How to Restore Google Chrome Download Notifications to the Bottom of the Window

Don’t like Chrome’s recent downloads move to the top tab? Here’s how to get rid of the download bubble and see the shelf like before.

Google recently changed how it notifies you of downloads in its browser. It used to be that downloads on Chrome would show up at the bottom of the tab, but the change has them blinking at the top-right of the window.

This makes sense: the new downloads notification bubble takes up less space and is not limited by screen width. It feels more modern in terms of the UI. But you can switch Chrome download notifications back to the way they were.

Google redesigned the Chrome download UI to make things simpler than before, as explained in a recent Chromium Blog post, along with a few features of the redesigned download tray.

To revert to the old way Google Chrome showed you your downloads (referred to as the download shelf), you’ll have to change the download flag in the browser’s flag settings. Here’s how to achieve that:

While this method currently works—we’ve tested it out on Windows 10 and macOS Big Sur—Google may decide to do away with this workaround. As noted on a Google Chrome support page, this is an “experimental flag and Google may remove it in the future.”

If neither of these ways cuts it, you can look into Chrome extensions for managing downloads.

UIs seem to be moving toward more fluid designs that restrict you less and offer seamless ways to manage information. But you don't have to stick to Google's design choices for Chrome. There are plenty of ways to customise the browser beyond restoring the downloads tray.

Anindra has written on technology and health for over a decade, for the web and print. He has worked on the Which? organization’s Right Choice Magazine.At MUO, he focuses mainly on Windows tweaks and tips that add value to the PC user experience. He also enjoys taking in the latest science and tech, playing video games, reading science fiction, and photography—all of which filter down into his writing.