How to Change Default Download Location in IE9, IE10, and IE11
Information
This will show you how to change the default download location that IE9, IE10, and IE11 saves to by default to be any folder that you select instead of the default C:\Users\(user-name)\Downloads folder.
Note
In Windows 8, the IE10 Windows UI (Metro) version uses the same download location that you set for the IE10 desktop version below.
OPTION ONE
Change IE Default "Save" Download Location in Download Manager
1. Open IE9, IE10, or IE11.
NOTE: In Windows 8/8.1, you would open the desktop IE version, and not the modern IE version.
2. Click/tap on the
gear icon in the upper right corner, then click/tap on
View downloads. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You could also press CTRL + J instead.
3. Click/tap on the
Options link. (see screenshot below)
4. Click/tap on the
Browse button. (see screenshot below)
5. Navigate to and select (highlight) the folder that you want IE9 or IE10 to use as the default download location, then click/tap on the
Select Folder button. (see screenshot below)
6. Click/tap on
OK. (see screenshot below step 4)
7. Click/tap on
Close. (see screenshot below step 3)
OPTION TWO
Change Internet Explorer Default "Save" Download Location in Registry
1. Press the
Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type
regedit, and press Enter.
2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on
Yes (Windows 7/8) or
Continue (Vista).
3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
4. In the right pane of
Main, double click/tap on
Default Download Directory to modify it. (see screenshot above)
5. Type in the full path of the folder that you want IE9 or IE10 to save downloads to by default, and click/tap on
OK. (see screenshot above)
6. Close regedit.
OPTION THREE
To Manually Select a "Save as" Download Location in Internet Explorer
NOTE: This option is to Save as a file you want to download to any location no matter what you set the default Save location in Option One above.
1. After you click/tap on the file's download link in IE9 oe IE10, click/tap on the drop down arrow on the
Save button at the bottom of IE9 or IE10, and click/tap on
Save as. (see screenshot below)
2. Navigate to where you would like to save the file to, and click/tap on
Save. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn