Downloading Files

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What is Downloading?

When you download something, you’re copying a file from the internet to your computer. This could be:

• Documents (PDFs, Word files)
• Photos and images
• Programs and apps
• Music and videos
• Anything else stored as a file

🎯 Fun Fact: In the early days of the internet, downloading a single song (about 4MB) could take over an hour on dial-up. Today, the same download takes less than a second on most connections!

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Finding Your Downloads

The Downloads Folder

Every computer has a Downloads folder. Here’s how to find it:

Windows:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E)
2. Look in the left sidebar for “Downloads”
3. Or go to: C:\Users[YourName]\Downloads

Mac:

1. Open Finder
2. Look in the left sidebar for “Downloads”
3. Or click Go → Downloads (Cmd + Option + L)

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Try This Now: Find Your Downloads

1. Press Windows key + E (or open Finder on Mac)
2. Click Downloads in the sidebar
3. See what’s there - you might be surprised how much has accumulated!
4. Now press Ctrl + J in your browser to see the download history

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The Download Process

When you click a download link, here’s what happens:

1. Download starts - You might see a progress bar
2. File saves - Goes to Downloads folder (usually)
3. Notification appears - Browser tells you it’s done
4. File is ready - You can now open or move it

What the Progress Looks Like

Browser	Where to See Downloads
Chrome	Bottom-left corner, or ⬇️ icon at top-right
Edge	Toolbar icon or bottom of screen
Safari	Toolbar icon (downward arrow)
Firefox	⬇️ icon in toolbar

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Opening Downloaded Files

Opening Files

1. Go to your Downloads folder
2. Double-click the file
3. Your computer opens it with the appropriate program

If “Open With” Appears

Sometimes Windows or Mac asks which program to use. This happens when:

• Multiple programs can open that file type
• No program is set as the default

You can check “Always use this app” to set a default.

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Opening Files Safely

This is important - not all downloaded files are safe.

Safe Files (Usually)

Type	Extension	Risk Level
Documents	.pdf, .docx, .xlsx	Low
Images	.jpg, .png, .gif	Low
Music	.mp3, .wav	Low
Video	.mp4, .mov	Low

Be Careful With

Type	Extension	Risk Level
Programs	.exe, .msi	⚠️ Medium to High
Scripts	.bat, .vbs	⚠️ High
Unknown	Anything from suspicious sources	⚠️ High

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Warning Signs

Don’t Download/Open If:

❌ You didn’t intentionally start the download
❌ A popup told you to download something
❌ It came from an unexpected email
❌ The file extension doesn’t match what it claims to be
❌ Your browser or antivirus warns you

Safer If:

✅ You initiated the download from a trusted site
✅ It’s from an official source (company website, app store)
✅ The file type makes sense for what it is
✅ No security warnings appear

🎯 Fun Fact: The term “malware” is short for “malicious software.” About 560,000 new pieces of malware are detected every single day!

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Try This Now: Download Practice

Let’s safely practice downloading:

1. Go to wikipedia.org and open any article
2. Scroll down and look for Download as PDF in the left menu (or Tools)
3. Download it
4. Find it in your Downloads folder
5. Double-click to open it

Safe, educational content - perfect practice!

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Managing Downloads

Clearing Out Old Downloads

Downloads folder can get cluttered. Regularly:

1. Delete files you no longer need
2. Move important files to appropriate folders (Documents, Pictures)
3. Consider organizing into subfolders

Changing Download Location

If you want downloads to go somewhere else:

Chrome:

1. Menu (⋮) → Settings → Downloads
2. Change the location

Edge:

1. Menu (⋯) → Settings → Downloads
2. Change the location

Firefox:

1. Menu (☰) → Settings → General
2. Find Downloads section

Safari:

1. Safari → Preferences → General
2. “File download location”

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Large Downloads

Some files are big - videos, software, etc. Know what to expect:

File Type	Typical Size	Download Time (50 Mbps)
PDF document	1-5 MB	Instant
High-res photo	5-20 MB	A few seconds
Music album	100-200 MB	30 seconds
Movie (HD)	2-4 GB	10-15 minutes
Video game	20-100 GB	Hours

What If Download Fails?

• Try again - often works
• Check your internet connection
• Clear some disk space
• Try a different browser
• Download at a different time (less busy)

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Key Takeaways

• Downloads go to the Downloads folder by default
• Press Ctrl + J in your browser to see download history
• Double-click files to open them
• Be cautious with .exe files and unexpected downloads
• Regularly clean out your Downloads folder
• Move important files to better-organized folders

Congratulations! You’ve completed the Browser Basics track. Next: learn to stay safe online with password management and scam recognition!