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Clearing Downloads history deletes downloaded files from tablet

  • 7 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by scalleyjon

mitch1000
mitch1000
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I use a Samsung Tab s5e with Android 9 (Samsung One UI 1.1) and Firefox 68.4.2. Yesterday I noticed that files (pictures, movies, PDFs and HTMLs) that were downloaded with Firefox disappeared from my device. Files downloaded/created with other apps remained intact. I was very confused, but could reproduce the weird behaviour by downloading files with Firefox and subsequently clearing the download history in 'Menu/Settings/ClearPrivateData'. By doing so the downloaded files turned into 0 byte files dated 1 January 1970. After reboot of the device the files were gone. Also after disabling the installed plugins Ublock Origin and Noscript downloaded files were deleted after clearing the Download history.

I use a Samsung Tab s5e with Android 9 (Samsung One UI 1.1) and Firefox 68.4.2. Yesterday I noticed that files (pictures, movies, PDFs and HTMLs) that were downloaded with Firefox disappeared from my device. Files downloaded/created with other apps remained intact. I was very confused, but could reproduce the weird behaviour by downloading files with Firefox and subsequently clearing the download history in 'Menu/Settings/ClearPrivateData'. By doing so the downloaded files turned into 0 byte files dated 1 January 1970. After reboot of the device the files were gone. Also after disabling the installed plugins Ublock Origin and Noscript downloaded files were deleted after clearing the Download history.

All Replies (7)

mitch1000
mitch1000 Question owner
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I have the same hehaviour on an OnePlus 5 with Android 9 (OxygenOS 9.0.10) and Firefox 68.4.2

Paul
Paul
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Hi

To protect your privacy and for your security, when you are wanting to have your Downloads cleared, Firefox for Android clears the Downloads.

I recommend that should you want to retain the files, you move them to a new folder using the file manager app on your device.

mitch1000
mitch1000 Question owner
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Dear Seburo, Thank you for the answer. So the deleting of downloaded files upon clearing of the history is intentional. That sounds very strange to me. Because files are downloaded in order to keep them. I would suggest that Firefox just clears the browsing history of the downloads.

mitch1000
mitch1000 Question owner
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Addition: Firefox desktop does NOT delete downloaded files. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/where-find-and-manage-downloaded-files-firefox

Paul
Paul
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Hi Mitch

Please appreciate the Firefox on the desktop and on Android are built to work on different platforms and are not the same product. Sometimes there are features we would like to do, but are restricted by the platform that we are building for.

scalleyjon
scalleyjon
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I cleared my download list in my androids firefox browser for the first time today, lost 12gb of downloads throughout multiple folders. Is it possible to fix this?

scalleyjon
scalleyjon
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Seburo said
Hi To protect your privacy and for your security, when you are wanting to have your Downloads cleared, Firefox for Android clears the Downloads. I recommend that should you want to retain the files, you move them to a new folder using the file manager app on your device.

I had files in 4 folders on my androids internal storage which mostly consisted of files originating from the download folder.. All of them are gone after i cleared the download list in android firefox browser. Can you help me?