File types and download actions

From MozillaZine Knowledge Base
Revision as of 13:33, 23 May 2006 by Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) (Expanded the intro, changed section heading names to "download actions", added links.)
Jump to navigationJump to search

When you download a media file, the MIME type determines what action is taken. Files that are associated with certain plugins like Adobe Acrobat, Quicktime, Windows Media Player and Macromedia Flash will open automatically inside a browser window or in an external player. (If no plugin exists, a predefined "helper application" will be used [1] or, if no download action has been defined, you will be prompted to either save the file or open it with a specified application.) This article explains how you can change the way downloaded media files are handled, so that they are either saved or opened with a specified application instead of with the associated plugin.

Changing download actions

This will not affect media embedded in a web page - only links to the files themselves.

Firefox 1.0.x

Go to "Tools -> Options -> Downloads -> Plug-Ins". Disable the plugin for the desired file type by clicking on the checkmark. The next time you click a download link to that file type, you will get a dialog box prompting you to choose what action to take.

Firefox 1.5.x

Go to "Tools -> Options -> Downloads -> Download Actions -> View & Edit Actions". Select a file type and click 'Change Action...'

  • If you want the file to open with the default external program for that file type, select "Open them with the default application"
  • If you want the file to open with an external program other than the default, select "Open them with this application" - you will then be prompted to select an application.
  • If you want the file to be downloaded and saved instead of opened, select "Save them on my computer".

Resetting download actions

If problems arise or if you want to restore the default set of actions for opening or saving media files, do the following [2]:

  1. Type about:config into the address bar.
  2. Find the preference browser.download.pluginOverrideTypes and, if it is present, right-click on it and select reset.
  3. Find the preference plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types and, if it is present, right-click on it and select reset.
  4. Exit the browser, then open the profile folder (Windows 2000/XP users, read this for help finding it).
  5. Delete (or rename) the file mimeTypes.rdf.

See also