Choose how Firefox handles the files you download from the web.

[GaBaN]

With version 98.0 the saving of .exe files won't ''ask me'' if i want to save the file like in previous versions.I read that the default saving attitude now is auto-saving. I have changed to ''always ask'' most of my content type like it was before, but the .exe type is missing. Please fix this on next version because a misclick - autosaving a .exe file can make things pretty bad. I have tried finding the ''Old Firefox'' folder in order to replace my old prefs.js but i guess newer versions have stopped using that folder.So please fix it.

[jscher2000]

Hopefully the Downloads list opening will be made optional. For now, you may need to use a hidden setting to turn it off:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox. Please keep in mind that changes made through this back door aren't fully supported and aren't guaranteed to continue working in the future.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste browser.download.alwaysOpenPanel and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the preference to switch the value from true to false

[FakeSam]

I really liked the old downloads system. It gave me peace of mind to know that Firefox would alert me of it wanting to download something, even if those fears are misguided. In addition, sometimes I would rather just open something than download and then delete the file. It would be nice if this new downloads system could be kept, but also if there was an option to download things the old way.

[keyboard_pilot]

Yes this "improvement" needs to be rolled back at once. What a terrible tone-deaf idea. I thought mozilla was more in touch with their users than this.

Stay true to your brand. Give us the option to open or save. There is no harm in that. (Whereas as the chrome drive-by malware incident showed, auto download actually is potentially more harmful)

Plenty of reasons why as other commenters have brought up.Security, convenience, choice, efficiency of clicks,

Sometimes, I just want to open and consult a report; not have it on my harddisk, or have to rename reports every time I pull one from the interwebs.

Don't worry, if I make changes, the spreadsheet software/text processors/etc. will prompt me to save. That was an inane justification for doing it this way from the start...

[DJLegin]

There was for nothing wrong with the old way, in fact it was less annoying. I can see why Mozilla have done this as it follows the behaviour in MS Edge and Chrome downloads that I have to use at work. I have never used the download folder as I direct my downloads to specific folders on whatever drive I need my downloads to be in.  At least give us users the option to easily revert from one or the other so letting us users decide what works best In the way we use the browser. Thanks Ujudkma for how to change it.

[krkushal]

I would insist the users to choose whether to save or not. This was the primary reason I was using Mozilla over Chrome.
Developers needs to reconsider this please, upgrade should be beneficial not remove the features which are good.

[MarianoFacciari]

Why on earth did they let a decision of the UX team be made by a dev?

[Bioroide]

Yes, please. Revert it or at least make it optional. This was a terrible idea and it affects my daily workflow. It's really making me consider stop using Firefox.

[jejkoojej]

Please do revert it! If, for whatever reason you need this as it is set it as default setting leaving us an option to choose otherwise. It's so annoying><'

[mango]

I don't feel the new downloads behavior has to be reverted. I do believe there needs to be a permanent option or preference to revert the downloads behavior to the way longtime Firefox users are familiar with.

[KeepItSimple]

I created an account here just to complain about this issue. On top of being very upset about this problem, now I am also upset about how complicated it is to give feedback to the Firefox team.  I open way more files than I need to download. And my download folders are already a mess. There are people who say you can fix it by changing the browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel option in about:config but that didn't work for me. If they don't fix this soon, I will have to install an older version of firefox (which in the long run will be a security issue) or switch to another browser.

[macminer]

The new download system completely broke my workflow. In many sites there's a "download" button, which so far allowed the file (mostly images) to be directly opened in my chosen application (and then saved, perhaps with modifications, if I wish to). Now I have to download the file, click on it and only then view it. Completely unnecessary change! Please restore the old system or at least leave it as an option.

[Anonymous]

Here's how Firefox can fix the downloads and improve it at the same time.

[RobReads]

I daily download MANY files to grade students' assignments, exercises, etc.  I open the files (not save to disk), I review them, and I close them.  Done!  I do NOT want those files saved to my Downloads directory, causing me to have to go delete them afterwards. 

Up until version 98 Firefox worked perfectly for me - WHY is Firefox now deciding for me that these files MUST be saved?

Please make it THE USER's choice, not the Firefox development team's choice, how I work on MY machine!  At the very least allow me to opt out of this annoying behavior in the settings, but preferably, let people opt in for this, keeping the "old" way as the default.

[RickA]

Please restore the "Always ask" feature for downloads exactly like it was before the 98.0 update.

[panchorob]

Please stop the downloads list from opening every time I do a download!