Compare Revisions
Manage file types and download actions in Firefox
Revision 148561:
Revision 148561 by heyjoni on
Revision 149232:
Revision 149232 by AliceWyman on
Keywords:
Search results summary:
This article will describe how Firefox handles downloads for different types of files and how you can change that behavior.
This article will describe how Firefox handles downloads for different types of files and how you can change that behavior.
Content:
This article will describe how Firefox handles downloads for different types of files and how you can change that behavior.
*For help with download problems, see [[What to do if you can't download or save files]].
*For help with embedded media on web pages, see [[Fix common audio and video issues]].
*For help changing the e-mail program that Firefox uses, see [[Change the program used to open email links]].
__TOC__
= Download actions =
When you click a link to download a file, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_media_type Internet Media type], also called the MIME type or Content type, determines what action Firefox will take. You may already have an application {for not fx53}or [[Use plugins to play audio, video, games and more|plugin]]{/for} installed that will automatically handle the download. Other times, you may see a dialog asking whether you want to save the file or open it with a specific application. When you tell Firefox to open or save the file and also check the option to "Do this automatically for files like this from now on" ([[#w_adding-download-actions|see below]]), an entry for that type of file appears in the {for not fx56}[[Set how Firefox handles different types of files|Applications panel]] of your Firefox [[T:optionsorpreferences]]{/for}{for fx56}{menu General} panel of your Firefox [[T:optionsorpreferences]] under the '''Applications''' section{/for}.
= Changing download actions =
This will not affect media embedded in a web page - only links to the files themselves.
# [[T:optionspreferences]]
# {for not fx56}Select the {menu Applications} panel.{/for}{for fx56}In the {menu General} panel, go to the '''Applications''' section.{/for}
#Select the type of file for which you want to change the default action. {note}'''Multiple entries for the same [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_format file format or extension]?''' Some file types can include more than one Internet Media type.{/note}
# The Action column will give you a drop-down menu, with options on action to take, whenever you click that type of file.
#;{for not fx57}[[Image:Fx56General-Applications]]{/for}{for fx57}[[Image:applications 57]]{/for}
#*'''Preview in Firefox''': Select this if you want Firefox to display the content. It's only applicable to a limited number of types, those that Firefox is able to decode such as Podcast, Video Podcast, Web Feed, and PDF.
#*'''Always ask''': This will prompt you to select what action you want Firefox to take when you click on that type of file. This can be useful if Firefox is automatically saving a file type or is always opening it with a certain program and you want to be asked what to do.
#*'''Save File''': This will always save the file to your computer using the [[Find and manage downloaded files|Downloads window]], whenever you click that type of file.
#* '''Use ... : ''' Open the file with an application {for not fx53}or plugin{/for} of your choosing.
# [[Template:closeoptionspreferences]]
= Adding download actions =
<!-- http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions#Opening_dialog and https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=218257 -->
# On the web, find a link to a file matching the type you want to add.
# Click on the file link to download it.
# Select how you want Firefox to handle the file:
#* '''Open with''': Saves the file to a temporary folder and opens it in the default application for that file type. To select an application, click {button {for mac}Choose...{/for}{for win,linux}Browse...{/for}}. {warning}Do not choose Firefox to always open a certain file type, as doing so can cause a problem where [[Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link|Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link]].{/warning}
#* '''Save file''': Saves the file to the download folder (specified in the Firefox [[Startup, home page and download settings|General panel]]).
# In the Opening file window, check mark '''Do this automatically for files like this from now on'''.
#;{for win, linux}[[Image:Fx4WinOpeningFile]]{/for}{for mac }[[Image:MacOpeningFile]]{/for}
# Click {button OK}.
{note}'''Is Do this automatically for files like this from now on disabled?''' This can happen if the website's server incorrectly specifies the Internet Media type of the file. It also can happen if the server assigns "Content-Disposition: attachment" to the file. <!-- https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=453455 --> {/note}
This article will describe how Firefox handles downloads for different types of files and how you can change that behavior.
*For help with download problems, see [[What to do if you can't download or save files]].
*For help with embedded media on web pages, see [[Fix common audio and video issues]].
*For help changing the e-mail program that Firefox uses, see [[Change the program used to open email links]].
__TOC__
= Download actions =
When you click a link to download a file, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_media_type Internet Media type], also called the MIME type or Content type, determines what action Firefox will take. You may already have an application {for not fx53}or [[Use plugins to play audio, video, games and more|plugin]]{/for} installed that will automatically handle the download. Other times, you may see a dialog asking whether you want to save the file or open it with a specific application. When you tell Firefox to open or save the file and also check the option to "Do this automatically for files like this from now on" ([[#w_adding-download-actions|see below]]), a new Content Type entry for that type of file will appear in the {for not fx56}[[Set how Firefox handles different types of files|Applications panel]]{/for}{for fx56}under the '''Applications''' section of the {menu General} panel{/for} in Firefox [[T:optionsorpreferences]].
= Changing download actions =
You can change what action Firefox takes for defined content types. This will not affect media embedded in a web page - only links to the files themselves.
# [[T:optionspreferences]]
# {for not fx56}Select the {menu Applications} panel.{/for}{for fx56}In the {menu General} panel, go to the '''Applications''' section.{/for}
# Select the entry for the file type you want to change. {note}'''Multiple entries for the same [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_format file format or extension]?''' Some file types can include more than one Internet Media type.{/note}
# The Action column will give you a drop-down menu, with options on action to take, whenever you click that type of file.
#;{for not fx57}[[Image:Fx56General-Applications]]{/for}{for fx57}[[Image:applications 57]]{/for}
#*'''Preview in Firefox''': Select this if you want Firefox to display the content. It's only applicable to a limited number of types, those that Firefox is able to decode such as Podcast, Video Podcast, Web Feed, and PDF.
#*'''Always ask''': This will prompt you to select what action you want Firefox to take when you click on that type of file. This can be useful if Firefox is automatically saving a file type or is always opening it with a certain program and you want to be asked what to do.
#*'''Save File''': This will always save the file to your computer using the [[Find and manage downloaded files|Downloads window]], whenever you click that type of file.
#* '''Use ... : ''' Open the file with an application {for not fx53}or plugin{/for} of your choosing.
# [[Template:closeoptionspreferences]]
= Adding download actions =
<!-- http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions#Opening_dialog and https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=218257 -->
When you click on a link for a type of file that doesn't have a set content type and download action, Firefox will ask you how to handle the file:
;{for win, linux}[[Image:Fx4WinOpeningFile]]{/for}{for mac }[[Image:MacOpeningFile]]{/for}
* '''Open with''': Saves the file to a temporary folder and opens it in the default application for that file type. To select an application, click {for mac}{button Choose...}{/for}{for win,linux}{button Browse...}{/for}.
{warning}'''Warning:''' Do not choose Firefox to always open a certain file type, as doing so can cause a problem where [[Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link|Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link]].{/warning}
* '''Save file''': Saves the file to the download folder (specified in the {for not fx56}[[Startup, home page and download settings|General]]{/for}{for fx56}'''General''' {/for} panel of Firefox {for win}[[Firefox options, preferences and settings|Options]]{/for}{for mac,linux}[[Firefox options, preferences and settings|Preferences]]{/for}).
* '''Do this automatically for files like this from now on''': Check mark this setting and then click {button OK} to add a new entry to the Content Type list for that file type.
{note}'''Is ''Do this automatically for files like this from now on'' disabled?''' This can happen if the website's server incorrectly specifies the Internet Media type of the file. It also can happen if the server assigns "Content-Disposition: attachment" to the file. <!-- https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=453455 --> {/note}
= Resetting download actions for all content types =
If you are having problems with how Firefox is handling file downloads that you can't resolve, or if you just want to start fresh, you can restore the default content types and actions by manually deleting the file that stores these settings.
{note}This will remove all customized content type actions. You will have to make those changes over again after you take the following steps.{/note}
# [[T:profileFolder]]
# Close Firefox. [[T:closeFirefox]]
# Delete (or rename) the {for not fx55}{filepath mimeTypes.rdf}{/for}{for fx55}{filepath handlers.json} file{/for}.
# Restart Firefox.