How to Change Download Location in Chrome?

To change Chrome's download location, open Chrome and go to Settings → Downloads (or type chrome://settings/downloads in the address bar), click Change next to "Location," choose a new folder, and confirm. On Android, open Settings → Downloads → Download location and pick internal storage or SD card. On iOS, Chrome saves downloads in-app and you export them to the Files app. The sections below walk through each platform, the per-file save prompt, and how to fix a download path that won't change.

Where Does Chrome Save Downloads by Default?

Before you change anything, it helps to know where Chrome puts files out of the box. On every desktop operating system, Chrome targets the Downloads folder inside your user account, and on mobile it uses the platform's standard download storage. These are the starting points you will be moving away from.

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\Downloads
• macOS: /Users/<username>/Downloads
• Linux: /home/<username>/Downloads
• ChromeOS: the local Downloads folder in the Files app (stored on-device, not synced)
• Android: the device Download folder in internal storage
• iOS / iPadOS: Chrome's in-app Downloads area, exported to the Files app when you want them elsewhere

How to Change the Download Location in Chrome on Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)

The desktop flow is identical across Windows, macOS, and Linux. The only difference is the wording of the final confirmation button. Follow these steps:

• Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner, then choose Settings. As a shortcut, you can type chrome://settings/downloads directly into the address bar and press Enter.
• In the left sidebar, select Downloads. On older builds this sits under Advanced → Downloads.
• Next to Location, click Change.
• Browse to the folder you want to use as your new default and confirm with Select Folder on Windows or Open on macOS and Linux.
• The path next to Location now updates immediately, and every future download is saved there.

On ChromeOS the same Downloads settings panel is used; the Change button opens the Files app picker so you can point downloads at a local or Google Drive folder.

How to Make Chrome Ask Where to Save Each File

If you would rather decide the destination per download instead of using one fixed folder, Chrome has a dedicated toggle for that.

• Open chrome://settings/downloads.
• Turn on Ask where to save each file before downloading.
• From now on, every download triggers a Save As dialog so you can pick both the folder and the file name.

Testers often enable this toggle on purpose. When you are downloading multiple fixtures, exports, or report files in a single session, the per-file prompt prevents Chrome from silently overwriting an earlier file with the same name and keeps each artifact in a predictable place.

How to Change the Download Location in Chrome on Android

Chrome for Android exposes a narrower set of options than the desktop build. You can switch the storage target, but you cannot browse to an arbitrary custom folder.

• Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu, then Settings.
• Tap Downloads.
• Tap Download location and choose Internal storage or SD card.
• (Optional) Turn on Ask where to save files if your device offers it, so Chrome prompts you per download.

The key limitation: Android Chrome only toggles between internal storage and an SD card, with no custom-folder picker. By default, files land in the device Download folder. If you need a specific sub-folder, move files afterwards with a file manager.

How to Manage Chrome Downloads on iPhone and iPad (iOS)

On iOS and iPadOS, Chrome does not offer a persistent custom download folder. Files are first stored inside Chrome's own in-app Downloads area, and you then move them into the system Files app if you want them somewhere permanent.

• After downloading, open Chrome's More (…) menu and tap Downloads to see your files.
• To relocate a file, tap it, choose Share / Export, then Save to Files.
• Pick a destination such as On My iPhone or iCloud Drive.
• On newer Chrome iOS versions, tapping a download link lets you pick the destination through the iOS Files picker at download time.

In short, there is no equivalent to the desktop "set a default folder" setting on iOS. The Files app is the canonical place to organize anything you download in Chrome.

Troubleshooting: Chrome Download Location Not Changing

If the setting refuses to stick or files keep landing somewhere unexpected, one of the following is almost always the cause:

• The "Change" button is greyed out or the Downloads section is missing: the browser is managed by an administrator. An enterprise policy such as DownloadDirectory or DefaultDownloadDirectory locks the path. Open chrome://policy to see which policy is applied; on a work device, IT has to change it.
• Downloads still go to the old folder: the Ask where to save each file toggle may be on and overriding your default, an extension may be redirecting downloads, or you may be signed into a different Chrome profile with its own settings.
• The chosen folder is unavailable: if the target path no longer exists, lacks write permission, sits on a disconnected drive, or is on an unmounted SD card, Chrome silently falls back to the default Downloads folder.
• Still not working: restart Chrome, reset the location to the default and reconfigure it, then verify the path at chrome://settings/downloads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do Chrome downloads go by default?

By default Chrome saves downloads to the Downloads folder of your user account: C:\Users\<username>\Downloads on Windows, /Users/<username>/Downloads on macOS, and /home/<username>/Downloads on Linux. On Android, files go to the device Download folder, and on iOS they stay in Chrome's in-app Downloads area until you export them to the Files app.

Can I change the download folder in Chrome on Android?

Partially. Go to the three-dot menu, then Settings, Downloads, and Download location, where you can switch between Internal storage and SD card. Android Chrome does not let you pick an arbitrary custom folder, and many devices also offer an "Ask where to save files" toggle for per-download control.

Why is the "Change" button greyed out in Chrome download settings?

A greyed-out or missing Change button means the browser is managed by an administrator. An enterprise policy such as DownloadDirectory or DefaultDownloadDirectory locks the download path. Open chrome://policy to confirm the applied policy; on a corporate machine you will need IT to unlock or change it.

How do I make Chrome ask where to save every download?

Open chrome://settings/downloads and turn on "Ask where to save each file before downloading." After that, Chrome shows a Save As dialog for every download so you can choose the folder and file name each time instead of using the fixed default location.

Can I change Chrome's download location on iPhone?

There is no persistent custom default folder for Chrome on iOS. Downloads sit in Chrome's in-app Downloads area, which you open from the More menu. To move a file, tap it, choose Share or Export, then Save to Files and pick On My iPhone or iCloud Drive. Newer Chrome iOS builds let you choose a destination through the iOS Files picker at download time.

Why are my downloads still saving to the old folder?

Usually because the "Ask where to save each file" toggle is on, an extension is overriding the path, a different Chrome profile is active, or the new folder no longer exists or is on a disconnected drive or unmounted SD card. When the target path is unavailable, Chrome falls back to the default Downloads folder. Restart Chrome and re-verify at chrome://settings/downloads.

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