How to turn off Chrome’s new download tray and revert to the bar
You’ve likely noticed that Chrome has a slightly new UI in place. When an image or file is downloaded, rather than the traditional bottom downloads bar appearing and showcasing your most recent file, nothing happens. If you look keenly, a download icon near the address bar’s right end will light up blue. Clicking it opens a new tray deemed the “downloads tray.”
Some will inevitably prefer the old look, and if that includes you, it can be changed on Windows.
To change Google Chrome’s new downloads system, you’ll have to disable one of Chrome’s settings flags. While this isn’t a perfect solution, it’s the only one currently available to all users.
Flags have the potential to change other aspects of Chrome for the worse, so doing so may cause issues. While we haven’t had issues completing the following process, doing so is at your own risk.
In Google Chrome’s search bar, enter chrome://flags/#download-bubble
A highlighted option will appear. Change from Default to Disabled
Relaunch Chrome, and you’ll no longer see the downloads tray introduced recently.
The new UI infuriated me - it appeared, only briefly, on the top right of Chrome and then disappeared.
Some of my downloads take some time and I’m used to viewing progress in the “download shelf”.
I have just tested the regression - I have the bar showing progress and a click shows me the options available … 