Downloads

With iCab Mobile, you can download files from the Internet. These files are then saved in the Download Manager. The files can be saved in folders and opened again, forwarded to other apps or exported to cloud services, etc.

Saved websites also end up in the Download Manager. This means that the Download Manager also functions as a general file storage.

Even if files are to be uploaded to a website, you can select a file from the download manager.

Open the download manager by tapping the icon .

Tap a file to open it, export it or perform other actions with the file.

Tap and hold a file to share it with other apps.

Actions for files

The following actions can be performed on the tapped or selected files:

Action Description
Show Show file in tab
Open in AppOpen file in App
InformationShow file information
RenameChange file name
BackupInclude or exclude file in (iTunes/iCloud) Backup
Zip archiveExtract ZIP archive, create Zip archiv from selected files
ExportExport files (to Dropbox, WebDAV, Cloud services, Apps)
ImportImport files (Filter, Bookmarks)
Share via E-MailSend file via E-Mail
Copy addressCopy file URL to clipboard
QR CodeShow QR code of file URL
DeleteDelete file
ColorsHighlight file in color for emphasis.
WalletAdd file to Wallet

In “normal” mode, the following functions are available in the title bar of the Download Manager:

Action> Description
Sort files in the current folder according to various criteria
Define rules to automatically post-process downloads according to your own requirements (export, rename, sort into folders, etc.)
Image browser shows all images in the current folder
Create folders, import files, create new downloads manually

In “Edit” mode, the following functions are available in the title bar of the Download Manager:

Action Description
Remove selection, or select all
Delete selected files
Move selected files to other folders
Include selected files in backup or exclude them from backup, create zip archive from selected files
Create folders, import files, create new downloads manually

Start downloads

Downloads can start automatically when you tap a link to a file that iOS cannot display (such as a ZIP file). But you can also force a download of a link by tapping and holding on the link and then selecting one of the download entries in the context menu. There may be several entries to start a download, e.g. if several resources are offered for download, or to manually specify a file name under which the download should be saved.

New downloads always end up in the root directory of the download manager and are therefore always easy to find there.

The download icon will display the progress of the download so that you can track it even when the Download Manager is closed.

Save files

If you save the current web page via the action menu , it will also be saved in the download manager.

Download rules

The Download Manager allows you to automatically post-process downloads as soon as they are finished using self-defined rules. For example, downloads can be automatically moved to folders depending on file name, file type, date, size, etc., exported to Dropbox or WebDAV, saved to the photo album, etc.

In this way, you can, for example, automatically sort images into one image folder, PDFs into another, etc., without having to worry about it.

Image browser

The image browser allows you to conveniently view all images in the current folder.

Configuration

Some aspects of the Download Manager can also be configured in the Network settings.

The Confirm downloads option controls whether each download must first be explicitly confirmed by the user, whether the user is only notified of the start of a download or whether the download is started without any further notification.

The Access to downloads option can be used to specify whether the downloads are still accessible and to whom. If you set the option to Never, the downloads remain private and cannot be used by other Aps or a connected computer. The iTunes/Finder option makes it possible to access the downloads on a connected PC or Mac (via iTunes or the Finder) and thus exchange files between iCab Mobile and the computer. The downloads can then be accessed via the Files app. The Apps option makes the downloads accessible to other apps, but access is still only possible with the user's permission.

The Download file types can be used to specify which files iCab should always download and which should only be downloaded if the server has explicitly marked them as downloads. Normally, when a link is opened, a download will only take place if the file cannot be displayed or the website explicitly marks the link as a download. You can use this option to intervene here if necessary and define different rules. This can also help to avoid problems if websites mark files with incorrect file types (which actually happens quite frequently).

The Open downloads in option can be used to specify whether files that are opened should be opened in new tabs or the current tab.

The option Include downloads in backups can be used to automatically include all new downloads in iTunes/iCloud backups. Normally, iOS does not save any files in the iTunes or iCloud backup that originate from the AppStores or have been downloaded somewhere in order to keep the backups small.

The iOS suspends apps after they are moved to the background, which can also interrupt ongoing downloads, especially larger downloads that take a long time. With the option Force background downloads, iCab Mobile ensures that downloads are transferred to the iOS so that the iOS performs the download on behalf of the user. This allows a download to continue in the background even if iCab is no longer active or has been completely terminated. In general, this option should not be critical, but on very few websites this can prevent the download, e.g. if these sites artificially limit the number of downloads. This is because if the download starts in the foreground, it must be aborted and then restarted in the background, and if the limit of the website is one download within a certain time, the restart in the background is then the second download and lies above the limit. If you frequently visit such websites, you should disable this option if necessary.