In Windows 10, there are several ways to prevent downloading files from the Internet. Each method will depend on the browser you usually use. We will present the detailed process for each of the most common browsers below.
Block downloads in Internet Explorer
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To block downloads in Internet Explorer, you must use Internet options. To access it, just search for Internet Options.
Then, under the Security tab , click Custom Level .
In the pop-up window, locate the Downloads heading and turn off all options.
Save the changes to take effect. From this point on, Internet Explorer will no longer be allowed to download files.
Block downloads in Google Chrome
To block downloads in Google Chrome, follow these steps. Open the Registry Editor by searching for regedit .
Then navigate to Computer \ HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Policies \ Google \ Chrome. If it does not exist, you will need to create it. To do this, right-click on Policies, go to New and click on Key . First create the Google key then, following the same method, create the Chrome key in it.
The result should be what you see in the screenshot below.
Create a DWORD (32-bit) value by clicking the right mouse button. The new value should be called DownloadRestrictions.
Double click on it and change its value to 3.
Restart the browser to apply the changes. From this point on, Google Chrome will stop downloading downloads to your computer.
Block downloads in Firefox
For Firefox, you need to use an extension called Public fox, downlaod it. Once activated, go to your settings, in the Firefox extensions area.
It’s time to clarify what kind of files should be blocked. Additionally, you can set a password to prevent anyone from changing these settings and to allow individual downloads of each file.
As soon as you save your changes, Firefox no longer automatically downloads the file types you specified.
Block downloads in Microsoft Edge
As for the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge , you can block downloads using the same procedure as for Google Chrome. However, the new record value must be created in Computer \ HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Edge. If this path does not exist, you can create it in the same way as we indicated to you in the Google Chrome section. In the following image, you can visualize the result.
By doing so, Microsoft Edge will in turn no longer be able to download files from the Internet.