The Mystery of the Missing Downloads
Have you downloaded files yet been unable to find them afterward?
Have you asked yourself, “Where did my downloaded files go? Why can't I find them?”
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions then, this tech tip is for you.
Your browser chooses where downloads go, but you can control the process. By default, Internet
Explorer (version 8) asks where you want to save every file before downloading it. Chrome and
Firefox, however, make the choice for you, which leaves a lot of users scratching their heads after a
download is complete. Nevertheless, it's easy to change the default in either of those browsers.
Step by Step: Firefox
Step 1. In Firefox, click the Firefox button > Options, and
then select the General tab. Note the Downloads section,
where you have the option of choosing where all downloads
should go by default. Some people prefer the Desktop over
the default Downloads folder.
Step 2. Enable Always ask me where to save files, and
then click OK. Now, every time you download something,
Firefox will let you choose where to save it. Or you may
browse and select a default location for Firefox to save your
downloaded files.
Step by Step: Chrome
You can choose a location on your computer where downloads should be saved by default or pick a
specific destination for each download.
1.
Click the Chrome menu
on the browser toolbar.
2.
Select Settings.
3.
Click Show advanced settings and scroll down to the "Downloads" section.
o
To change the default download location, click Change and select where you'd like your
o
files to be saved.
If you'd rather choose a specific location for each download, select the "Ask where to
save each file before downloading" checkbox.
One other clue to consider
If you don't pay attention to the names of the files you're downloading, you may not know how to
find the right item, even if you succeed in navigating to the right folder.
The solution: Sort all of the files by date, from newest to oldest. The top file is your most recent
download.