This article explains the steps you can take to turn on or off “Ask me what to do with each download” in the Microsoft Edge browser.
The Microsoft Edge browser is the default browser in Windows 11. However, users can switch to their preferred or favorite browser anytime. Edge is based on Chromium, similar to Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers today.
By default, when you download a file from the internet, Edge will automatically download and save it in your Downloads folder in your home directory.
If you don’t always want to download the file but open it in the browser, you can enable a feature to prompt you to download and save or open the file without saving it.
Please turn on or off, and ask me what to do with each download in Edge
As described above, you can always choose the Microsoft Edge browser to ask if you want to save a file or open it without saving it, so you don’t always have to download and save files from the internet.
Here’s how to do it.
First, open the Microsoft Edge browser.
Then click on Setting and more (Alt+F) 3 horizontal dots button on the top right corner and select Settings.
Next, click on Downloads on the left menu.
On the Settings -> System and performance settings pane, under the Downloads section, toggle the button on the tile that says “Ask me what to do with each download” to On or Off.
Edge will not ask you what to do with each download if off. However, if enabled, the Edge will always prompt you on what to do with each download.
Always ask me if I want to save or open a file without saving it in Edge.
Alternatively, users can use the Windows registry to turn on or off Edge, always asking before downloading files from the internet.
Open the Windows Registry and navigate to the folder key path listed below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
If you don’t see the Edge folder key, right-click on the Microsoft parent key, then create the subkey (Edge) folder.
Right-click on the Edge folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type a new key named PromptForDownloadLocation.
Double-click the new value name (PromptForDownloadLocation) and enter the Value data of 1 to have the Microsoft Edge browser prompt before downloading files from the internet.
A Value data of 0 will disable Edge, prompting you to download or open the file in the browser.
That should do it. Restart your computer to apply the changes.
Conclusion:
- Enabling the “Ask me what to do with each download” feature in Microsoft Edge allows for more control over downloaded files
- Users can also use the Windows Registry to toggle this feature on or off
- Restarting the computer is necessary for the changes made through the Registry to take effect
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