How to manage downloads in Microsoft Edge

Managing your Microsoft Edge downloads is a cinch! With the Downloads menu, you can take control of where your files go, see how long your downloads will take, and open, search for, and delete files right in Microsoft Edge. Stay organized and streamline your workflow with these download management tips.

Control where your files go

When you download a file in Microsoft Edge, a pop-up window asks if you want to save it or cancel the download. By default, Microsoft Edge saves downloads to your computer’s Downloads folder. By selecting Save as, you can choose the destination folder every time, but you can also set Microsoft Edge to autosave downloads to your preferred destination. Change the default download folder with these steps:

1. Navigate to the ellipses (…) in the upper-right corner of your browser.
2. Select Settings.
3. Scroll down to Downloads.
4. Choose your preferred download folder in the Location area by selecting Change.
5. Choose whether you want to be asked where to download each file by toggling Ask me what to do with each download on or off.

Do more with the Downloads menu

Microsoft Edge built-in Downloads menu makes it easy to keep your files organized and save time. It keeps track of how long a download will take and notifies you when it’s finished, so you don’t have to wait or wonder. To find the Downloads menu, Select … in the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge and scroll down to Downloads or select Ctrl + J.

The Downloads menu will show files you’ve saved recently. You can open the file directly, open the folder to which it’s saved, or delete it directly from Microsoft Edge—no need to open another window! At the top of the menu, you can open the Downloads folder, search for files, manage download options, or pin the Downloads menu to the address bar. If you’ve moved or deleted a file, it will still show up in the Downloads menu, but with a strikethrough across the file name. Select … in the Downloads menu and Clear all download history if you want to remove missing, incomplete, or deleted files.

Open Microsoft 365 files directly in Microsoft Edge

If you frequently work with Microsoft 365 files, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations, you can open them in Microsoft Edge instead of saving them to your computer.

In the Settings menu, under Downloads, toggle on Open Office files in the browser. This makes it easy to work with files directly in Microsoft Edge, which can be convenient for collaborating and tracking changes, instead of navigating to a specific location on your hard drive or dealing with duplicate copies.

Managing downloads is a breeze, thanks to your browser’s intuitive interface, seamless integrations, and powerful features. Try Microsoft Edge today to take full advantage of a smoother browsing experience.