Wheres The Download Manual On Firefox

The time you most need a user manual is usually the time you discover that you don’t have one… Often this happens only after you have wasted an hour rummaging through dozens of old manuals – for stuff you no longer even own!

Sep 22, 2008  Were do Firefox downloads go? When I am downloading a file or program from firefox, there is a list and new downloads are addad. Were do these files go and are they stored somewere on my computer. 1 decade ago. May 28, 2009  The Firefox User Manual is available for reading online or you can download it as a PDF ebook. It's a visual getting started guide with detailed instructions on how to use Firefox. The Firefox Manual – A Beginner’s Guide Written by Amit Agarwal on May 28, 2009.

I’m not just talking about computing stuff either – user manuals for products like ovens, mowers, TV and audio equipment all seem to have a habit of disappearing over the years.

1. Firefox is more than a browser. Learn more about Firefox products that handle your data with respect and are built for privacy anywhere you go online.
2. Why will this operator's manual NOT properly download to my computer? My browsers are Explorer and Firefox and they are current and updated. Is this manual for the T621t sound/cloc k radio no longer available for downloadin g? I tried saving it to my desktop, I tried downloadin g it in PDF, and it just downloads 20 blank pages!!

The next step is to search online for a free owners manual but this can also be frustrating:

• Google searches may find websites which claim to have the right manual – but then want to charge you to view it…
• Manufacturer websites can be hard to navigate (especially for old and obsolete products) or they may simply no longer exist.

Tip: I find that a quick way to find an old manual buried somewhere in a manufacturer’s site is to use Google search parameters to search for it within that site (see my quick guide).

5 Websites to find User Manuals

All these websites provide free manuals in PDF format – each has its own library so it is worth trying more than one site if you’re looking for a particularly obscure manual.

As a quick test, I searched each site for a user manual for a 10 year old Canon Pixma IP3000 printer – the results are included for each website.

[Note: if you’re looking specifically for a car owners manual, see the Appendix at the bottom of this article]

1. ManualsLib

This has over 3 million free owners manuals in PDF format. A wide range including tech stuff, home appliances, mowers, board games and car manuals.

It has a good predictive search feature which narrows down the search results as you type. Related manuals are listed below the search results which can help if the model number is slightly different (e.g. in different countries) or if there is more than one PDF available for that product e.g. a quick start guide and a full user manual.

You can read the PDF on the website or download it and save/print – the green Download button at the top of the page leads to a standard reCAPTCHA verification to ‘Get Manual’.

Watch out for the Adverts! They often include ‘Start/Download’ type buttons that are nothing to do with this site – or they link to other sites that charge for manuals…

Test Results – it found a 2 page Quick Setup Instruction booklet and a 100 page Quick Start Manual.

2. ManualsOnline

This has free user manuals in PDF format for over 700,000 products. Another wide range including tech stuff, power tools, home appliances, car audio etc.

It also has a predictive search feature which narrows down the search results as you type, although it didn’t suggest the IP3000 printer in my search. You can also search by Category then Brand – search filters are simple to use.

It helpfully provides a direct link to the manufacturer’s support website if no manual is available.

You can read the PDF on the website or download it and save/print. Again, watch out for the adverts!

ManualsOnline has more of a forum and community feel – you can ask questions for product support and discussions from users are listed below the product manual. This might be a useful source of info for troubleshooting but many answers will basically suggest that you just read the manual… That is what the site is for after all.

Test Results – it found a 2 page Quick Setup Instruction booklet and a 100 page Quick Start Guide, the same as ManualLib.

3. Scribd

A huge document sharing website of books, speeches and magazine articles etc but this also has a useful free user manuals section which includes automobiles, crafts, gadgets and scrapbooking.

It has a predictive search feature which narrows down the search results as you type, although it didn’t suggest the IP3000 printer in my search (or anything at all by Canon so perhaps the predictive search only covers books).

It seems to be the most advert free website I tested.

Firefox Manual Install

You can read or print the PDF on the website for free and recent documents can also be downloaded for free. Old/archived documents require a paid membership to download them – but you can sign up for a 1 month free trial.

Test Results – found a 24 page Service Manual and a 8 page Reset Printer Guide. It was the only site to find these two technical documents, although strangely it didn’t find the far more common Quick Start documents.

4. SafeManuals

Over 800,000 user manuals in PDF format. A wide range including tech stuff, home appliances, toys, music etc.

No predictive search feature but you can search by manufacturer or category then by product name.

You can read the PDF on the website or download it (the orange ‘Get Manual’ button, followed by a simple 4 character Captcha) and save/print. Again, watch out for the adverts!

Test Results – found a 32 page Quick Start Guide (different to the 100 page guide that some other sites found).

5. ESI

Change Where Firefox Downloads Files

Primarily aimed at engineers and technicians, not end users – offers a range of component datasheets, IC diagrams, service guides and schematics for a range of electronic equipment.

Far more specialized than the other sites so not as comprehensive. Active user forums can be helpful for troubleshooting and repairs.

Manuals are generally in PDF, RAR or Zip format – you can download the file and save/print. Again, watch out for the adverts!

No predictive search feature but you can filter searches by manufacturer and product type.

Test Results – nothing found for my printer search. This is perhaps not surprising as the site covers more technical areas than home user inkjet printers.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that no single website found every available manual/guide in my (limited) testing but three sites did find a user manual in the form of a Quick Start Guide.

Other documents found included a useful Service Manual, Quick Set Up Instruction booklet and a Reset Printer Guide – I didn’t manage to find any of these on Canon’s own website so these were a welcome bonus.

Results will obviously vary depending on the product that you search for but these are all useful sites to bookmark for future reference.

Tip: if you use Google Chrome – to view PDFs in a full featured reader, instead of Chrome’s limited PDF Viewer, see how to open a PDF in Adobe Reader.

Appendix – Car Owners Manuals

I had a lot of people contact me looking for a car owners manual which the above 5 websites don’t really cover in any depth – the first one, ManualsLib, is probably the best for car owners.

However there are a couple of other car specific websites that may help:

Edmunds – this links page is a few years old now but it still lists a lot of online car owner’s manuals by manufacturer – US only.

Car manuals Online – 80,000 car manuals to read online only – no PDF downloads. But you can print out the document or view it on a tablet/phone if you want to use it outdoors as a reference for car repairs.

Related Posts:

Your Downloads panel and Library keep track of files you download while using Firefox. Learn how to manage your files and configure your download settings.

Table of Contents

• 2See downloads history
  • 2.1Download protection

You can access your downloadsdownloads from your current browsing session by clicking on the Downloads button (the down arrow on your toolbar). The arrow will appear blue to let you know there are unviewed downloaded files.

• During a download, the Downloads button changes into a timer that shows your download's progress. The timer changes back into an arrow when your download is complete.

• During a download, the Downloads button gradually fills with color to show your download's progress.

• Click on the Downloads button to open the Downloads panel. The Downloads panel displays your three most recently downloaded files, along with its size, source and download time:

• To see all of your downloads, go to the Library by clicking on Show all Downloads at the bottom of the Downloads panel.

• Click on the Downloads button to open the Downloads panel. The Downloads panel displays your three most recently downloaded files, along with its size and download status:

• To see all of your downloads at any time, go to the Library by clicking on Show all Downloads at the bottom of the Downloads panel.

Note: Your toolbar does not include a Downloads button when you have no downloads in your current browsing session. You can use the Library button on your toolbar to access previous downloads (see below).

The Library displays information for all of your downloaded files, unless you've cleared them from your history.

1. Click the Library button on your toolbar.
2. Click Downloads in the drop-down menu.
3. Click Show All Downloads at the bottom of the Downloads panel. The Library window will open showing a list of your downloaded files.

• The Library displays information for all of your downloaded files, unless you've cleared them from your history.

Download protection

Before beginning a download, Firefox will attempt to protect you from potentially malicious or unsafe downloads. See the Mozilla blog posts, 'Enhancing Download Protection in Firefox' and 'Improving Malware Detection in Firefox' for more information. If something is suspected, the download will not begin, but rather:

Potentially malicious downloads are detected using Google Safe Browsing Service. A red dot will appear on the Download arrow:

Click on the red-tagged Download arrow to open the Downloads panel. The file name will be displayed along with the warning message,

• This file contains a virus or malware.

Other files covered under download protection may be potentially unwanted downloads (explained in the Google Policy) that may make unexpected changes to your computer. Or, a download may not be malicious or unwanted but simply not commonly downloaded. A yellow dot will appear on the Download arrow:

Click on the yellow-tagged Download arrow to open the Downloads panel. The file name will be displayed with one of these warning messages:

• This file may harm your computer.
• This file is not commonly downloaded.

How do I handle unsafe downloads?

When you see a malicious file or other types of potentially unsafe files in the Downloads panel, click on the right-facing arrow to choose what to do with the file, as shown in this example:

You will be given more information about the type of unsafe file and the option to open or remove the file:

Tip: The (right-click) context menu includes other options for handling any potentially harmful or malicious files listed in the Downloads panel that are pending download:

For example: Right-clickHold down the control key while you click on one of the potentially unsafe files that are pending download and select Allow Download to save the file to your computer.

You can check on past downloads at any time. Click on the Downloads button (alternatively, click the Library button and then click Downloads) to open the Downloads panel. The Downloads panel displays your three most recently downloaded files, along with its size, source and download time.

You can manage your files directly in the Downloads panel or in your library. Options will appear to the right of each file during each stage of the download.

• Pause: You can pause any downloads currently in progress by right-clickingpressing Ctrl and clicking on the file and selecting Pause. When you want to continue downloading the file, right-clickpress Ctrl and click the file entry and select Resume.
• Cancel : If you no longer need to download a file, click the X button at the right of the file entry. This button turns into a refresh symbol; click it again to restart your download.
• Open the file: When a download has finished, you can click on the entry directly to open the file.
• Open Containing Folder : Once a file has finished downloading, the icon to the right of the file entry becomes a folder. Click the folder icon to open the folder that contains that file.Show In Finder : Once a file has finished downloading, the icon to the right of the file entry becomes a magnifying glass. Click the magnifying glass icon to show that file in the Finder. To set the folder where your downloads go, see Change where downloads are saved, below.
• Go to Download Page: Right-clickPress Ctrl and click on the file to bring up the menu. Choose this option to visit the webpage where the file came from.
• Remove the file's entry: If you do not wish to keep a record of a particular download, simply right-clickpress Ctrl and click the file entry, then select Remove From History. This will remove the entry from the list but will not delete the file itself.
• Retry a Download : If for any reason a file does not finish downloading, click the button to the right of the entry - a refresh symbol - to retry.
• Clear Downloads: Click the button at the top of the Library window to clear the entire history of downloaded items. This will not delete the downloaded files.

File downloads are saved in the folder specified in Firefox OptionsPreferences. To change that folder:

1. Click the menu button and select ..
2. In the General panel, go to the Downloads section find the Downloads section under Files and Applications.
3. Click the button next to the Save files to entry.
4. Choose the downloads folder you wish to use.

For more information, see Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings.