Downloaded files not going to Files app after updating iPhone to iOS 18.5

I've set my Safari download location to "On My iPhone," but the setting does absolutely nothing. Files don't save there. They get stuck in a temporary Safari cache, forcing me to manually use "Share > Save to Files" and then navigate back to the folder I already set as the default.

This is a broken workflow. Why offer a setting that is completely ignored? It's a bug that makes users think their downloads have disappeared.

I’m on iOS 26 with an iPad Pro and thought that update would have fixed this issue, but it didn’t.

I tried things like tuning off extensions, removed the opera browser since I didn’t use it, removed old add blocker app I didn’t use. But none of this worked.

Now what did work (and I hope works for others also) is the following:

I have only two browsers, Safari and Firefox. I downloaded a test file in Firefox and saw those download went to:

”On My iPad / Firefox / Downloads” folder.

NOTE: This might be different for you if you use something else besides Firefox, maybe opera or chrome?

Since it worked in Firefox I then went into iOS Settings / Safari and changed my download to “Other” and selected:

”On My iPad / Firefox / Downloads”

Note: it will still show in the setting as just On My iPad Downloads.

I then downloaded a CSV test file, something I know wasn’t showing in the past and confirmed the file was indeed in the ”On My iPad / Firefox / Downloads” folder. Then I deleted the file from that folder.

Then I sent back to the iOS Setting / Safari and changed it from “On My iPad” to “iCloud”

Then I changed it back to “On My iPad”

Opened Safari and downloaded that CSV test file again and this time it showed up in the local “On My iPad / Download” folder.

At this point you can change it to iCloud again if you use iCloud, or select the folder you want using the …Other option in Safari settings.

I hope it works for you.

It is a bug that affects safari and firefox. Duckduckgo seems to work although it creates its down download folder so you can use that until they fix it. I did not try google browser.

Chrome works fine. It has its own download folder.

In general, it looks like all blob URLs have this problem. I spun up a few simulators and narrowed it down to iOS 18.2 when it started. 18.1 works just fine.

I have the same issue on iPhone 15 Pro. Downloaded files are stored in "Downloads" section of Safari, and I have to save them manually to Files app. I have tried all of the suggested fixes (selecting "Downloads" directory in Settings for Safari, clearing cache, etc.) but nothing helped so far.

This started with iOS 18.5 and it's inconsistent: sometimes files are downloaded properly, and sometimes they are not.

I have a theory that this is related to the way how websites present files for you to download, maybe it has something to do with URL.createObjectURL and how Safari treats those links, this needs to be tested.

Yes. Updated yesterday and files do not save to my download directory this morning which I keep on my iphone only as default. Search for file on icloud drive and on onedrive and not there either. Bug for sure.

That's my observation too. If the URL was created with `URL.createObjectURL`, it does not show up in Files app.

zverko wrote: "...come on Apple, this is basic stuff"

zverko ~ Apple is unlikely to see your comment in these user-to-user communities. Use this form:

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Yes, I have been facing the issues after updating ios 18.5. I hope they debug it sooner.

Yes! I I also have the same issue too!

Chrome does not save to "Downloads".

I will try DuckDuckGo, thanks for the suggestion.

I have this problem too. After last update Safari not saving in downloads folder. I don’t know where the files are.

come on Apple, this is basic stuff

Thank you Captain obvious

Still broken for me 5 months later...