How to change the download location in Google Chrome

When you download files and media from the web, you don’t want to stack everything in one folder on PC or Mac. The current industry leader, Google Chrome, offers an option to change the download folder location on computer and mobile. Here’s how to change the download location in Google Chrome on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android OS.

You may be downloading the latest Thanksgiving wallpapers and of course you don’t want to confuse it with software and other content downloaded from Google Chrome.

Let’s start with Google Chrome on Windows, and then we’ll move to another operating system.

Google Chrome for Windows

By default, Google Chrome saves files in the Downloads folder on the PC. However, you can change the folder location from the Settings menu. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on Windows.

Step 2: Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.

Step 3: Go to the Settings menu.

Step 4: Select Advanced from the left sidebar.

Step 5: Click Download.

Step 6: Check the current download location. Click Change and select a different folder as the default location in File Manager.

You can also create a new folder in the File Manager or save files from Google Chrome to the OneDrive or Google Drive folder. Select a relevant folder and click Select Folder in the dialog box.

From now on, Google Chrome will use the specified folder as the default download location on PC.

Google Chrome for Mac

Unlike Google Chrome’s mobile apps, the browser uses the same user interface/UX on Windows and Mac. The steps to change Chrome download location are identical as mentioned above.

Instead of selecting a folder in the File Manager, the only difference is that you have to select a new folder from the Finder menu. Here’s what to do.

Step 1: Go to Google Chrome Settings on Mac.

Step 2: Select Downloads from the Advanced menu.

Step 3: Click Change and the Finder menu will open.

You can create a new folder in Finder or select an existing one. If you’ve integrated OneDrive or Google Drive with Finder, you can select a folder from these cloud storage services and keep downloaded files synced across all platforms.

This is how many GT members use Google Chrome on Mac. We store these files directly in OneDrive so that they are immediately available on other devices.

Google Chrome for Android

Understandably, Google Chrome stores downloaded files in the phone storage. If your Android phone supports SD card slot, you can change device storage location to external SD card.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on Android.

Step 2: Tap the three-dot menu at the top.

Step 3: Select Download.

Step 4: It will open the Downloads menu.

Step 5: Tap the Settings gear at the top.

Step 6: Tap Download location and select SD card.

If there is no SD card installed on your Android phone, you cannot change the download locations folder in the phone storage.

In the same menu, you need to enable the “Ask where to save files” switch. After that, when you try to save media from Google Chrome, you will be asked to choose Downloads folder or SD card. That way you can change the download location without messing with the Google Chrome settings.

Google Chrome for iPhone

iPhone does not come with SD card support. You will have to rely on another trick to change the download location along the way.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on iPhone.

Step 2: Whenever you come across a media to download on iPhone, long tap on it and select Open media in the new tab.

Step 3: On the new tab page, you will see an “Open in” option at the bottom.

Step 4: The move opens the Share menu. Scroll down and select the Save to files option.

It opens the default Files app on the iPhone. You can select iPhone storage or one of the integrated cloud storage services to save the file.

Unfortunately, iPhone does not remember your preferred folder to save Google Chrome download files. You have to do that every time to change Google Chrome download location on your iPhone.

Save Google Chrome files to desired location

It is quite easy to change the download location in Google Chrome be it desktop or mobile. Using the above tricks, you can change the download location in Google Chrome and organize files more efficiently.