Chrome keeps dropping every file into the same folder, and the old Advanced menu no longer has the download controls. The current Downloads page is where the folder and save-prompt settings live.
Open the Downloads settings, pick a new default location, decide whether Chrome should ask before each save, then check the separate automatic-download and PDF permissions.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Open Chrome’s Downloads settings
You won’t find the download controls under Advanced anymore. Chrome moved them to a dedicated page, so looking in the old spot wastes time.
To manage Chrome download settings on the computer, open the Downloads page. The fastest route is chrome://settings/downloads in the address bar, then .
- Open Google Chrome on your computer.
- Click the
menu and choose Settings. - Select Downloads in the Settings sidebar.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Google’s Download a file help page lists the current location and ask-before-saving controls.
You’ll know it worked when the Downloads page opens with Location and the save prompt in view.
Change the default download folder
If every file lands in one crowded folder, set a new default location. New downloads will go to the drive and folder you use for that project or file type.
- Open the Downloads page and find Location.
- Click the button beside the current folder path.
- Choose a folder in the system picker and confirm the selection.
You’ll know it worked when the path next to Location changes to the folder you picked.
Changing Location affects new downloads only. Files already in the old folder stay there until you move them.
If the path stays the same, pick the folder again and confirm the system dialog.
Ask Chrome where to save each file
Some downloads need a different name or destination every time. Turn on the per-file prompt for those jobs.
- Open the Downloads page in Chrome Settings.
- Turn on Ask where to save each file before downloading.
Chrome will show a save dialog for each new download. You’ll know it worked when the dialog appears before the file is saved.
Turn the option off to send new files straight to the default folder.
Find related download settings
A site that starts several downloads at once is governed somewhere else, and the main Downloads page does not list that permission. Use the paths below for those related controls.
Control automatic downloads
A site keeps firing off multiple files without asking, so you need to review its automatic-download permission.
- Open Privacy and security in the Settings sidebar.
- Select Site settings.
- Open Additional permissions.
- Select Automatic downloads.
You’ll know it worked when the site appears in the Automatic downloads list. That list is separate from the folder setting, so changing Location does not change these permissions.
Choose how Chrome handles PDFs
A PDF opens in a tab when you wanted a copy on disk. The PDF content setting decides which one Chrome does.
- Open Privacy and security in the Settings sidebar.
- Select Site settings.
- Open Additional content settings.
- Select PDF documents.
- Choose Download PDFs or Open PDFs in Chrome.
You’ll know it worked when the next PDF either downloads or opens in Chrome, depending on your choice.
Return to the Downloads page when you want to change the default folder or the save prompt.
Check the default download paths
Not sure where Chrome will save a file? The Location path gives you the answer. On a standard setup, Chrome uses the operating system’s Downloads folder unless you pick another one.
- Windows: the Users\\Downloads folder inside your user profile.
- macOS: /Users//Downloads.
- Linux: /home//Downloads.
Check the path next to Location after any change, since your setup may use a different folder.
Verify the new download settings
A small test download proves that the folder and the save prompt work the way you expect.
- Close the Settings tab and download a small file from any page.
- Confirm that the file appears in the folder you selected, or choose that folder in the save dialog if the prompt is on.
- If the file still appears in the old folder, reopen the Downloads page and check Location and the ask-before-saving toggle.
You’ll know it worked when the test file lands in the new folder, or the save dialog opens where you expect.
Changes apply to future downloads, so test with a new file rather than an item already in Chrome’s download history.
Chrome on phones uses different controls
On a phone, you won’t see the desktop Location control. Chrome for Computer is what this guide covers.
Android and iOS menus differ, so a missing desktop control on your phone does not mean the setting is broken.
If you’re checking an Android phone, the guide below shows where those site settings moved.
Frequently Asked Questions
One setting still not behaving? These are the answers readers ask first.
Where is the Chrome downloads settings page?
Enter chrome://settings/downloads in the address bar and press . The menu route is the menu, then Settings, then Downloads.
How do I change the folder Chrome uses for downloads?
Go to Downloads, click beside Location, choose a folder, and confirm the system picker. The new path appears next to Location.
How do I stop Chrome from asking where to save each file?
Turn off Ask where to save each file before downloading on the Downloads page. Chrome will then send new files to the default location without showing the save dialog.
Where are automatic download permissions?
Open Privacy and security, then Site settings, Additional permissions, and Automatic downloads. This list is separate from the folder setting.
Does changing the download folder move files already saved?
No. The new location applies to future downloads. Files already saved in the previous folder stay there until you move them.
If a test file still lands in the old folder, revisit the Downloads page and check Location and the save prompt one more time.
When I download my banking transactions in firefox,it open my financial app and downloads it there. My bank app asks e
where to download it to. In chrome it does not do that. I download to my desktop and then open it in my app.