Change download folder

How can I change the destination of files I download from the internet? I don't necessarily want them going to the "Donloads" folder. I want to have a choice, or specify a different folder altogether. Windows users have this option, I have to believe us Mac users do to. Thanks for whatever help I can get!

Sorry I'm new to MAC. These replies seem to be just showing how you can change the default.
I receive many files a day from customers. I need to select the folder where I put the file each time.
I don't want to change the default download folder or create a preset list of Favourites where I can download.
Any list would be too long to be practical.
On Windows if I set my browser to always ask me for each download then I get an explorer browse window.
I can browse to any existing folder on my drive or even create a new subfolder for the download on the fly.
At the moment (rather absurdly) I'm running Chrome in Windows in Parallels so that I can do this.
Surely there must be a way to browse for the folder natively in OS X?

Similar Messages

Firefox unexpectedly changes download folder

After upgrade to FF7.0.1 (on Win7 Pro-64) I sometimes see a strange behaviour: while downloading a couple of files to the same folder, FF does occasionally change to another download folder - without request.
I.e. I save files to folder A, suddenly FF offers me folder B. After choosing back to A, a couple of files later FF offers folder G, and so on.
While working 10 - 12 hours with my PC, this happens once or twice a day. It doesn't depend on the file's format, happens with docs, videos, pics, pdfs, zips and other formats.

Since 6 months, while using and upgrading releases (from FF7 up to currently FF12.0, on Win7 prof 64) that behaviour "unexpectedly changes download folder" still shows up. Sometimes after the 2nd or 3rd file, sometimes not until the 10th ... numbers are changing.
So, former ideas "mime types could be a reason" won't work, because - in my case - the mime types of the downloaded files (i.e. series of pics from same address, series of movies from same address of my internet video recorder save.tv) are always the same (proved!)
Result: there is still work to do - good luck!

Having trouble with downloads; cannot change downloads folder; items save to downloads folder but I cannot open them;it save all downloads as a .part file

I cannot download any attachments. I get the pop up message to save it, I save it but it saves all attachments as a .part file which cannot be opened (or it just opens in Word even when it is a music/sound file.
Also, I tried to change the folder I download to and it will not let me. I click "choose" in the downloads prefs area but it does not let me change it. the button is unresponsive.

Lion hides the Library directory, but there are instructions on this page that describe how to make it visible.
* http://osxdaily.com/2011/07/04/show-library-directory-in-mac-os-x-lion/
In Snow Leopard, the Firefox profile is in User/<username>/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/<randomname>.default. I am assuming that the path has not changed in Lion.
Finding something in the Library used to be easy before Apple decided that Spotlight should no longer access it, so I have taken to using Easyfind instead. If the path to the profile has changed in Lion, you could still find it by searching for cookies.sqlite, but you cannot use Spotlight for that. Easyfind is much more versatile anyway.

Cannot change download folder on pc

I cannot change the download and upload folders thru "icloud on my pc"

Let me check that.

How do I change download folder

change from default folder to desktop for example

Options > General > Save files to - browse to the folder you want to use.

How to (successfully) change Mail Downloads folder?

Hi,
I've been trying to wrestle with my Mail Downloads folder location without success, so I thought I would ask.
I dislike having a separate "Mail Downloads" folder because stuff accumulates endlessly there. The default Mail Downloads is at ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads. Here's what I have tried:
The obvious: change "Downloads folder" in Mail prefs. No matter what I choose, the files are still downloaded to the default folder.
I removed ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads and made it a symlink to my ~/Downloads folder (where I'd like to put everything). This causes opening attachments from Mail to hang (I have to save them first, and then open from the saved location). I get these messages in Console (in this example, trying to open an attachment named "Manual.pdf", and PID 56818 is the Mail app):
9/13/12 11:52:29.707 AM CoreServicesUIAgent[56818]: Quarantine resolution refused to pid 56809 because it is not allowed to read /Users/a10022/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads/Manual.pdf
9/13/12 11:52:29.000 AM kernel[0]: Sandbox: sandboxd(56817) deny mach-lookup com.apple.coresymbolicationd
9/13/12 11:52:30.221 AM sandboxd[56817]: ([56809]) Mail(56809) deny file-issue-extension /Users/a10022/Downloads/Manual.pdf
9/13/12 11:52:30.238 AM sandboxd[56817]: ([56809]) Mail(56809) deny file-issue-extension /Users/a10022/Downloads/Manual.pdf
9/13/12 11:52:30.253 AM sandboxd[56817]: ([56809]) Mail(56809) deny file-issue-extension /Users/a10022/Downloads/Manual.pdf
Any thoughts? The symlink trick was working fine in Lion and before, the trouble started with the upgrade to Mountain Lion.
Thanks,
--Diego

Hi,
I have spent quit some time on this and there is no decent option to do so. Mail is a buggy product since it ignores the default preferences. Old tricks with the symbolic link don't work. Most likely because Apple wants you to look at all the nice inline attachments in stead of treating them as a real attachment. Just like they do in their commercials.
I found some posts on how to move it to another disk but that was not my goal. So in the end, there was only one option left for me and that is to just make it a faourite folder in my finder so I can at least review it daily to clean it up.
Sorry for not having a desent fix but this works for me.
Good luck!

Mesh enabling Downloads folder stopd Firefox opening it?

I have my Dowloads folder sync'd to all my other computers using Microsoft's Mesh system. When I got a new computer, downloading a file would produce the downloads list and allow me to run prog or open containing folder. Once I pointed downloads to a Live Mesh folder (so I only have to download a file once) this all stopped working. The downloads box opens and the file starts downloading OK, if I am quick enough I can right click the downloading file and "open containing folder" but if not, the download finishes and then the file vanishes from the list (its still in the folder and been downloaded OK, just not easily accessible from Firefox download window??
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== Changed download folder to Mesh Live folder

Yeah, thanks but that's not what I was trying to ask.
I know that you can save and open a document by performing these three steps:
1. Confirming to save a file to the Downloads folder
2. Open the download manager by clicking the temporarily green arrow
3. Clicking on the downloaded file
What I would like to know is whether or not it is possible to have Firefox open a saved file ''automatically''. At the moment, if I choose to open it automatically, it is only saved to my temp folder.
It would be great though if it was saved to my Downloads folder ''and'' opened with the respective program on my pc. Is there a way to do this?

BetterPrivacy changed destination Folder to removable! tried Reset FF to factory status without any sucess!

checking Plugins, I always get Flash player outdated! I discovered that Better Privacy Changed downloading folder to removable. How can I fix this problem? even setting FF several times to its factory setting is not helpful.

That's the latest version, and you can see above under Question Details - More System Details that it's available to websites.
Since I don't see any obvious issues, I suggest you perform a clean install of Flash Player as described below. It's admittedly tedious, but it's an effective cure-all for most Flash Player problems.
# From the following page, save the uninstaller somewhere handy, like the desktop.
#* [http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html#main_Download_the_Adobe_Flash_Player_uninstaller Uninstall Flash Player for Windows | Adobe Support]
# From the following page, save the installer for other browsers. If you also use Flash Player in Internet Explorer, also save the ActiveX version.
#* [http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/installation-problems-flash-player-windows.html#main-pars_text_4 Direct downloads of Flash Player for Windows | Adobe Support]
# Exit all applications.
# Run the uninstaller.
# In Windows Explorer, try to open the following folders. If they still exist, delete them manually.
#* <pre>C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\</pre>
#* <pre>C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash\</pre>
#* <pre>%AppData%\Adobe\Flash Player\</pre>
#* <pre>%AppData%\Macromedia\Flash Player\</pre>
# Restart your computer.
# Run the installer for other browsers.
# Run the ActiveX installer if you downloaded it.
If you continue having issues afterwards, please attach a screenshot of the problem.
* [[How do I create a screenshot of my problem?]]

Changing "Mail Downloads" folder for attachments

It seems in Leopard Mail, when you double click an attachment to open it, it is temporarily saved to ~/Library/Mail Downloads. This is in contrast to (I think) Tiger, where it would be saved to the Downloads folder set in the General preferences. There is still a setting for the Downloads folder in the General preferences, and according to the help window, it is to "Specify the folder in which to temporarily save attachments you open from a message". To me, that means the same as the Tiger behavior. However, if I change this preference to, say, "Desktop", it seems opening an attachment (not explicitly saving it) still saves it to the ~/Library/Mail Downloads folder, not the assigned folder. Is this the correct behavior? If so, the help window is misleading. Personally, I would like the option to change this folder, although I suppose there are workarounds such as changing the Mail Downloads folder to an alias of the desired destination folder.
thanks.

Ok, so much for that clever workaround. Doesn't work, Mail just throws up an error and refuses to save the attachment. Any other ideas? I just want Mail to auto-save opened attachments onto the Desktop, in case I forget to explicitly save it, and so I don't have to root into subfolders to find it.

Mail.app prefs. fail to change location of Downloads folder.

I recently migrated my mail from Eudora to Mail.app (Mac Pro, OS 10.6.8). I usedthe Mail.app Preferences to change the location of the Downloads (i.e. attachments) folder from the default location (Users>Library>Mail Downloads) to the subfolder in the OS Downloads folder that I used in Eudora. Despite this my attachments still end up in the default location. Help please!
As an aside I would be running straight back to Eudora were it not for the death sentence pronounced by the absence of Rosetta in Lion. Here are some comments that I recently posted to the TidBits newsletter where there is an excellent article by Adam Engst on making the changeover to Mail.app:
The major surprise for me was how really crude the Mail.app experience seems after 14 years of using Eudora. The way Mail handles mailboxes has been a source of major frustration. With Eudora I found it convenient to create separate Eudora Folders for my three accounts, each accessible via an alias of the respective settings file in the dock. That way I could locate an item that I need much faster than when the mailboxes (and their subfolders) for all three accounts are crammed into a single sidebar - especially as mailbox folders enclosing subfolders will not open with a double click, precise clicking on the triangle is required. The ability to access mailboxes from the Eudora Mailbox menu - drilling down through successive subfolders, if required - is vastly superior. Similarly Mail's procedure for moving messages and/or creating rules is really primitive compared to Eudora's facility to create destination mailboxes as part of a single seamless process. Given that development of Eudora ground to a halt in 2006 one could be forgiven for expecting a lot better from Apple's in-house e-mail client in 2011.

Mike,
Where in the Sidebar to the Mail window do you see any Sent mailboxes? Is there one beneath the Inbox when viewing at home? Check and report the settings at Mail Preferences/Accounts/Mailbox Behaviors, please. If you have to do this when at home, I understand. There is a way to instruct Mail to use a particular folder for a particular purpose that probably needs to be done on the home computer, but I would like to know those preference settings before proceeding with that.
Ernie

After having the Apple Store erase my HD, now I need authentication and password to move things from a downloads folder to another folder in Finder. WHY? And how can I change this?

I'm trying to move things from the downloads folder into a folder that is over there on the left in the sidebar. Every time I try to move something, I get this message and then I have to give my password. I didn't have to do that previously and I sure don't want to do it now, either. I've checked and checked and cannot find where I would go to change this setting. Does anyone know where I should look?
The Apple Store erased my HD on Friday and I had to restore from Time Machine. my OS is Mavericks and I'm on a MacBook Pro.

That has been like that since Firefox 3.0 was released in June 2008 - 7 major version releases thus far with it like that and the developers haven't changed it - so I wouldn't count on it.
When I want to save a duplicate bookmark, I just "grab" the website image in the Location Bar and drag it into the Bookmarks Sidebar, into the folder where I want it placed. On Windows and Linux, { Ctrl + B } opens the sidebar and then just drag.

Downloads used to open after download. NOw they just end up in the download folder and I have to go to the folder to find it and open it. I did not change seettings, maybe an update changed it? I cannot find a way to change this in settings.

Downloads used to open after download. NOw they just end up in the download folder and I have to go to the folder to find it and open it. I did not change seettings, maybe an update changed it? I cannot find a way to change this in settings.
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== A week or two ago. Not sure if result of most recent update.

Downloads used to open after download. NOw they just end up in the download folder and I have to go to the folder to find it and open it. I did not change seettings, maybe an update changed it? I cannot find a way to change this in settings.
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== A week or two ago. Not sure if result of most recent update.

How can I change the view of Download Folder in Dock

I used to have my Download Folder in my Dock show up as a vertical string of icons with the latest at the bottom, when I clicked on the Folder. I recently had to drag the Downloads Folder back into the Dock after it had disappeared from there. After doing that I now notice when I click on the Downloads icon in the Dock, it now shows up as a page full of icons. I prefer the original vertical listing. How can I change it back?
Hope someone can help on this one. Thanks.

That's not an option. Under Display As, you have the view options for Downloads

How do I change the default folder that opens when uploading a file to the internet from my mac? (at the moment it automatically defaults to 'Downloads' folder)

How do I change the default folder that opens when uploading a file to the internet from my mac? (at the moment it automatically defaults to 'Downloads' folder)
For example...
I am on a webiste and wish to upload a photo.
I click on select file on the website
Finder opens and defaults to 'Downloads' folder (it happens with all wesbites)
How do I change this?

I am on a webiste and wish to upload a photo.
I click on select file on the website
You are attempting to download the picture to your computer not uploading photo to the website if I am understanding you correctly.
To change the download direction, you must do so through your browser's Preferences. If you are using Safari, hopefully, someone who uses Safari will help you and/or post over in their forums. I do not use Safari.
If using Firefox>Preferences>General>Save Files to:

Automatically changing Safari's downloads folder

I want to have a automator script which can automatically change Safari's downloads folder. How should i do?

If you don't mind using GUI Scripting, and provided Safari is already open, the following script should do the trick:
set downloadsPath to "/POSIX/path/of/destination/folder"
tell application "Safari" to activate
tell application "System Events" to tell process "Safari"
    click menu item "Preferences…" of menu 1 of menu bar item "Safari" of menu bar 1
    click button "General" of toolbar 1 of window 1
    tell window "General"
        click pop up button 5 of group 1 of group 1 -- "Save downloaded files to:"
        key code 125 -- down arrow
        keystroke return -- "Other…"
        keystroke downloadsPath & return
        delay 1
        tell sheet 1
            if exists static text "The folder can’t be found." of sheet 1 then
                display dialog "This folder can't be found:" & return & downloadsPath buttons {"OK"} default button 1 with icon 1 giving up after 10
                click button "Cancel" of sheet 1
                click button "Cancel"
            else
                click button "Select"
            end if
        end tell
        click button 1 -- close the window
    end tell
end tell
Tested under OS X 10.9 “Mavericks” with version 7.0 (9537.71) of Safari.
Message was edited by: Pierre L. (added “delay 1”)

Change download folder

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