How to manage Safari downloads on iPhone and iPad

While surfing the web or accessing our email, we tend to download files on our iPhone and iPad. Initially, it all looks good. Eventually, with the files piling one after another, you start feeling the need to manage Safari downloads.

But wait… don’t rush to a third-party download manager. Managing your download, that too in a separate file manager app, is a tricky and daunting business. So, here’s good news, with iOS 13 and the changes made to Safari, you can manage your chaos (or should I say Downloads?) easily!

Here are some quick ways to manage your Safari downloads on your iPhone and iPad effortlessly. Let’s begin!

• How to download files in Safari on iPhone
• How to manage your downloads in Safari on the iPhone
  • Pause/Resume/Cancel your downloads in Safari 
  • Change default Safari downloads location on iPhone
  • Delete downloaded files in Safari
  • Auto-delete Safari downloads on your iPhone

How to download files in Safari on iPhone

1. Locate the file/item you want to download and tap it.
2. Confirm download when prompted through the popup window.
3. Tap the arrow icon next to your Safari address bar to access your download files.
   
   

Note: There’s also an alternate way to access your downloads. You can go to the Files application and select Downloads.

How to manage your downloads in Safari on the iPhone

Pause/Resume/Cancel your downloads in Safari

1. Tap the download icon at the top right corner of Safari.
2. Tap the ‘X’ symbol to pause or cancel your download.
3. You can Resume the download by tapping the curved arrow.
   
   

Note: You can directly reach the downloaded location of a file by tapping the ‘Search‘ icon next to the file name.

Change default Safari downloads location on iPhone

1. In the Settings app, tap Safari and select Downloads.
2. Here, you’ll have two options; iCloud Drive and iPhone/iPad.
   
   

Note: iCloud Drive will let your downloads be available across all connected devices, whereas the iPhone/iPad option will only save the file to the respective device.

However, if you want to delete the file permanently, there are two ways to do it.

Delete downloaded files in Safari

• Delete individual file
  1. Tap the arrow icon and swipe left the file you want to delete.
  2. Now, tap the delete button.
     
     
• Delete all files at once
  1. Tap the arrow icon and tap Clear.
     
     

You can also choose to auto-delete files.

Auto-delete Safari downloads on your iPhone

1. Open the Settings app and tap Safari.
2. Now select Downloads, followed by Remove Download List Items.
   
   
3. Here, you have three options: After one day, Upon Successful Download, or Manually.
4. On selecting either of the first two options, the system will auto-delete the download files.
   
   

I hope the steps were quick, easy, and helpful. In case you have any other trouble, feel free to connect with me in the comments below. For further help related to the Safari browser, consider reading Dhvanesh’s guide on How to troubleshoot common Safari problems.

Read more: 

• How to install Safari extensions on Mac in just 4 easy steps
• Safari Not Opening t.co Short Links from Twitter? Quick Fixes
• Restore Deleted Safari Bookmarks on​ Mac
• How to disable Safari tab previews on Mac (Quick guide)

🗣️ Our site is supported by our readers like you. When you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission. Read Disclaimer.