What it does
If this policy is enabled, Firefox will start downloads in a temporary directory and they will be automatically deleted when you close the browser. If this policy is disabled or not configured, Firefox will put downloads in the download folder and they will not be automatically deleted when you close the browser.
What it writes
- Hive
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- Registry key
Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox- Value name
StartDownloadsInTempDirectory- When enabled
- DWORD 1
- When disabled
- DWORD 0
Configure and deploy
Choose a state; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.
Enabled · Computer · template defaults
Registry file (.reg)
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox]
"StartDownloadsInTempDirectory"=dword:00000001
PowerShell
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Start Downloads in Temporary Directory
# Name: StartDownloadsInTempDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox' -Name 'StartDownloadsInTempDirectory' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
- The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
- Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.
ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_firefox/StartDownloadsInTempDirectoryADMX SyncML candidate
<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
<SyncBody>
<Replace>
<CmdID>1</CmdID>
<Item>
<Meta>
<Format>chr</Format>
<Type>text/plain</Type>
</Meta>
<Target>
<LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_firefox/StartDownloadsInTempDirectory</LocURI>
</Target>
<Data><enabled/></Data>
</Item>
</Replace>
<Final/>
</SyncBody>
</SyncML>Intune remediation scripts
Detection
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
function Test-RegistryValueExists {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}
function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return $false
}
$valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
return $false
}
$actual = $valueObject.$Name
switch ($Kind) {
'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
'MultiString' {
$actualArray = @($actual)
$expectedArray = @($Expected)
if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
'Binary' {
$actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
$expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
}
}
# Policy: Start Downloads in Temporary Directory
# Name: StartDownloadsInTempDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx
$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox' -Name 'StartDownloadsInTempDirectory' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 1
if (-not $isMatch) {
$reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\StartDownloadsInTempDirectory') | Out-Null
}
if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1
Remediation
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
function Set-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
}
New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}
function Remove-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
)
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
)
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
return
}
foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}
# Policy: Start Downloads in Temporary Directory
# Name: StartDownloadsInTempDirectory
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: firefox.admx
Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox' -Name 'StartDownloadsInTempDirectory' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 1
History 85 retained releases
- 7.220 Aug 2025
- Description
… policy is enabled, Firefox will start downloads in a temporary directory and [added: they will be ]automatically deleted when you close the browser.
If this policy is disabled or not configured, Firefox will
[removed: to][added: put downloads in] the download folder and[added: they] will not be automatically deleted when you close the browser.Whole description, marked
If this policy is enabled, Firefox will start downloads in a temporary directory and [added: they will be ]automatically deleted when you close the browser. If this policy is disabled or not configured, Firefox will
[removed: to][added: put downloads in] the download folder and[added: they] will not be automatically deleted when you close the browser.
- Description
… policy is enabled, Firefox will start downloads in a temporary directory and [added: they will be ]automatically deleted when you close the browser.
If this policy is disabled or not configured, Firefox will
- 6.69 Jan 2025
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 6.526 Nov 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 6.011 Jul 2024
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 4.418 Oct 2022
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 4.126 Jul 2022
- Translations changed; choose a language above to compare its wording.
- 4.0111 Jul 2022
- Added in this release.
38 later releases left it unchanged.
Template
- Internal name
StartDownloadsInTempDirectory- Namespace
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox- Template file
firefox.admx- Release
- Mozilla Firefox 7.9.1 · file set
a735e5407dca0f19…
Definition, editor controls and support
Definition
<policy class="Both" displayName="$(string.StartDownloadsInTempDirectory)" explainText="$(string.StartDownloadsInTempDirectory_Explain)" key="Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox" name="StartDownloadsInTempDirectory" valueName="StartDownloadsInTempDirectory" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox" />
<supportedOn ref="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF102" />
<enabledValue>
<decimal value="1" />
</enabledValue>
<disabledValue>
<decimal value="0" />
</disabledValue>
</policy>Editor controls
Supported platforms and category
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
</category>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF102
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF102)" name="SUPPORTED_FF102" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:category:firefox
<category displayName="$(string.firefox)" name="firefox" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
<parentCategory ref="Mozilla.Policies:Cat_Mozilla" />
</category>
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:firefox">Firefox</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:definition:SUPPORTED_FF102
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_FF102)" name="SUPPORTED_FF102" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies.Firefox:SUPPORTED_FF102">Firefox 102 or later</string></strings>
Mozilla.Policies:category:Cat_Mozilla
<category displayName="$(string.mozilla)" name="Cat_Mozilla" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Mozilla.Policies:mozilla">Mozilla</string></strings>