this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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Here is how to stop firefox from force downloading PDF (connect.mozilla.org)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Hey guys

Today I got so annyed by firefox's default behaviour of downloading each and every PDF file to my disk that I went searching for a solution until I had the problem fixed. And it seems like I have finally found it. I have linked the solution but here is the explanation in short:

Firefox determines what kind of file type it is based on the content-type header it receives from the server. Another header is the content-disposition header with which the server specifies how the file should be handled. The two most important options here are attachment and inline.

  • inline is the default if not otherwise specified, and means the browser will handle the file according to the behavior set in the browser settings.
  • attachment means to always download the file

It is therefore possible that some pdf files are downloaded by force and others are handled according to the behavior specified in the settings. To force the latter in any case, you can proceed as follows:

  1. go to about:config
  2. change browser.download.open_pdf_attachments_inline to true

Thank you jscher2000 for the solution!

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

No it can't

The settings you change there just determine how the file should be opened after you already downlaoded it. You can try it yourself, it will keep downloading.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I have tried it myself. My Firefox shows PDFs inline, and "opens" other files (i.e. downloads them to /tmp) only via changing settings (browser.download.open_pdf_attachments_inline is false for me).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well how? What is you download directory set to? What firefox version?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

TBH the reason I didn't go into details was because it's been a while. I set it up right after they made the change and don't remember 100%.

But my downloads folder is just the Downloads folder (/home/user/Downloads), I have "What should Firefox do with other files?" set to "Ask whether to open", and for most content types I have "Always ask" (I have "Open in Firefox" for PDF, AV1, and a few others where it's an option).

It's stayed that way for all versions ever since they made the change to save by default, up to almost latest (haven't moved to 121 yet)...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Got it now: I edited my post. Now everything should be clear.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Oh, that's good to know. I have had issues with files just wouldn't "open" - even with the old behavior - and could never figure out why.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Yeah I have pretty much the same setup...