Brave "forgets" last download location

Description of the issue:
Brave seems to sometimes forget the last download location and reverts to the default download location (this didn’t happened before)

How can this issue be reproduced?

  1. Download a file: a picture for instance and select a location different from the default download location.
  2. Then close the website where you downloaded that file or close the browser or wait a few minutes (I’m not sure what triggers this error )
  3. Open the browser and then try to download another file…

Expected result:
…it should show you your LAST DOWNLOAD LOCATION but instead it takes me to the default download location.

Brave Version( check About Brave):
Brave 1.80.120 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Additional Information:
my setting for downloads are set as follow:

Location: C:\Users\user\Downloads
Ask where to save each file before downloading: ON
Show downloads when they’re done: ON

2 Likes

I actually like that behavior, saving most things to Downloads, only specific things to other folders. Both scenarios make sense to me.

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Well, i don’t like it, if this is a feature and if is not a bug it should be an option

2 Likes

I did a test yesterday, i downloaded a bunch of pictures from a website in a random location, i leaved everything open and returned like 30 minutes later to the same website and same tab and when i tried again it showed me the default download location instead of the last download location, so i guess it’s time related?

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I’ll check again in a little bit but I went ahead and downloaded an image to my Documents folder (changed from default location Downloads) then:

  • Closed the tab, opened a new tab, downloaded a different image – saved to Documents
  • Closed the browser, opened new tab, saved image – saved to Documents
  • Closed the browser, waited 10mins, relaunched and downloaded another image – saved to Documents

So far I’m not seeing this issue. Are you by chance clearing any of your data on browser exit?

No I’m not clearing data on exit, i think the time limit is more than ten minutes maybe like half or a full hour (I’m not even sure if time is a factor btw), if i download a picture in a random location and then exit the browser and then return WITHIN that time limit Brave “remembers” the last location but beyond that time limit it goes back to the default location.

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I’ll reply back here in another half hour or so after it’s been at least an hour and I’ve tested again.

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Just checked again and downloads are still pointing to the correct location. Do you have any extensions installed in the browser at this time?

the only one is “Return Youtube Dislike”. I also tested after clearing the download history completely and now it seems to work correctly, but I’m not sure.

the issue returned, i don’t care anymore, cant spend any more of my time on this, really frustrated with this.

Have you tried disabling the extension? I know it doesn’t seem like it will make a difference but extensions often times cause weird/unexpected issues.

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yes i tried that, and it does nothing

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This can be a problem of Chrome.
Do you have Chrome or Edge as your default browser?
This can reset download location sometimes.

No, Brave is my default browser

Do you use other browsers like edge etc.
If yes does the same issue happen there too.

I am asking to ensure is this problem brave specific or being caused by OS (windows changing path variables).

I don’t have this issue with any other software but Brave, as for other browsers i have installed: Edge & Firefox (that i only use to read PDF files, since Chrome and Brave PDF reader is outdated), and Chrome who i barely use anymore. As i said before i have no idea what triggers this error, i though it was time, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, to test it on any other browser is a giant pain in the ass. I simply will live with this error as another simple thing that browsers used to do without problems for the past 20 years and somehow now is broken, until a patch fixes it, like when the video reproducer was broken for like 2 months earlier this year.

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@ImmortalWarAngel as frustrating as it is I do not have a ton more suggestions to give you here. I can open an issue on Github but given that this event is likely isolated incidents (in that few users are seeing it due to the way they have set their browser up/software on their pc, etc. – as opposed to it being a widespread issue that many users are encountering all at the same time) and the limited information available on how to reproduce the issue I’m not sure how much attention it will get.

If you want, one useful thing might be to download the Beta build of the browser and test to see if you can reproduce the issue there, but you’ve already mentioned not wanting to test other browsers.

I would still be interested in knowing if/when the issue goes away and/or any other information regarding this.

So in this week i tested Edge and this issue did not happen at all in there, this is a problem of Brave.

Glad I found this thread. I have the exact same issue. It “just started happening” maybe around the same time as OP given the post date. I couldn’t say if it was after an update, Brave or Windows, as there is a chance I didn’t notice immediately. I’ve made no configurational changes for ages.

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It was happening to me, but it was not Brave’s fault. Maybe it could be improved though. Also it may not be the same issue you guys are having.

I had a specific drive/folder set as the default download location, “F:\Downloads”. I upgraded that drive to a new one, and set its drive letter as ‘G’. Removed the old drive (there’s no more an ‘F’ drive).

After doing that, Brave fails to find/create the default download folder set, and instead asks the user where to save the download file. That’s the problem, because it always tries and fails, it does not behave as the “Ask where to save”, always asking where to save but not “remembering” the last chosen folder.

Does that make sense?

Anyway, maybe Brave could show the user that the folder couldn’t be found/created, or maybe it would only try once and then stop trying, turning on the “Ask where to save” option.

Hope it helps!