In Firefox 20, an arrow should have appeared on your main navigation toolbar. The arrow turns green when downloading or until you check it. Clicking that arrow opens a download panel with recent downloads and a link to the full list in the Library dialog. More info: Where to find and manage downloaded files in Firefox.

Can you find that icon? If it doesn't appear on any bar, you could check the Customize dialog in case it is in there.

• right-click a blank area of the tab bar > Customize
• View menu > Toolbars > Customize (if you don't normally display the classic menu bar, tap the Alt key to display it so you can access the View menu)

Any luck?

Make sure that toolbars like the "Navigation Toolbar" and the "Bookmarks Toolbar" are visible:

• Firefox menu button > Options
• View > Toolbars (press F10 to display a hidden menu bar)

Open the Customize window to set which toolbar items to display:

• Firefox menu button > Options
• View > Toolbars (press F10 to display the menu bar)
• Right-click empty toolbar area

• if missing items are in the toolbar palette then drag them back from the Customize window on the toolbar
• if you do not see an item on a toolbar and in the toolbar palette then click the "Restore Default Set" button to restore the default toolbar set up

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/How+to+customize+the+toolbar
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Back+and+forward+or+other+toolbar+items+are+missing

You can check for problems with the localstore.rdf file.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

If you do have the Download Icon on your bar (see above to verify or add) many themes have not been updated to account for the new Download button on the toolbar and/or it's separate variations. E.g the theme I have has a Downloads button, but as soon as I download a file or click on it to see my downloads, it changes to a Large Blank Icon (I have mine set to Small Icons so it then forces the bar to take up more space).

One suggestion is to turn-off the new Download display and go back to the old version (see instructions at http://tech.ca.msn.com/how-to/how-to-switch-back-to-firefoxs-old-download-manager - hate MSN but useful info is info).

One note: When I upgraded to FF 20 the previously downloaded list disappeared and now only has files downloaded after upgrading (aarg), but the files are still there.

I have found the downloads icon and dropped it onto my tool bar. Thanks for the tip.

HOWEVER... Why isn't there a setting in the options to simply have the downloads appear on top if you wish.

As for going through a complicated set of instructions to get the old download manger back, smacks of shortsightedness by the upgrade team.

If it ain't BROKE don't fix it!!

Hi xqxrocky, what is "broken" seems to be a matter of opinion. The UI team at Mozilla appears to dislike pop-up windows and has gradually been integrating everything that used to open in its own window into tabs or toolbars or both. Obviously a lot of users preferred the pop-up window, and there still is a way to use that if you like.

Although the about:config interface looks awful, the steps in the procedure are nothing you don't do every day. Type an address. Do a search. Double-click. Done. Yes, it would be nice to have a checkbox, but there are so many options now that it probably wouldn't be much easier to find...

After finding the download icon frustrating, I followed the instructions and have reverted to the old style manager.

What I meant was that some users might find having to manually alter their browser daunting. Remember not every user is as savvy as yourself.

All I'm asking for is the option of having the downloads manager to appear on top during a download in the next incarnation.

Hi xqxrocky, it would be helpful if you could submit that using Help > Submit Feedback. User advocates check that data for trends and feed them back into development. It's much easier to see how many people want a feature/change there than here.