BleepingComputer.com: Change Locations for Downloads

The default locations for Vista downloads seems to be C:\users\your name\downloads. However, I would prefer them to go someplace easier to find, like my Desktop or my Junk subdirectory. I checked all over MS's Knowledge base & in the Vista help installed on my PC, but cannot find how to do this.

I'm sure it's really basic, but it looks like I'm having a blonde moment on this one...

Thanks for the help... you people ROCK!!!

What Browser do you use?

If you use FireFox you can save them to desktop by,

Tools
Options
Main tab

Save files to:

Next to that it says Browse, browse for desktop click ok then click ok again.

Internet Explorer, im not sure sorry.

samuel3, on Aug 1 2009, 05:24 PM, said:

Thanks, Samuel3, that's just what I was looking for! I guess after the last FF version update some of my default settings were lost; this was one of them.

Meanwhile, if anyone has the same info for IE 8, I would be grateful. Even though it isn't my primary browser, some websites still are wonky with FF & I occasionally am forced to use IE.

Take care, eh?!

Here's the way to change IE's default location, from Microsoft's official website. It involves editing the registry, so please let me know if you need instructions on that:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To change the default folder to which Internet Explorer will save items, you must change the value for Personal in the following registry keys to specify the new location:
HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

The first time your try to save a file to the new location, it may still save the file to the default location, of My Documents. After saving the file, the correct location should appear the next time you save a file in Internet Explorer.


Found this here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/258867

InsanityOnABun, on Aug 1 2009, 11:28 PM, said:

I went to the knowledge base article, which was last updated in Jan 07. Not only does it indicate that it applies to versions of Windows prior to Vista (the "most recent" being Win 98), but it makes no mention of this being applicable to IE8.

So no offense, but I'm going to pass on this one...

So... has anyone come up with a solution for this?

In a way you can't and at the same time you can. IE asks you each time where you want to download the file to. Hit browse and scroll through til you find where you want to put it.