We Can Not Change Google Chrome Browser Default Download Directory...

lawalty · Aug 22, 2013

I purchased a 32gb micro memory card (class 10) for my beloved Note2. Then I updated my Google Chrome browser for Android. I made it my default browser. I noticed, all my files I download goes to my internal phone memory.

I tried to figure out how to change the default download directory, with no success. It's just not possible. I'm coming from stock browser, which uses external memory. Also, Dolphin HD browser uses external memory, but not Chrome!

Not Chrome!

tony yayo · Aug 22, 2013

Someone correct me but, may have to do with Nexus phones not having an SD card slot and its probably the Nexus' default browser? For some reason they carried that throughout?

lawalty · Aug 22, 2013

Yeah, i thought of that also. But for us with removable external memory cards, it's a pain to keep manually moving my downloaded "stuff" from the storage/sdcard0/download folder to the storage/extSdCard/downIoad folder. It's a shame they can't put it in the settings somewhere.

ttabbal · Aug 23, 2013

You could probably use one of the bind Mount utilities from the market to mount the download directory over to the external card.

lawalty · Aug 23, 2013

ttabbal said:
You could probably use one of the bind Mount utilities from the market to mount the download directory over to the external card.

However, I would need a rooted phone.

Don't misunderstand me. I rooted all my Android phones up to my Note 2 (Vibrant, G2, SGS2) however not my Note 2 yet. Its because I use Isis wallet.

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lawalty · Aug 23, 2013

How about a download manager? I have been researching for a solution, and came across these download managers. I noticed that If you install these apps, when you attempt to download anything, it asks if you want to use the download manager or "internet". Why can't the download manager point to my "download" folder on my external SD card.

ttabbal · Aug 23, 2013

lawalty said:
How about a download manager? I have been researching for a solution, and came across these download managers. I noticed that If you install these apps, when you attempt to download anything, it asks if you want to use the download manager or "internet". Why can't the download manager point to my "download" folder on my external SD card.

You would need one that's configurable for that. I imagine that's more up to the download manager app than anything else. There has to be one that lets you pick the destination directory.

You could also try something like Script Manager, write a quick script to copy the files over to the external, then delete them from the internal. It wouldn't need root as the sdcard directories don't respect permissions by design. Then set it to run once an hour or similar. The "script" could be as simple as "mv /sdcard/download/* /extSdCard/" .... Assuming "mv" doesn't get angry about them being different filesystems. If not, a "cp" followed by an "rm" would do the same thing. Or you could get fancy and use a loop to check that the files got copied over before deleting the original... lots of options.

Google's hate toward removable storage is irritating.

KennyG123 · Aug 24, 2013

lawalty said:
How about a download manager? I have been researching for a solution, and came across these download managers. I noticed that If you install these apps, when you attempt to download anything, it asks if you want to use the download manager or "internet". Why can't the download manager point to my "download" folder on my external SD card.

If you are going that route why not just choose the stock Android browser for downloads and that has an option to download to memory card? You would have to clear defaults in Chrome if you already had chosen to use that to download as default.

Cubicsilver · Aug 26, 2013

I use the download manager that comes with ES File Explorer as my default downloader. All downloads go to my sd card.

lawalty · Aug 28, 2013

Cubicsilver said:
I use the download manager that comes with ES File Explorer as my default downloader. All downloads go to my sd card.

I will check out thid download manager fron ES. Maybe it'll work. Thanks

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lawalty · Aug 28, 2013

kennyglass123 said:
If you are going that route why not just choose the stock Android browser for downloads and that has an option to download to memory card? You would have to clear defaults in Chrome if you already had chosen to use that to download as default.

Ok.. I've been using the stock Android browser like forever. I recently been falling in love with the snappiness of Chrome browser.

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KennyG123 · Aug 28, 2013

lawalty said:
Ok.. I've been using the stock Android browser like forever. I recently been falling in love with the snappiness of Chrome browser.

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But can't you select the stock browser for downloads only as default until Google fixes the Chrome app?

lawalty · Aug 28, 2013

kennyglass123 said:
But can't you select the stock browser for downloads only as default until Google fixes the Chrome app?

I guess I can switch browsers, only use the stock browser for downloads and chrome browser for surfing. However, I want to stick to only one.

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Cubicsilver · Aug 28, 2013

This is how you do it: install es file explorer --> open it and go to settings --> select directory settings --> then download path. Pick your SD card. Open chrome and surf to a download of some sort. A pop up should appear and ask how you want to download the file. Choose es file and select always. Done.

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hkfan · Aug 28, 2013

Just use foldermount app... works great

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KennyG123 · Aug 28, 2013

lawalty said:
I guess I can switch browsers, only use the stock browser for downloads and chrome browser for surfing. However, I want to stick to only one.

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If you mean you are removing the stock browser then the options are a third party app as suggested by a few here, but if you leave the stock browser on your phone, once you select that to use to download as default it will be the same as a third party app. It will just download.

lawalty · Aug 29, 2013

08j3ct1v3 C said:
Quite an easy fix actually. It requires you to decompile the app, though. If you know how to do that with an SDK tool I can provide you with the modified app file.

Sure! Decompiling sounds scary, plus if I was to figure out how to change the default directory, any updates would totally revert it back. But, having said all that, I will look into how to do such a feat. Thanks.

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supermatt9 · Sep 7, 2013

Cubicsilver said:
This is how you do it: install es file explorer --> open it and go to settings --> select directory settings --> then download path. Pick your SD card. Open chrome and surf to a download of some sort. A pop up should appear and ask how you want to download the file. Choose es file and select always. Done.

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This worked perfectly for me. Thanks man! You solved the one thing that was keeping me from using this browser.

lawalty · Sep 9, 2013

Cubicsilver said:
This is how you do it: install es file explorer --> open it and go to settings --> select directory settings --> then download path. Pick your SD card. Open chrome and surf to a download of some sort. A pop up should appear and ask how you want to download the file. Choose es file and select always. Done.

Sent from my SGH-T889V using Tapatalk 4

Nope, didn’t work for me. It seems logical, and it should work, however I can't get it to work correctly from a website I routinely download from that requires a cookie. For some reason the stock downloader app works fine, along with the stock browser, but not Chrome.

I get a download fail everytime I use ES File Explorer along with Chrome browser.

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erm1001 · Sep 28, 2013

Try maxthon browser. Been using it to put download to my sd card

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We Can Not Change Google Chrome Browser Default Download Directory...

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