Safari Download Locations on Mac, iPhone, and iPad

This article provides a quick guide to locating your downloaded files from the Safari web browser and changing where they are stored across Apple devices. By default, Safari saves files to the local Downloads folder on macOS, while iOS and iPadOS store them in the Downloads folder inside the native Files app. Below, you will find straightforward instructions on how to access these default folders and how to change the default download location on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

macOS: Default Location and How to Change It

Default Download Location On a Mac, Safari automatically saves all downloaded files to your user account's Downloads folder. You can access this folder in three ways:

  • Click the Downloads icon located on your Dock.
  • Open Finder and click Downloads in the left-hand sidebar.
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Option + Command + L while in Finder.

How to Change the Download Location on a Mac

  1. Open the Safari browser.
  2. Click Safari in the top-left menu bar.
  3. Select Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions) from the dropdown menu.
  4. Click on the General tab at the top of the window.
  5. Locate the File download location dropdown menu near the bottom.
  6. Click the dropdown menu and select Other... to choose a new default folder from Finder, or select Ask for each download if you want to choose the location manually every time you download a file.

iOS and iPadOS: Default Location and How to Change It

Default Download Location On an iPhone or iPad, Safari saves files to a Downloads folder located inside Apple's built-in Files app. Depending on your device setup, this folder is located in one of two places:

  • iCloud Drive: Open the Files app, tap Browse, select iCloud Drive, and tap Downloads. (This is the default if you have iCloud Drive enabled).
  • Local Storage: Open the Files app, tap Browse, select On My iPhone (or On My iPad), and tap Downloads.

You can also quickly access your recent downloads directly inside Safari by tapping the Page Settings button (the "AA" or puzzle piece icon) or the Download arrow icon in the address bar and selecting Downloads.

How to Change the Download Location on iPhone and iPad

  1. Open the Settings app on your device.
  2. Scroll down and tap Safari (on iOS 18 and later, go to Apps > Safari).
  3. Scroll down to the "General" section and tap Downloads.
  4. Under the "Store Downloaded Files On" section, select your preferred location:
    • iCloud Drive: Saves files to the cloud so they are accessible across all your Apple devices.
    • On My iPhone / On My iPad: Saves files locally to your device's internal storage in the default Downloads folder.
    • Other...: Opens the Files interface, allowing you to pick any specific folder on your device, in iCloud, or within a connected third-party cloud service (like Google Drive or Dropbox) as your new default location.