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If Chrome opens the Save As dialog but starts in Downloads instead of the folder you used last time, its documented settings offer no separate control to force the dialog to remember the previous folder. To keep downloads in one place, set that folder as Chrome’s default; to choose separately each time, leave the save-location prompt enabled. If this started suddenly, check for a Chrome update and restart the browser.
First identify which download problem you have
There are two different symptoms: Chrome may not show a save-location prompt at all, or the prompt may appear but open at the wrong starting folder. This guide addresses the second case. Google documents a default download location and a prompt for choosing a destination for each download; its help page does not describe a separate setting that guarantees the next Save As dialog will reopen the last folder you chose.
Choose between a default folder and a per-download prompt
| Option | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Default download location | Saves downloads to the folder you select in Chrome settings. | Repeatedly saving files to one project or work folder. |
| Ask where to save each file before downloading | Prompts you to choose a destination for each download. | Choosing a destination separately for different files. |
Google describes these as the available choices: “You can choose a location on your computer where downloads should be saved by default or pick a specific destination for each download.” The prompt lets you choose each time, but the documentation does not promise that it will remember the previous selection.
Set one folder as the default
- In Chrome, select More (the three-dot menu) > Settings > Downloads.
- Next to the download location, select Change, then choose the folder you want Chrome to use.
With a default folder selected, Chrome can save downloads there without relying on the Save As dialog to recall your last choice. Google’s documented default locations, when unchanged, are Users<username>Downloads on Windows 10 and later, /Users/<username>/Downloads on Mac, and /home/<username>/Downloads on Linux. A managed or customized installation may use a different location.
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Choose a destination for each download
- Open More > Settings > Downloads.
- Turn on Ask where to save each file before downloading.
- When the save dialog appears, choose the destination for that file.
If Chrome used to remember the folder but stopped
A Windows 11 user reported on July 4, 2026, that Chrome showed the Save As dialog but repeatedly opened Downloads rather than the previously chosen folder. The user later said an update and computer restart resolved the issue. That is an individual report, not confirmation from Google or a guarantee that updating will fix every case.
A related issue in the Brave browser tracker described the same behavior after that browser’s Chromium 150 rebase: the previous location was offered in Chromium 149, while Downloads was offered in Chromium 150. This points to a Chromium-version-associated issue reported in Chromium-based browsers, but does not establish that every Chrome user or operating system was affected.
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Google announced Chrome 150 stable for Windows, Mac, and Linux on June 30, 2026. Its announcement and release notes establish the release timing and supported platforms, but do not identify this particular problem or confirm a fix. The exact current version in which the behavior is fixed, and its status on each platform, are not established here.
- Check your installed version at
chrome://settings/help. - If an update is available, install it, then restart Chrome and test a download.
- If the problem continues, try a normal download from another website. This can help determine whether the behavior is limited to one site.
- Compare the result in a fresh Chrome profile. If the new profile behaves differently, that suggests the issue may be specific to the original profile; it does not by itself identify a cause.
These last two checks are diagnostic suggestions, not fixes Google documents for this symptom. The original reporter said changing the setting and restarting Chrome had not fixed the problem before a later update resolved it.
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What not to change without evidence
Clearing the browser cache, changing automatic-download permissions, or editing or deleting Chrome profile files are not established fixes for a Save As dialog that opens in the wrong folder. Google’s download help does not recommend those actions for this behavior. Start with the documented folder controls and a browser update instead.
Sources: Google Chrome Help: Download a file; Chrome community report; Brave browser issue tracker; Chrome Releases.
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