article for more information.

To Refresh Firefox:

  1. Open the Troubleshooting Information page using one of these methods:
    • Click the menu button New Fx Menu, click help Help-29 and select Troubleshooting Information. A new tab containing your troubleshooting information should open.
    • If you're unable to access the Help menu, type about:support in your address bar to bring up the Troubleshooting Information page.
  2. At the top right corner of the page, you should see a button that says "Refresh Firefox" ("Reset Firefox" in older Firefox versions). Click on it.
  3. Firefox will close. After the refresh process is completed, Firefox will show a window with the information that is imported.
  4. Click Finish and Firefox will reopen.

Did this fix the problem? Please report back to us!

Thank you.

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Hi john.kw, what kind of files are you saving?

If you are using right-click > Save Page As, Save Link As, Save Image As, etc., then Firefox definitely should show a file browsing window so you can select the save location. Are those working normally?

Normally if you click a download link or button on a site, then Firefox will display a dialog with choices like Open in... or Save. Do you get that dialog?

If you don't get a dialog for a particular type of file, such as PDF:

Check the Options page and see whether the content type directs Firefox to "Save File" instead of "Always Ask". You can check that here:

  • Windows: "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options
  • Mac: "3-bar" menu button (or Firefox menu) > Preferences
  • Linux: "3-bar" menu button (or Edit menu) > Preferences
  • Any system: type or paste about:preferences into the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it

Scroll down to Applications and look in the box of content types and examine whether any have "Save File" set on the right side. If so, try changing those to "Always Ask."

Any progress so far?

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I notice that you have the Video DownloadHelper 7.3.5 extension. Did you check for issues caused by extensions?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is is causing the problem.

  • switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Appearance
  • do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window
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I have the same problem (although "Saving image as" works as expected). But even when my setting at Files and Applications -> Downloads is set to "Always ask you where to save files", I still get the message that says something like:


You have chosen to open:

     ...
     which is: ...
     from: ...

What should Firefox do with this file?

     Open with ...
     Save File
     [ ] Do this automatically for files like this from now on.

There's no way to select a custom directory. I think it is also strange why there is not just a button in that very dialog to set a custom folder, so that it immediately also previews the folder it is going to download it to..

It's probably the wrong place to say this, but I'm very dissatisfied with Firefox about trying to make things "simple", and through that losing control of the application. Unfortunately, other major browsers are worse at this. Could we not have a Firefox Classic? Like, a Gnome 2 instead of 3? Like, Windows 7 instead of 10? YouTube from a few years ago, instead of the latest slow "touch-friendly" mess? I think many people would agree. It's a shame, because it's just the interface that's really messed up.

Anyway, this is obviously a bug. I already restarted Firefox, and tried safe mode (not that I have add-ons that could interfere). I am using version 61.0.2 (64-bit) on Arch Linux.

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Hi jetibest, Firefox should display a folder browser after you select Save File and click OK. (It definitely isn't built into the download dialog now and as far as I know, it has never been built into that dialog.) You don't get a folder browser after clicking OK?

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Ah ok. This is definitely a major flaw with the dialog. I would expect it to tell me where it is going to save the file anyway, and if it will let me choose, it should say so explicitly.

For instance:

   [Save file] (to your downloads directory [open directory])

and

   [Save file] (choose a location)
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Hi jetibest, support volunteers work with the Firefox we have today. To propose changes to Firefox features for possible future release, you can use any of these (depending on whether you want a suggestion box or a discussion):