Avatar for Username

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 archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Firefox randomly choosing download location

  • 3 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 97 views
  • Last reply by JoeyH3

JoeyH3
JoeyH3
more options

In Firefox, I have my preferences set to ask me where to save downloaded files. However, whenever I download a file, Firefox randomly chooses a folder I've saved files to previously, instead of the last location used.

For example, if I needed to download ten PDF documents, I would click to download the first one, navigate to my PDF folder, and save it. However, when I click to download the second one, the "save as" box will randomly be at another location, such as my pictures folder, my downloads folder, etc. There doesn't seem to be any pattern either indicating which folder it will choose either.

So basically, when I'm downloading multiple files to the same location, a lot of the times I will have to constantly have to navigate to that location for each file, instead of Firefox simply remembering where I saved the previous file to.

In Firefox, I have my preferences set to ask me where to save downloaded files. However, whenever I download a file, Firefox randomly chooses a folder I've saved files to previously, instead of the last location used. For example, if I needed to download ten PDF documents, I would click to download the first one, navigate to my PDF folder, and save it. However, when I click to download the second one, the "save as" box will randomly be at another location, such as my pictures folder, my downloads folder, etc. There doesn't seem to be any pattern either indicating which folder it will choose either. So basically, when I'm downloading multiple files to the same location, a lot of the times I will have to constantly have to navigate to that location for each file, instead of Firefox simply remembering where I saved the previous file to.

Chosen solution

Current Firefox versions remember the download directory based upon the URL, so if the URL changes then the default folder may be chosen if there hasn't been selected a download folder before for that server.

Firefox 11+ versions have support via browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite pref to disable to disable the feature to remember the download directory based upon the URL.
The browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite pref doesn't exist by default (it is hidden).
Create a new Boolean pref with the name browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite and set the value to false.
You may have the clear the "Site Preferences" via Clear Recent History to remove already stored data.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

Swarnava Sengupta
Swarnava Sengupta
  • Locale Leader
more options

Upgrade your browser :

See How to fix preferences that won't save article

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

Current Firefox versions remember the download directory based upon the URL, so if the URL changes then the default folder may be chosen if there hasn't been selected a download folder before for that server.

Firefox 11+ versions have support via browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite pref to disable to disable the feature to remember the download directory based upon the URL.
The browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite pref doesn't exist by default (it is hidden).
Create a new Boolean pref with the name browser.download.lastDir.savePerSite and set the value to false.
You may have the clear the "Site Preferences" via Clear Recent History to remove already stored data.

JoeyH3
JoeyH3 Question owner
more options

That did the trick, thank you :D