How to Change the Download Folder Location in Microsoft Teams

To change the download folder location in Microsoft Teams, open the desktop app and go to Settings and more (...) > Settings > Files and links. Under Downloads > Location, select Change and choose a folder. You can also have Teams ask where to save each download.

Using Teams in a browser? Adjust the browser's download settings instead. Microsoft does not support changing the download location through Teams settings on the web or mobile.

Change the Teams desktop download folder

The following steps follow Microsoft's current download instructions. The folder-picker example uses Windows; the appearance of desktop dialogs can differ.

1. Open Settings. In Teams, select the three-dot Settings and more menu, then Settings.

   

2. Select Files and links. Find the Downloads section.

   

3. Select Change. Use the button beside the current download location.

   

4. Choose your destination. Browse to the folder you want and select Select Folder.

   

Choose a folder you can recognize easily, such as a dedicated Teams Downloads folder inside Documents. If you organize work by project, the per-download option below may be more practical than sending everything to one destination.

Choose where to save every Teams download

In the same Downloads section, turn on Always ask where to save downloaded file. This lets you choose a destination whenever you download a file, rather than relying on one preset folder.

For example, you could save a proposal in a client's folder and a meeting handout in a separate project folder. Leave the toggle off when you prefer the convenience of a single download destination.

Check the destination with a new download

Open a channel's Shared tab, find a file, and select its three-dot More actions > Download menu. Confirm that the new file reaches your chosen folder, or that you receive a save-location prompt if you enabled that option.

Use a new download for this check. Existing copies are not a useful test of the updated setting: locate those separately in the folder where you originally saved them.

Change the download folder for Teams on the web

When you download through Teams in a browser, use that browser's download preferences. This also applies when you open a Teams file in a browser and download it there.

Microsoft Edge

Open Edge's three-dot menu and choose Settings > Downloads. Beside Location, select Change and choose your preferred folder. For a choice on each download, enable Ask me what to do with each download, then use Save as when offered.

Microsoft explains these controls in its Edge download management guide. Changing Edge's default folder affects downloads handled by Edge, including downloads from other websites.

Google Chrome

Open Chrome's three-dot menu, then Settings > Downloads. Select Change to set a default folder, or enable Ask where to save each file before downloading to choose a destination each time.

These are browser-wide preferences, as described in Google's download help. Simply opening a file in a browser does not guarantee a Save As dialog; the file may open for viewing first.

What this setting changes

The download folder is the destination for a saved copy on your computer. It does not relocate the shared original. In work or school Teams, channel uploads are stored in the team's SharePoint location, while files sent in chat are stored in the sender's OneDrive for Business, according to Microsoft's file storage documentation.

Also, File open preference controls whether Office documents open in Teams, a desktop app, or a browser. It is a separate setting from the download destination; see Microsoft's file-opening guidance.

If the setting is missing or downloads still go elsewhere

• Confirm which app handles the download. A browser download follows browser settings, even if you started by clicking a file in Teams.
• Update the desktop app. If Teams shows an update option, select Update > Update and restart Teams. Microsoft's update instructions explain the current process.
• Check file permissions. If Download is unavailable, ask the owner whether downloading is allowed. Teams supports sharing permissions that prevent downloads; choosing another folder cannot override them.