Download files with Safari

Safari Downloads Window

So there is something on a web page that you would like to save to your local drive, but the file is Flash, or Windows Media, or some other format that you can’t just drag out of your browser. So, you look at the source code to determine the location of the file, and then fire up your favorite text editor, or web authoring software and write a quick link to that file. Then you open that HTML doc you just made, in your browser… right click it and select save linked file. Does all this sound familiar?

That’s how I would have typically downloaded a file that I wanted to save, but today I discovered a simpler way. In Safari, once you look at the source code, just copy the URL for the file, and paste it into Safari’s Downloads window (Window>Downloads). There’s no field to paste into, the Downloads window just has to be the active window when you hit paste. That’s it! It saves you the steps of having to write that link, and open it in your browser. Of course, this method does assume that the entire URL is listed in the source. If it is only a relative URL (showing only the last part of the path), then this method won’t work.

Friday, October 14th, 2005 Tips & Tricks

3 Comments to Download files with Safari

  1. That’s amazing. Too bad it doesn’t work for relative URLs.

    2. David on October 14th, 2005

  2. THANKYOU!!!!!!!

    3. Ben on October 16th, 2005

  3. isn’t it possible to go into the “Activity” window, option double click the item you want, and it will download it for ya??

    cause i know you can option click a link to download the resuting file, ect

    4. Ben on March 20th, 2006

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The Author

Paul Burd is a multimedia designer, and amateur photographer, living in San Francisco. More...

My Other Sites: My Portfolio | My Photoblog

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