Provide run / open / save / save as options when downloading files - Discussion

[Elliot Kirk]

Hello everyone and thanks for your significant interest in our feedback item of “Provide run / open / save as options when downloading files”. This has been a very interesting problem to think through. The downloads team would love your thoughts on whether we have identified the main customer needs such a feature would need to address.

We believe that there are three main things being asked for:

1. You would like a way to open a file without having to keep it on your computer so that your downloads folder remains “clean” (eg. You want to view your bank statement, but want it deleted after you are finished looking at it)
2. You would like a way to choose the filename and location to save the downloaded file so that you can better organize your downloads (eg. You download a family photo IMG_1502.jpg and want to rename it to Reunion2019.jpg and save it in your Photos folder)
3. You still want a light-weight downloads process that does not require many clicks (eg. User wants to download multiple photos in succession and move them in bulk afterwards without having to click “Save” each time). This is what our downloads flow currently addresses; one click to download.
4. You would like a way to easily switch between (1), (2), and (3) for different files you are downloading; one size does not fit all (eg. For bank statements, you want to just open it, and have it deleted afterwards. But for family photos, you want to be able to rename and save to a specific location).

Do you think we are thinking in the right direction? We are still exploring possible solutions to this problem and any additional feedback is most welcome!

[#2]

@HotCakeX 

But we have to download it before we can open it
It would be better to be able to open it without actually downloading it, to download it in "cache" then deleted when we close the window (after having opened it)

Exactly like IE or Classic Edge

[#3]

@tistou 

Spoiler

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@tistou wrote:

@HotCakeX 

But we have to download it before we can open it
It would be better to be able to open it without actually downloading it, to download it in "cache" then deleted when we close the window (after having opened it)

Exactly like IE or Classic Edge

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Oh I see, well yes those files will still be downloaded and kept in Windows temp folder until they are discarded, Firefox also acts the same.

but Microsoft has another option, to make it like Safari and ask user if they want to keep or delete the file after they are done with it.

either behavior is fine with me, just suggesting :)

[#4]

@HotCakeX wrote, "Am i missing something or do you guys not have this option when you download something in Edge?

it literally says 'open file'.

opening = running."

Yeah, you're definitely missing something. :)

You know Edge well, so I think you know this and must be joking: in Legacy Edge and IE, we could run or open files without having to save them to a download location first (I know, in the background, they saved to a temp folder, but Windows cleaned them up automatically). Losing this is a big problem as the dozens (hundreds?) of posts in this thread have explained. If I know I'm going to be accessing or running more than 2 documents or installers in the next few minutes online, I'll actually go and launch IE (and I hate IE overall) just for this feature. It's SO MUCH BETTER, FASTER, EASIER, CLEANER than what we have now in Chromium Edge. Legacy Edge supported this too, but I don't have access to that anymore.

[#5]

Spoiler

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@Colin - wrote:

@HotCakeX wrote, "Am i missing something or do you guys not have this option when you download something in Edge?

it literally says 'open file'.

opening = running."

Yeah, you're definitely missing something. :)

You know Edge well, so I think you know this and must be joking: in Legacy Edge and IE, we could run or open files without having to save them to a download location first (I know, in the background, they saved to a temp folder, but Windows cleaned them up automatically). Losing this is a big problem as the dozens (hundreds?) of posts in this thread have explained. If I know I'm going to be accessing or running more than 2 documents or installers in the next few minutes online, I'll actually go and launch IE (and I hate IE overall) just for this feature. It's SO MUCH BETTER, FASTER, EASIER, CLEANER than what we have now in Chromium Edge. Legacy Edge supported this too, but I don't have access to that anymore.

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Yes of course, but you were talking about not being able to open/run files after download so I thought there is something else. I got it now all good :)

[#6]

Hi all.. So I've had two customers today say they can't move from old Edge or google chrome to edge Chromium because the additional check to confirm the running of a potentially harmful file (exe etc) doesn't happen in edge Chromium..

This is a requirement currently for cyber essentials plus certification...

[#7]

@Rob Quickenden 

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@Rob Quickenden wrote:
Hi all.. So I've had two customers today say they can't move from old Edge or google chrome to edge Chromium because the additional check to confirm the running of a potentially harmful file (exe etc) doesn't happen in edge Chromium..

This is a requirement currently for cyber essentials plus certification...

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Edge does scan downloaded files.

edge://settings/privacy

[#8]

Scans yes.. But it doesn't prompt the user "are you sure you wish to open/run" which is a requirement for cyber essentials... Edge old and Google chrome do...

[#9]

From my experience, Google Chrome and Chromium Edge have exceedingly similar security tools - could you post a screenshot of the feature in Google Chrome? I don't quite know what you're referring to. (And I'm no security expert)

[#10]

@Rob Quickenden 

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@Rob Quickenden wrote:
Scans yes.. But it doesn't prompt the user "are you sure you wish to open/run" which is a requirement for cyber essentials... Edge old and Google chrome do...

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it Does prompt. otherwise what would be the point of scanning.

(Obviously it doesn't generate the exact same message you wrote in your comment but it provides similar options)

it scans, if the file is alright then no prompts, but if it has problems then it will prompt user, then user will go to edge://downloads/all (Edge takes user there) and there will be an option to discard download or run it anyway.

• clicking on the file name above runs it.
• clicking on the URL takes you to the download URL.
• clicking on the "show in folder" opens the download folder where that file resides.

you can view the Demo pages in here, download some files and see for yourself how Edge reacts:

https://demo.smartscreen.msft.net/

[#11]

Totally understand how the safe scanning services work, the fact is cyber essentials plus requires the browser to prompt the user whether they wish to run an executable regardless of whether its deemed to be safe or not.... Which new Edge doesn't do...

[#12]

Oh well it looks like "cyber essentials plus" isn't a safe guideline.

I don't know what developers will do about it but I hope they don't change the way it is now because for the majority people that are not tech savvy like my family or friends, I would want them to go through some extra steps for opening a file that Edge and Windows Defender deem unsafe or malware. I mean that's logical.

[#13]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for your interest in this feature and for all your feedback and ideas. We appreciate your patience while we work through improvements to the downloads experience. It is super exciting that many of you are so passionate about the experience and it’s been a pleasure reading through the thoughtful and constructive solutions proposed by this community.

We are still working to plan and implement improvements to the downloads experience. Our goal is to better support all of our customers, no matter which browsers they’ve previously used and are most familiar with.  We hope to roll out some improvements for you to try in the Canary channel soon.

I just wanted to let you know that we are super appreciative of the interest and patience as we work to improve this feature for all of our customers.

[#14]

@Elliot Kirk 

That message is nice to see when you are downloading a file from the internet. It is very convenient so you can choose where a file is being saved, and it also allows you to see where it is going, and allows you to decide what to do with it. That was a really handy feature that I really liked in the new Edge. It really is just handy and useful, I can't really explain why, but I would definitely appreciate to see it in the new Edge.

[#15]

@Elliot Kirk 

I really just want it to be like the original Edge had it.

[#16]

Any news on When/If we can expect this to "get moved forward" to development?

[#17]

Agreed. This has really been dragged out for far too long now. Let's get on with it.

[#18]

@Elliot Kirk, I'm sure you have the information you wanted from this. Could you give some kind of update where this feature stands? It's not like there are hundreds of features in Top Feedback. This is one of only 10 marked as In Discussion on the Top Feedback page (https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/discussions/top-feedback-summary-for-april-28/m-p/1345337). Surely you can give some kind of a status update, even if it's only to say, "We're still XXXXXX." Will MS make some changes here? Is this request being rejected? Of all of those 10 points of Top Feedback, this one is BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT to my team and to me personally. We frequently have to fall back to IE just for this feature, since new Edge has replaced Classic Edge on our computers. Many of those other features are cosmetic. This one, like Inking on web pages, has a significant effect on usability. 

[#19]

@i-am-kent @Elliot Kirk Looking forward to hearing your update when it's ready. I personally would prefer you to take whatever time is necessary simplifying the Chromium backend first, so that Edge can more easily implement the minimum features requested in this thread but then still be easily able to add all other requested features as well (especially the admin previously noting certain requirements for configuration in Group Policies -- I bet that needs really significant changes to the backend).

The Vivaldi moderator at https://forum.vivaldi.net/post/362500 said Chromium's downloader implementation and file path determination is very complex, and any changes need careful scrutiny to avoid opening security vulnerabilities. 

My assumption is that the Edge developers are aware of these same limitations and are looking into it just like the Vivaldi devs are. It would be great if y'all could work together to contribute the necessary improvements to the Chromium codebase, instead of duplicating each other's work.

This all sounds like a ton of work to me -- thank you to everyone working so hard on this to listen to users and support their unique needs, rather than just making a Chrome clone and calling it a day.

[#20]

@Colin - Did you see the message posted on 04/16/20 that said they would have something out in Canary soon?  I know it isn't a definite timeline, but they have responded to say that they are working to get something implemented.

[#21]

@Colin - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/discussions/edge-not-receiving-notifications-when-closed/m-p/... for me it's just as important it is, but it doesn't even make the top feedback.