In the latest update on the beta build the flag to disable the download bubble and use the download shelf was removed. I personally hate the download bubble in the top right corner. For the past 15 years of using Chromium based browsers starting with when Google Chrome was initially released, as such I have been accustomed to how the download shelf worked, which was itself an evolution of how Internet Explorer handled it. Earlier this year the default behavior with the Chrome 2023 redesign it changed both how the horizontal tab bar and the download location worked to be, in my opinion, worse. I was able to revert both of these changes with the flags previously, however in the latest beta build there is no longer an option in the flags to disable the download bubble and instead use the old shelf.
Below I have attached two screenshots, the first from the official build of Brave, and the second is from the current Beta build. Please restore this option and leave it. I do not care if the default behavior is the new bubble, but leave the shelf for those of us who prefer it. The bubble is worse for those of us who may download multiple files at the same time as the progress bar on the bubble only shows the progress on ALL downloads, whereas with the shelf at the bottom of the browser you can see each individual file and it’s unique progress.
I totally agree. The download shelf is more useful than the download bubble. It would be SOOO easy to have an option for both if they want to push using the bubble. Removing useful features is SO Google. Blech!
I complained in the Chromium discussion room too but my post still wasn’t visible last time I checked. I hate the trend towards dumbing down user interfaces that is going on through lots of the industry right now
I agree with this, and I also hate the fact it was forced upon me without my consent! Fix it or at least put the option BACK in the flags! This honestly irritates me so much I’m seriously debating on going to firefox. Unconsented updates, which I have now disabled in services, and brave is now “Unavailable” for Gemini on Rewards. This program has gone down hill so fast it’s sad!
EDIT ONE SOLUTION!!! Right click the shortcut, click properties, in the target field go all the way to the end AFTER the quotes, add a space and paste this --disable-features=DownloadBubble Hit apply and open Brave again, it should revert things back
Furthermore, Since the update, Chrome/Brave download bubble’s “show in folder” and “open file” do the same thing–they both open file. Very dangerous!! I accidentally installed an .EXE file last night because I clicked on “show in folder” in the new download bubble. They need to fix this beta feature before rolling it out. Malware infections are going to spike this week.
Plus it’s wasteful of resources to have to open another tab just to check status of downloads.
The most annoying is that when I start a download, there’s no visible confirmation that anything is downloading, causing me to click multiple times and download the same file several times.
Yes, agree! I am used to create an ICS file (Calendar format) from my online ERP system, which I can drag into my calendar tool. And that is possible from the shelf in the bottom. Plus in the shelf you can see in one glance what the status and progress is of each download.
I tried the target shortcut as well and it removes the download bubble, but only until you download something. Then it reappears…
Very frustrating. I keep expecting the shelf to open when I download something, so when it doesn’t, I click download again thinking something went wrong. I’ve downloaded the same file repeatedly a few times now because I think something is broken… please let us switch it back!!!
It’s like Google is trying to kill off Chrome and Brave by removing one of the most useful features and replacing it with a dangerous one that can lead to a surge in malware installations.
The “open folder” icon opens/executes the file, as you will see in this screen capture.
Just created an account to add to this. The download shelf is really important to me, and something I really missed in any other browser I’ve used. This being removed as an option is really frustrating and I really want it back. The bubble feels like a step back, so I’d really appreciate it if we got the option for the shelf back
Still working for me, so it appears that the fix is adding the script to the shortcut & then unpinning & repinning the shortcut. Why does that work? I HAVE NO IDEA
It’s because your Taskbar shortcut and desktop shortcut and start menu shortcut are all different files that just point to the executable. You’re only modifying one at a time when you add the disable download bubble argument. When you unpin and repin it is copying the arguments from the shortcut you edited before and are repinning
