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dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
After upgrading to mac os 15, safari doesn't want to download files to my external ssd.

No other browsers have this problem.

I've tried downloading completely different files.

I restarted my mac several times, reconnected my external drive, it didn't help.

Apple screwed up once again
 

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galad

macrumors 6502a
Apr 22, 2022
612
494
Does it work if you select another destination folder, and then select the external ssd again?
 

dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
Does it work if you select another destination folder, and then select the external ssd again?
No, that didn't work, safari doesn't want to download anything to an external drive.

this never happened in sonoma and previous versions of mac os.
 

Sawdust1

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2024
2
1
After upgrading to mac os 15, safari doesn't want to download files to my external ssd.

No other browsers have this problem.

I've tried downloading completely different files.

I restarted my mac several times, reconnected my external drive, it didn't help.

Apple screwed up once again
So I found out if you right click on the file located on the external hard drive and “show package contents” The file is there and can be copied.
Not a long term solution, but at least the files have been downloaded and we can access them.
 
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vinhtq115

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
5
0
No, that didn't work, safari doesn't want to download anything to an external drive.

this never happened in sonoma and previous versions of mac os.
Is your external drive non-APFS formatted? I found out that downloading files into tmpfs or exFAT partitions will cause the error while APFS will not (tested on APFS-formatted partition on my external SSD).
 

dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
Is your external drive non-APFS formatted? I found out that downloading files into tmpfs or exFAT partitions will cause the error while APFS will not (tested on APFS-formatted partition on my external SSD).
 

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vinhtq115

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
5
0
That's exFAT. I also have the same issue with my exFAT partition on external SSD too. Never had it before 15.0
 

MacVFX3

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
6
3
Hello, new here. It is also happening to me:

M1 Macbook Pro 14"
Samsung T7 External SSD T7 (Ex-Fat formatted)

It seems to only happens in Safari. It does not happen in Chrome. Switched to Chrome for now while hopefully it gets fixed. Torrent client also does not have issues saving to an external ex-fat drive.

Just wish the "Eject" and "Erase" commands are ways apart. Might accidentaly erase instead of eject an external drive.
 
Last edited:

stretch1931

macrumors newbie
Sep 23, 2024
1
1
I am having the exact same issue, where I have it automatically download the .download files to my Synology NAS. I believe I have it configured for SMB, and is using the btrfs file system. So just like everyone else is saying, it'll work fine when I point it to the internal storage since it's in the APFS file format. I have faith that Apple will eventually address and resolve this. In the meantime, we have workarounds -- Either "show package contents" or the internal or external APFS drives will have to be the temporary solution.
 
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MacVFX3

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
6
3
15.1 still does not fix the download to SSD issue. I read it does not happen if the SSD s formatted to APFS. my SSD is formatted to ExFat for wider compatibility with other devices.
 
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dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
I found a solution

You just need to format your external ssd to APFS format
 

MacVFX3

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
6
3
I found a solution

You just need to format your external ssd to APFS format
That's what I am hearing, but in my case don't want to as I will lose data and no other space to transfer to and transfer back. I just switched to CHROME, which does not have this issue. Can live without using SAFARI.
 

dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
That's what I am hearing, but in my case don't want to as I will lose data and no other space to transfer to and transfer back. I just switched to CHROME, which does not have this issue. Can live without using SAFARI.
I know what you mean.



But it looks like apple screwed up yet again. I like Safari and after formatting my disk to APFS it is faster and more stable

Also, they say you can install any application on an external ssd soon, but it has to be in APFS. That's important to me
 

MacVFX3

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
6
3
Do other apple device recognize APFS like ipad and iphone? I use exfat so that windows devices can also access my drive.
 

dontlan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 9, 2024
122
9
Do other apple device recognize APFS like ipad and iphone? I use exfat so that windows devices can also access my drive.
Of course, APFS is a file system from Apple itself. All modern silicone model disks run APFS from the factory

You can read about the pros and cons of these formats on the Internet. In short, APFS is faster and more stable, but it does not work with windows, only macs
 

vinhtq115

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2024
5
0
Only formatting the disk in APFS will help
It's a tmpfs drive that I created to avoid wearing my SSD. While there are other options for ram drive, tmpfs is more convenient because it can free the RAM memory after deleting files on it.

For now, I use APFS-formatted ramdisk drive until the issue is fixed.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,278
13,376
Here's another Fishrrman "how can he be that dumb??" suggestion:

If the files won't download directly to your external drive,
then...
Just download them "to the desktop", and manually MOVE them to the drive...

Whatever works... works.
 
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