[Tip] Restore Classic Download Panel at Bottom in Chrome on Android

If you updated Chrome app installed in your Android smartphone to the latest version, you might have noticed the new toast UI of the built-in Download Manager in Chrome.

If you try to download a file from a website in new Chrome app in your mobile phone, Chrome shows a redesigned Download Panel flyout at the top as shown in following screenshot:

The new Download flyout shows following message:

It also contains a “Details” link. There is no “Close” button given to dismiss the new flyout. You can swipe to right on the flyout to close or remove it.

In previous versions of Chrome app, the old Download panel UI was displayed at the bottom in form of a pop-up or notification bar as shown in following screenshot:

There was a “Close” (X) button also provided to close the Download Panel.

The new Download Panel UI has been implemented to match with the new Google Android 12 version’s “Material You” UI style.

If you don’t like the new UI of Download Panel in Chrome app and want to restore the old classic bottom UI of Download Panel, this article will help you.

Google Chrome team has provided a hidden preference/flag to disable or remove the new UI of Download Manager. By modifying this hidden flag, you can bring back the classic Download Panel UI at bottom in Chrome.

Following steps will help you in disabling the new flyout UI and enabling classic Download Panel UI at bottom in Chrome app on Android smartphones:

1. Open Chrome app in your smartphone and type chrome://flags in address bar and tap on Go. It’ll open Chrome Experiments page where you can turn on/off several features.

2. Now type download in Search flags box and look for following option in the result:

3. Tap on the “Default” drop-down box and select “Disabled” option from the list.

4. Chrome will ask you to restart the browser. Click on “Relaunch Now” button to relaunch Google Chrome.

That’s it. You have successfully restored classic Download Panel UI at bottom. Now try to download a file in Chrome and you’ll get back the bottom Download Panel in Chrome.

PS: In future, if you want to restore default settings and re-enable the new UI for Download Panel in Chrome app, set the above mentioned preferences to Default.

Also Check:

[Tip] Disable Tab Grouping and New Tab Switcher in Chrome on Android

[Tip] Restore Old Tab Switcher Screen UI in Chrome on Android