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.

firefox downloads a copy of opened file to downloads folder

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 28 views
  • Last reply by AliceWyman

more options

Since 99.01 upgrade, when we open a pdf document, preferences set to always ask, firefox also downloads a copy to downloads folder

Since 99.01 upgrade, when we open a pdf document, preferences set to always ask, firefox also downloads a copy to downloads folder

Chosen solution

Try this method in which previous FF "ask" gives you the choice what to do.

FF99.xx and Some tips to make it work. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1374212

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (4)

more options
more options

There are ways to change the destination folder to, for example, your temp folder. One is outlined in the thread linked below. (Remove the blank space in the link.)

https://www.reddit. com/r/firefox/comments/trnirr/a_work_around_for_open_with_option_for_downloads/

more options

The workaround to change the destination folder to, for example, your temp folder mentioned in https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/trnirr/a_work_around_for_open_with_option_for_downloads/ is also described here: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1375403#answer-1500700

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer said

Before Firefox 98, Firefox would start the background download in the Windows system Temp folder. Firefox 98 stopped using that folder, so now it is using your default download folder -- the one listed next to "Save files to" on the Settings page. <snip> As an example of how to get those out of your way, this is I'm doing for now for the download folder setting: (1) Change the default download folder to a "temp" folder I created (2) Set Firefox to always ask where I want to save a file so I can choose a real folder when I want to keep the file On the Settings page, it looks like this:

For more information on changing your downloads folder settings, see Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox

more options

P.S. If your main issue is that viewing a PDF file in Firefox also saves a copy to your downloads folder:

You can view PDF files in Firefox without saving a copy, if you set Portable Document Format (PDF) files to "Open in Firefox" in Firefox Settings -> Applications:

Fx91Applications-PDF-Win

See these articles for more information: