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How to prevent automatic download of files on Android

Several sites download files automatically on Android. This practice is mainly used to install software crawlers in the mobile phone in order to detect the user's browsing habits and display advertising on the internet. The problem is that, besides taking up space on the smartphone, the procedure can be dangerous, as the file may contain viruses and other malware.

The most popular browsers on Google's system - Chrome, Firefox and Opera - do not have a native tool that prevents automatic download of these files. However, you can block the action with a simple trick in Android settings. The following tutorial teaches you how to do this and also how to cancel downloads already in progress in these three browsers.

Learn how to prevent automatic downloading of files in Android browsers

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How to prevent automatic download on Android

Step 1. Enter the "Configure" menu for Android, go to the "Device" section and select "Applications".

Accessing Android application settings

Step 2. Tap the browser you're using - in this example, Chrome - and then go into "Permissions".

Access to Chrome permissions on Android

Step 3. In "Storage", turn the key to the off position. This will cause the browser to be unable to write anything to the device and prevent unwanted downloads.

Disable Chrome access permission to store on Android

Step 4. The procedure is the same for any browser you use (below you can see the same screen in the Firefox and Opera apps). If you want to download or upload a specific file, go back to the browser settings in question, enter "Permissions" again and re-enable the "Storage" key.

Disabling and reactivating storage access in Firefox and Opera

Stopping a download in progress

Step 1. You can stop a download that is already in progress and prevent the file from being saved on the phone. To do this by Android itself, expand the notifications bar, and in the download message tap on "Pause" or "Cancel." The first option will stop the download, while the second will permanently suspend it.

Download interrupt in progress in the Android notification bar

Step 2. To cancel a download from Chrome, touch the main menu (the three dots in the upper corner of the screen) and go to "Downloads." Then just touch the "X" next to the file.

Download suspension in progress on Chrome for Android

Step 3. In Firefox, tap the main menu, also represented by the three points, and enter "Tools". Then select the "Downloads" option.

Entry in the download settings for Firefox for Android

Step 4. Give a long click on the download that is in progress. A dialog box will open asking if you want to abort the download. Click "OK" to cancel the download.

Download cancellation by Firefox for Android

Step 5. To stop downloading in Opera, go to the main menu, represented with three dashes at the bottom of the screen, and enter "Downloads".

Access to the Opera download screen for Android

Step 6. Keep your finger pressed for a few seconds on the download in progress. A small "X" will appear at the top of the screen where you should click. Then check the box "Also remove these items from the device" and end in "Clear".