Question Google Chrome Downloadsand App Data

[Fred V1]

Does clearing Chrome's app data delete all downloaded files from local storage?

I discovered that deleting files from Chrome's download history also deletes it from the local folders. I was smart enough to test the outcome. I deleted a jpg. picture from Chrome's download history and it disappeared from my photo gallery. I fear the worst. My Chrome's app data grew to 570 MB and I barely used it these days, and I don't know how to manage this issue.

I use Firefox these days.

At least Firefox was gracious enough to not attach downloaded files to itself. Deleting downloads from Firefox didn't affect the local copies.

 

[B. Diddy]

I don't believe clearing the Chrome app data (in the Settings>Apps menu) will affect any files downloaded using Chrome. If you delete a downloaded file in Chrome's Downloads menu, that will delete the actual file from storage, as you've learned -- that's because that Downloads menu acts as a kind of an extension of the file manager app. But that's different from clearing app data.

I can test this on one of my backup devices a little later. I'd rather not test it on my daily driver -- even though most if not all of my personal settings should get resynced back promptly, I don't want to go through the hassle of possibly having to readjust any settings that don't get resynced.

 

[Fred V1]

I don't believe clearing the Chrome app data (in the Settings>Apps menu) will affect any files downloaded using Chrome. If you delete a downloaded file in Chrome's Downloads menu, that will delete the actual file from storage, as you've learned -- that's because that Downloads menu acts as a kind of an extension of the file manager app. But that's different from clearing app data.

I can test this on one of my backup devices a little later. I'd rather not test it on my daily driver -- even though most if not all of my personal settings should get resynced back promptly, I don't want to go through the hassle of possibly having to readjust any settings that don't get resynced.

You have backup devices and you can demonstrate it? I didn't expect that.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yep, I have a couple of backup phones (one is a very old 1st gen Pixel I keep for historical reasons, and the other is a cheap HMD phone I got for free as a review unit through a Best Buy program I'm in).

I just tried clearing the app data for Chrome on the HMD phone, opting to clear all data. When I opened it and signed back into my Google account, the one PDF file I had downloaded through Chrome a while ago didn't show up in the Downloads part of the Chrome settings menu, but when I went to the file manager app and looked at the Downloads folder, that PDF was still there. So clearing the app data for Chrome will make it forget that it downloaded a file, but the file itself will still exist in storage.

 

[Fred V1]

Yep, I have a couple of backup phones (one is a very old 1st gen Pixel I keep for historical reasons, and the other is a cheap HMD phone I got for free as a review unit through a Best Buy program I'm in).

I just tried clearing the app data for Chrome on the HMD phone, opting to clear all data. When I opened it and signed back into my Google account, the one PDF file I had downloaded through Chrome a while ago didn't show up in the Downloads part of the Chrome settings menu, but when I went to the file manager app and looked at the Downloads folder, that PDF was still there. So clearing the app data for Chrome will make it forget that it downloaded a file, but the file itself will still exist in storage.

So it's safe? My Google Chrome suddenly jumped to 570 MB and I don't even use it because I switched to Firefox. I need to free more space.

 

[B. Diddy]

So it's safe? My Google Chrome suddenly jumped to 570 MB and I don't even use it because I switched to Firefox. I need to free more space.

I think it's safe in terms of any files that were downloaded using Chrome.

I don't use Firefox, but I suspect you might run into the same issue -- it's the nature of modern browsers to build up a lot of cache and user data. See this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/184wh9n/firefox_taking_up_around_710_gb_space_on_android

 

[Fred V1]

One last thing. If I press that button, will it wipe out download history?

 

[B. Diddy]

Good question, I'm not sure about that.