After upgrading safari doesn't want to download files to my external ssd

[dontlan]

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

 

[galad]

Does it work if you select another destination folder, and then select the external ssd again?

 

[dontlan]

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]

Having the same issue.

 

[Sawdust1]

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.

 

[vinhtq115]

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]

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).

 

[vinhtq115]

That's exFAT. I also have the same issue with my exFAT partition on external SSD too. Never had it before 15.0

 

[MacVFX3]

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.

 

[vinhtq115]

Seems like Safari's "Save Image as..." function is not affected by this bug.

 

[stretch1931]

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.

 

[smallfish80]

I have this issue too saving to a WD MyCloud NAS. Have also switched to Chrome for now until it’s fixed.

 

[MacVFX3]

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.

 

[dontlan]

I found a solution

You just need to format your external ssd to APFS format

 

[MacVFX3]

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]

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]

Do other apple device recognize APFS like ipad and iphone? I use exfat so that windows devices can also access my drive.

 

[dontlan]

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]

I updated to 15.1.1 and the problem is still not fixed.

 

[MacVFX3]

I think apple is forcing us to use APFS. Moved on to chrome and I am starting to get used to it

 

[dontlan]

I updated to 15.1.1 and the problem is still not fixed.

Only formatting the disk in APFS will help

 

[vinhtq115]

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]

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.

 

[ipedro]

I'm getting this same issue, but I'm downloading to my internal drive with one caveat: it's an iCloud folder. It downloads fine, I see the .download file and if at some point that file starts uploading to iCloud, it's no longer there by the time the download finishes and then "cannot move file".