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Mozilla plans to change the download behavior of the Firefox web browser in Firefox 97; this guide helps restore the classic download functionality of the browser.

Firefox users who download files currently get a download prompt when they do so. The prompt displays options to open the file using an application or save it to the local system. Starting in Firefox 97, Firefox is not displaying the prompt anymore by default.The browser downloads files automatically when a download link is activated by the user. Files are downloaded to the default Downloads folder of the operating system, with no option to change the location as the whole process happens automatically. The behavior is identical to how Chromium-based browsers handle downloads.

The option to always ask where to download files is still available in Firefox 97, but it is not enabled by default. Firefox users may enable it to restore a download prompt, but it is not identical to the one that users got in Firefox 96 and earlier by default.

Restore the classic Firefox download behavior

You may restore the classic download experience of the Firefox web browser for now. Mozilla added a preference to Firefox's advanced configuration that toggles between the new and the classic download panel.

Please note that it is possible that the preference will be removed in the future and that the restoring does not work anymore if that happens.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Load about:config in the Firefox address bar.
   
2. Select "accept the risk and continue".
   
3. Search for browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel.
   
4. Double-click on the name of the preference to toggle its value:
   • TRUE means that the new download behavior is active in Firefox.
     
   • FALSE means that the classic behavior is enabled in the browser.
     

A restart is not required. Firefox switches to the selected download panel automatically once a change is made to the configuration.

Firefox users have two options when it comes to the new download behavior. The first enables the classic download behavior, but the caveat is that Mozilla may remove the option eventually. The second option enables the download prompt to save files to different directories. It lacks the open option of the classic dialog.

Now You: which download behavior do you prefer and why?
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