Step 2: Save your files into the Downloads folder

When you download a file from the Web, save it directly into your Downloads folder. This keeps everything in one place — no longer will you have to go searching through your hard drive for that file you grabbed just the other day.

When you click the file to be downloaded, a dialog box appears asking if you'd like to open the file or save it to disk (unless you've chosen to disable this screen by unclicking the 'Always ask' box in an earlier Web session). Make sure the 'Save this file to disk' box is ticked, then click OK.

The next dialog box you'll see is the familiar Save As screen, which is used by most Windows 95 programs. Change the Save In location to show your Downloads folder. Most files stored on Web servers are given short names, for technical reasons, but if you're using Windows 95 or a Macintosh you can give the file a name which is longer and far more meaningful.

Here's a tip: savvy IE4 users have a short-cut: they right-click the link and from the pop-up menu choose Save Target As, which takes them straight to the Save As dialog box.

Click here to continue.