Edge Chromium - Download File - Open vs. Save Option Pop-up Window

I thought the question was "is there an easy way to automatically download and open files in a folder that is periodically auto-cleaned?" 

Lobbying MS to re-implement old functionality is fine, but I'll take a nice work-around before I start holding by breath.

Yes, many people do use Downloads for long-term storage (including myself until recently), and activating the auto-clean function would make that impossible. And yes, the functionality we're asking for would be simplest if MS would re-build the Open / Save / Save As dialogue.  But until that happens, I think it is relatively easy to find a new place for long-term storage and take advantage of the auto-cleaning function that's available for the Downloads folder.  I don't mind using picking my long-term storage folder for drivers, program files and the like when I need to, and letting Downloads handle the stuff I don't want to keep. (After all, the Downloads folder didn't even exist until relatively recently in the history of Windows, so people who remember life without it could revert to whatever their previous method was for long-term file management).

I also endorse the approach recommended by iFiredog, which just takes advantage of a different auto-cleaning function.

Until we see the introduction of an Open | Save | Save As dialogue, here are some ideas and suggestions.

First, it's important to understand that no file can be opened, even if only for viewing, without downloading it first. The file has to exist on the computer before it can be opened on that computer.

As regards the choice between clutter in the downloads folder and losing stuff in the %temp% folder, it should be possible to achieve a compromise:

1. Create a new folder inside the %temp% folder 
     
   1. Open File Explorer (e.g. by pressing Windows key + E).
   2. On the View tab, ensure that Hidden items is selected in the Show/hide section of the ribbon.
   3. Click in the address bar and type (or copy and paste) this:

%localappdata%\temp... and press Enter.

  **** 4. On the Home tab, click New folder. Give it a suitable name (I call mine Temp downloads.) 5. Close File Explorer and return to Edge. 2. Set the new one as the default downloads folder

1. Click ⋯ (*Settings and more*) in the top right-hand corner, then select ⚙ *Settings*> ↓*Downloads*.
2. Change the *Location* for downloads.

3. Either:
   1. Switch on Ask where to save each file before downloadingThis calls for one extra click to confirm that the file should be saved in the default folder. Otherwise, it acts just like Save As.
   2. Switch off Ask where to save each file before downloading All downloads will be saved to the default folder.
4. If you often need only to open a file for viewing, or to extract some data from it, but you don't need to keep it:
   1. Find a link to a file you want Edge to open for you and click on it.

The so-called Download shelf (the blue bar in the screenshot below) will open at the foot of the screen with an Open filelink. 2. To the right of this link is another ellipsis (⋯) with more options. Click on it:

  ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/bca2e0a9-9b51-48a4-8810-de5c1352677e?platform=QnA 3. Select Always open files of this typeand click Open file.

From now on, files of this type (in the example, Word files with the .docx extension) will open automatically when you click on a link to one. If you visit the Settings > Downloadspage again (step 2.1 above), you should see a new entry showing File types which are opened automatically after downloading.

Find another link and click on it to test whether this is working as you want it to.

The new default downloads folder will retain files only until they're removed along with other temporary files at the next scheduled or manual clean up. This gives a bit of grace for those who edit and save a downloaded file but forget to move it to a permanent home.

Unfortunately, if you set an automatic delete for the Downloads folder, ALL your downloads, not just the "I only want to see it files", but EVERY old download gets deleted. Many people KEEP files in the Downloads folder, until they are done with them. They don't open them or move them elsewhere, so using your method, they would age-out and get deleted. What we REALLY need is a SEPARATE folder from the Downloads folder and both Windows and Mac have one. Its called "Temp". Files in it are ALWAYS deleted when the system default timeout happens, but the default Downloads folder is NEVER auto-cleaned. SO for files we WANT to keep, we just download into Downloads and expect the System to automatically us Temp for "just show it to me" files. One folder cannot do all of that without LOTS of user fiddling (and most users don't know how anyway.)