Firefox will not allow me to download files

We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

I clink a link to start a download and it will not give me the prompt to save the file nor does it automatically start the download to a directory I have chosen is options. I have closed the browser and rebooted and nothing seems to fix the issue.

Firefox Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode that temporarily turns off hardware acceleration, resets some settings, and disables add-ons extensions and themes. If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode , your problem is probably caused by an extension, theme, or hardware acceleration. If downloading certain file types does not work, check to make sure Firefox is not set to handle those file types differently from others.

See Change what Firefox does when you click on or download a file for instructions on how to view and change how different file types are handled. Internet security software, including firewalls , antivirus programs, anti-spyware programs, and others can block certain file downloads. Check the settings in your security software to see if there is an setting that may be blocking downloads. To diagnose whether Internet security software is causing problems, you can try temporarily disabling it, seeing if downloads work, and then re-enabling the software.

Downloading an executable file e. This happens because Firefox honors your Windows security settings for downloading applications and other potentially unsafe files from the Internet. To resolve this problem, use the solution given below. You can reset your system Internet security settings in Internet Explorer. You may be able to diagnose your download problem by following the steps given in the Troubleshoot and diagnose Firefox problems article.

Based on information from Unable to save or download files mozillaZine KB. Grow and share your expertise with others. Answer questions and improve our knowledge base. This article will describe how Firefox handles downloads for different types of files and how you can change that behavior.

When you click a link to download a file, you may see a dialog asking whether you want to save the file or open it with a specific application, if Firefox cannot handle the file internally. The Media type , also called the MIME type or Content type , as configured by the web server, will determine what action Firefox will take. When you tell Firefox to open or save the file and also check the option to "Do this automatically for files like this from now on" see below , a new Content Type and Action entry for that type of file will appear in the Applications section of the General panel in Firefox Options Preferences Settings.

You can change what action Firefox takes for defined content types. This will not affect media embedded in a web page - only links to the files themselves. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and select Preferences.

Click the menu button and select Options Preferences. Click the menu button and select Settings. When you click on a link and Firefox doesn't have a content type and download action set up for that type of file, Firefox will ask you how to handle the file:. If you are having problems with how Firefox is handling file downloads that you can't resolve, or if you just want to start fresh, you can restore the default content types and actions by manually deleting the file that stores these settings.

Grow and share your expertise with others.