Download Filename Encoding

Set the character encoding of download filenames.

Download Filename Encoding - Firefox Add-on for Accurate Filenames

"Download Filename Encoding" is a handy Firefox add-on designed to counter the problem of misinterpreted filenames that obsolete websites may provide during downloads due to lack of character encoding data. It establishes a standard encoding default for filenames to prevent mismatches. The add-on is configurable and supports UTF-8 and percent encoding detection.
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View on Firefox Browser Add-ons

Add-on stats

Users: 982
-17
Rating: 4.84
(63)
Version: 2.1resigned1 (Last updated: 2024-04-25)
Creation date: 2017-09-06
Weekly download count: 14
Firefox on Android: Yes
Risk impact: High risk impact
Risk likelihood:
Moderate risk likelihood
Manifest version: 2
Permissions:
  • <all_urls>
  • storage
  • webRequest
  • webRequestBlocking
  • menus
Size: 15.35K
URLs: Website

Ranking

# 3,081 ▲ 1
Other rankings
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Other platforms

Not available on Chrome
Not available on Android
Not available on Edge
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Add-on summary

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Update: Version 2.0 adds an icon for quick switching. It is not possible to hide it by default. If you do not want it, right-click and remove the icon.

Note: Firefox 57 has a bug that prevents this extension from working. Please update to Firefox 58 or later.

Legacy websites sometimes provide filenames of downloads without character encoding information, so Firefox cannot decode them correctly and give you incorrect, unreadable filenames. This extension tries to fix this problem by setting a default encoding for download filenames.

After installing you can configure this extension by clicking Preferences of it in the Add-ons Manager. Set the default encoding in the "Encoding" text box, which is often the standard encoding of your country/language (e.g. "GBK" for Chinese). Check "Detect UTF-8" to try UTF-8 (international standard encoding) first and fall back to the encoding above. Check "Detect percent encoding" to fix filenames that are percent encoded e.g. %20%20.

Permissions:

  • Access your data for all websites. It is required to modify download filenames for all websites. This extension does not store or upload your browsing data.

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Firefox Browser Add-ons does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Solves the issue of downloading files with garbled filenames in Firefox
  • Easy to use
  • Supports Chinese characters in file names
Cons
  • Some users still experience issues despite using the add-on
  • Dependency on the add-on to solve a basic functionality problem in Firefox
Most mentioned
  • Solves the issue of downloading files with garbled filenames
  • Chinese characters in file names
  • Easy to use
User reviews
by 22, 2023-06-06
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Add-on safety

Risk impact

Download Filename Encoding requires some sensitive permissions that could impact your browser and data security. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk likelihood

Download Filename Encoding is probably trust-worthy. Prefer other publishers if available. Exercise caution when installing this add-on.

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