iOS 13 brings several new and exciting features, including a built-in download manager for Safari. The feature, also in iPadOS 13.1, allows you to download files without interfering with the Share Sheet or using a third-party browser. The downloaded files are saved to a default location, which may not suit everyone. However, you can change the Safari download location in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1.
Download manager for Safari – what it does?
Over the years, Apple has slowly been taking iOS toward being a desktop-class operating system. Several features have been added that prove this, such as support for PS4 and Xbox One controllers. The addition of a built-in download manager for Safari is the latest step in this direction.
Now you can download almost any file off the internet via Safari. All the files that you download through Safari are saved to a default location, which is in the Downloads folder in the iCloud Drive. However, you can change the Safari download location in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1.
You can change the location to any preferred destination, be it another folder in the iCloud Drive, or directly onto the local storage of your device. You may even select a third-party cloud-storage service for saving downloads.
Although you can choose any preferred location, the way to change the location is not quite so easy. Moreover, there are chances you may fail to locate relevant options to change the Safari download location without any help or guidance. One would usually expect the relevant options in the Safari, but the option to change the location is hidden in the Settings app.
Now, let’s see how to change the Safari download location in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1.
How to change Safari download location in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1
As said before, downloads are saved to a default folder in the iCloud Drive. You can change it to any other location either to another folder in the iCloud Drive, your local storage, or a third-party storage drive.
First, let’s check how you can change the location to another folder in the iCloud Drive.
Step 1 – go to the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad, and then click on Safari.
Step 2 – scroll down to the General section, and click on Downloads. On the next screen, click on Other.
Step 3 – choose a new location within iCloud Drive. It is recommended that you create a sub-folder within the new location to locate the downloaded files easily. To create a sub-folder, click on the folder-shaped icon on the upper-right corner of the screen. Click on Done once you have named the sub-folder.
Step 4 – click on Done again to save the changes. Now, exit the Settings app.
That’s it! Now, all downloads will be saved to the newly selected destination in the iCloud Drive. You can move the existing downloads to the new location using the Files app.
How to change location to local storage or third-party cloud service
If you don’t want to save the downloaded files in the iCloud Drive, you can save the files onto the local storage of your iPhone or iPad. Selecting local storage will free you from uploading files back to the cloud. Moreover, it also helps if you have low storage on the iCloud. Another benefit is that by not using the iCloud, you are also avoiding network connection issues.
To change the download location to local storage, click on Safari in the Settings app, then go to Downloads and select On My iPhone or On My iPad. Alternatively, you can also select any other existing folder, or even create a new folder by using the Other option. You can use the Files app to move all your existing downloads from iCloud Drive to the newly selected location.
Instead of saving the downloaded files via Safari on iCloud Drive or local storage, you can also opt for third-party cloud storage providers, such as Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive. Before we detail steps to change the Safari download location in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.1 to a third-party cloud storage service, you need to ensure a few things.
First, you must have installed and signed into the relevant third-party cloud storage service on your iPhone or iPad. Also, you need to activate the service via the Files app. Now, let’s go over the steps to change the Safari download location to your selected third-party cloud storage service.
Step 1 – open the Files app, and click on the three-dot icon on the upper-right corner of the screen.
Step 2 – on the next screen, click Edit. Now, enable the installed cloud storage using the switches next to the listed service.
Step 3 – go to the Safari Downloads screen (Settings app > Safari > Downloads) to select the cloud storage service where you wish to save the Safari’s download.
It must be noted that the Safari download manager will create a new folder with the name “Downloads” within the selected storage service as the default location. You can, however, select another folder or create a new one using the Other option that we discussed above.
