How to Enable Download Prompts in Microsoft Edge

This article shows you how 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.

Why Enable Download Prompts?

If you don’t always want to download a file to your computer, you can enable a feature to ask you first. This way, you can choose to open the file in the browser instead of saving it.

How to Turn On Download Prompts in Microsoft Edge

Here’s how to enable the prompt feature in Edge.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Click the Settings and more button. This is the 3 horizontal dots on the top right corner. Then select Settings.

1. Click Downloads on the left menu.

1. Look for the option that says “Ask me what to do with each download”. Toggle the button On or Off.

What Happens?

If the toggle is Off, Edge will not ask you what to do with each download. Files will just download automatically.

If the toggle is On, Edge will always prompt you before downloading. You can then choose to save the file or open it in the browser.

Alternative Method: Using Windows Registry

Users can also use the Windows Registry to turn this feature on or off. Follow these steps:

1. ⚠️ Admin Privileges Required — Open the Windows Registry and navigate to the folder path below:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
2. If you don’t see the Edge folder, right-click on the Microsoft parent key. Then create a new subkey folder called Edge.

1. Right-click in the empty space on the right side of the Edge folder. Select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type the name PromptForDownloadLocation.
2. Double-click the new value named PromptForDownloadLocation. Enter the Value data:
   • Enter 1 to have Edge ask before downloading files
   • Enter 0 to disable the prompt and download automatically

1. ⚠️ Restart your computer to apply the registry changes.

Summary

Enabling the “Ask me what to do with each download” feature in Microsoft Edge gives you more control over your downloaded files. You have two ways to turn this on or off:

• Use the Settings menu for a quick toggle
• Use the Windows Registry for more advanced control

If you use the Registry method, remember to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.