7 Best Safari Download Manager Tips for iPhone and iPad

Apple introduced Safari’s download manager in iOS 13 and iPadOS, and it’s a game changer. This new feature combines with other exciting apps like native support for desktop mode. This allowed me to spend more time browsing with Safari instead of the regular go-to browser Chrome.

Previously, it was still possible to save certain files in Safari, provided I was willing to mess with the Share Sheet. However, the introduction of a download manager makes things much easier and more convenient.

If you want to give Safari’s download manager a spin, let me share some helpful tips. You can apply them to boost your downloading experience immediately.

1. Start and Forget

Any downloads you start in Safari are seamlessly delivered to the download manager, and then it does the job regardless of whether you close your tabs or exit Safari. Sounds great, right?

Tap a download link and you will get a confirmation popup. Then tap Download and you should see the Safari download manager icon appear on the right side of the address bar.

A small progress bar should show the download progress. You can also tap on the download manager icon to bring up the Downloads list, which displays additional information such as the size of the download.

Note:

Once the download is finished, you can preview the file directly from Safari. Tap the file in the list and it should open with a relevant program provided it is in a supported format (image, document, etc.). Otherwise, you will be asked to choose an application to open the file.

2. Pause Downloads

If you have a weak internet connection, having a large download running in the background can slow things down even more. Fortunately, you can pause your downloads and resume them later.

Open the downloads list and then tap the x-shaped icon next to the download you want to pause. Then, when you want to continue the download, simply tap the circle icon in place. You will not lose progress.

Note:

Besides pausing and resuming, you can also delete an accidentally started download before it finishes downloading.

To do this, first pause the download and then swipe from right to left. Then tap Delete.

3. Download Linked Files

You don’t need to have an actual download link or button to initiate the download in the first place. For example, you come across a PDF link that you can open in a browser.

But there is a better way to open and manually save the PDF than using the Share Sheet. 3D tap or long press the link of the PDF file and then tap the Download Linked File option in the context menu to download it using the download manager.

The same can be done on any link, regardless of whether it redirects to a file or not. However, doing the same with a random link will initiate the download of the HTML file of the page. Of course, you can then open and view it even without an internet connection (albeit with some missing elements).

Why download pages when you can only add them to Reading List (the option is in the same context menu)? This shows how flexible Safari’s download manager really is.

4. Clear Downloads List

Downloads list getting out of control? Tap the Clear icon at the top of the list to empty the entire list, or swipe left on individual items and then tap Delete.

Better still, you can configure Safari itself to automatically clear the list for you. However, you have to dive into the Settings app to do that.

Stage 1: In your iPhone or iPad’s Settings app, scroll down and tap Safari. On the next screen, tap Downloads.

Step 2: Tap Remove Download List Items. On the next screen, select After One Day or On Successful Download.

Safari download manager will automatically clear the Downloads list every day or as soon as a download is finished.

5. Change Download Location

By default, Safari’s download manager saves your files in the Downloads folder in iCloud Drive. However, you can easily switch to another location or use local storage.

Start by visiting the Safari Downloads screen (Settings app > Safari > Downloads). You can tap Other to choose another location in iCloud Drive. Or tap On My iPhone/iPad to have the download manager use local storage on your iPhone or iPad.

Additionally, you can configure a third-party cloud storage service to act as a location for your downloads. See my guide to changing download locations in Safari for more details.

6. Open Download Location

Tapping a download in the downloads list opens it in preview mode. But obviously, when it’s time to manage your files, you have to go to the original location. However, instead of opening the Files app to manually find your downloads, simply tap the magnifying glass icon next to any completed item in the list to instantly get to the download location.

After you manage your files, you can easily return to using your browser by tapping the little Safari tag in the upper left corner of the screen.

7. Drag and Drop Files (iPadOS Only)

If you’re using an iPad, you can easily drag and drop items from the Downloads list into another app. First, start the split view with the app. Next, open the Downloads list and then drag and drop the file. It is very useful for such situations as you can completely stop using the Files app.

Fly:

Start Download

Safari’s download manager is an outstanding add-on and arguably among the biggest improvements in a long time. Especially on the iPad, these are the features that make it a worthwhile laptop replacement. I hope Apple makes Safari even better on a more continuous basis without making such apps very sporadically.

Next: As Safari continues to evolve, should you abandon it in favor of Brave? It’s time to find out from our comparison below.