To save the file to your Chromebook’s hard drive, choose the Downloads folder. NEVER store important files in Downloads unless you also have them stored somewhere else, such as Drive or an external USB drive or SD card. Downloaded files may be automatically deleted if your Chromebook is running low on space. Again, be careful storing files in the Chromebook download folder because they may be deleted.When are files in Chromebook Download Folder Deleted?
Anything in Downloads will be deleted if you do a Powerwash, or if anything happens to ChromeOS. Or if you fill up the available space in Downloads folder the files will be deleted. Once a file is deleted from Downloads, it is gone forever and absolutely, positively, cannot be restored. There is no trash bin if you accidentally delete something.
Get a Chromebook compatible USB drive or SD card for Chromebook if you want to keep a lot of files locally. If you get one, we recommend using the Recovery app to erase it before use – that will remove any proprietary software from it and ensure that it is properly formatted for Chromebook use, as well as with other computers.
PLEASE, pay attention to this. Google cannot help you if you lose a file, no matter how important or irreplaceable that file is. It is gone . . . permanently.
Change Default Folder for Chromebook Downloads
You can change the default location for saved files. You can also select to choose where to save files each time.
- Click the status area, where your account picture appears.
- Select Settings
> Show advanced settings.
- In the “Downloads” section, pick a default download location by clicking Change.
- Mark the box “ask where to save each file before downloading”
Sync Chromebook Download Folder with Google Drive
Open the Files app on your Chromebook, and navigate to My Drive. When you’re there, create a new folder called Drive Downloads. Press CTRL + E to create a new folder. Your new Drive Downloads folder should now appear just below the Downloads folder in the sidebar of the Files app. Then change the location of the download folder with the instructions above. Now you will have a way to back up things that you download on your Chromebook.
To copy a file from your Chromebook’s Downloads folder to Google Drive:
- Sign in to your Chromebook.
- Click the Launcher .
- Select Files .
- Click the Downloads folder.
- Click your file, then drag it into your Google Drive folder.
Chromebooks work with cloud file systems, like Google Drive, Box, or SMB. To connect to an SMB file share:
- In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher Launcher and then Up arrow Up arrow.
- Open Files Files.
- In the top right, select More More.
- Select Add new service and then SMB Shares.
- A window will open. Select Add File Share. Fill out your info.
- Select Add.
To connect to other cloud file systems:
- In the corner of your screen, select the Launcher Launcher and then Up arrow Up arrow.
- Open Files Files.
- In the top right, select More More.
- Select Install new service.
- To install a new cloud file system, choose a system and follow the onscreen steps.