Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was closed and archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Downloads window not showing

  • 49 replies
  • 71 have this problem
  • 27 views
  • Last reply by desinia

more options

For the last few days my Firefox does not display the downloads window. I have tried to follow the suggestion set out in Firefox Help ie Tools --> Options --> General

But my General Tab doesn't show under Downloads the option to check the box "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file". Under Downloads, the only option shows "save files to Downloads" and "Always ask me where to save files".

Any suggestions on how I can get to --> Downloads the option to check the box "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file".

Thank you in anticipation

For the last few days my Firefox does not display the downloads window. I have tried to follow the suggestion set out in Firefox Help ie Tools --> Options --> General But my General Tab doesn't show under Downloads the option to check the box "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file". Under Downloads, the only option shows "save files to Downloads" and "Always ask me where to save files". Any suggestions on how I can get to --> Downloads the option to check the box "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file". Thank you in anticipation

Chosen solution

You can set the Boolean pref browser.download.useToolkitUI to true on the about:config page to restore the classic Download Manager window.

Read this answer in context 👍 61

All Replies (9)

more options

Hi evild4ve and desinia, if you run Firefox 20 as designed, when you use the Clear Downloads button in the Library dialog, both the entry on the Downloads list and the entry in browser history are cleared. See the attached before and after screenshots.

I haven't researched how the old Download Manager worked before Firefox 20, or how it sort-of-works in Firefox 20, with this feature. If I have time to experiment with that, I'll post the results.

more options

Items that you see in the Downloads folder in the Library are normal history items that have an annotation that marks them as downloads and are stored in places.sqlite.

The Downloads as shown in the classic Download Manager (browser.download.useToolkitUI = true) are stored in the downloads.sqlite file and obey the browser.download.manager.retention pref and thus completely independent from the new Download Manager and places.sqlite.

more options

jscher2000, thanks for your help. The ctrl+j did open the Library dialog.

I removed all Add-ons; When I click the download arrow now, the dialog appears again. I plan to load the Add-ons again, but one by one while checking to see if one of them is responsible.

The problem is that I seem to have these issues after I visit one website in particular.

Thanks for all the effort to help me.

more options

The "about:config" solution ("set the Boolean pref browser.download.useToolkitUI to true on the about:config page to restore the classic Download Manager window") worked for me. I had to do the same kind of thing to get my tabs back underneath WHERE THEY BELONG. That's why I never bothered with Chrome. Tabs on top makes no sense whatsoever.

And while I have fun customizing my stuff, when any producer changes things that work perfectly well or that users might even prefer without checking, well we know what that that's called. MS is not the only arch-villain, Apple lives for it. (Don't get offended, I worked for Apple and use Apple, Win and Linux at home and office. Just sayin'.)

more options

I swear what I really want to do is to find the moron who thought this crap up and break his fingers so that he can NEVER push a keyboard button again.

The STUPIDEST of all recent "changes". WHOSE idea was it to put the downloads together with the history and favorites and all other rarely used stuff? WHY was this change made?

Listen, Mozilla, for the past year you idiots have lost a third of your faithful population. Your market share plummeted from 34 to barely 20% (and keeps falling!!!). And it all began when you started thinking you're Microsoft and can do whatever the hell you want. I swear, one more surprise like that and I'll throw your stupid browser out of the window. ENOUGH!

Additionally, who implemented this "change" made me lose the list of ALL downloads I had in that window. Thank you very much,

[Profanity removed by moderator. Please read Mozilla Support rules and guidelines, thanks.]

Modified by Chris Ilias

more options

I just realized one thing. With "implementing changes" like this, can you imagine what "pleasure" Firefox OS is? :-))

NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!

Somebody out there, PLEEEEASE make a new browser with tabs on bottom and I'll be the first to download and install it! I don't want this Gozilla Waterrat anymore!!! :-((((

more options

Badaboom needs a chill pill... but the reasoning is perfectly clear. Firefox used to be a good DEPENDABLE browser but the present crew of saboteurs seem bent on turning it into a circus of "Oh no - They've changed it again! What's going to go wrong this time?"

PLEASE stop changing things just to change things.

more options
more options

I think you should go back and read the entire thread before making comments like that. This isn't about a minor change to make it compatible with software changes - but about a general slide down the trash heap since about a dozen or so versions ago.

By the way, my own opinion is that if Firefox starts looking more like win-8 then I'm done with it altogether. ANYTHING else would be a better choice.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3