Hacking Bubble: The Download Hack

Learn how to let users download files from your Bubble app.

Ryan Roberts
October 24, 2016 • 2 minute read
Hacking Bubble: The Download Hack

Let’s say, you are making a cloud and/or sharing service. It would be disappointing to find out after putting in all of that work to make the app, you can’t have your users download an image from your website. At least it was for me, so if this very specific problem has occurred for you too, this article will explain how to make images download onto the user’s computer instead of doing this.

But can’t I just send the user to the file URL, wouldn't that download it for them, you ask?

Nope, probably. If this was any other kind of file, then most likely. We are talking about browsers here, so I can’t talk in absolutes. It’s difficult to assume a general behavior between all browsers as they can behave different from each other.

Okay, then what is probably the solution to this, you add?

This:

Let’s break this down. The <a> tag is for creating a link so we will need that to direct the page to the source image (or any file). The style=”” is a CSS element that you would use to style the button. href=”” is where you would enter the source file URL that the <a> tag will use. You can either copy and paste the static URL between the quotations if the file will not change, or add a dynamic element like I have. Finally, just type download after the href=”<link>”.

The addition of ‘download’ to the end of the href tag makes all of the difference, but then again, browsers, so I don’t know.

Just make an HTML element in Bubble and type this code in. You can change up the color hex, font-size, font-family, etc. Make it entirely how you want it to look. You can learn more about how to CSS in this Introduction to CSS.


Hacking Bubble is a series on how to make Bubble do things it probably wasn’t meant to do.

Don’t miss out on the latest Bubble content by signing up here.

Was this article useful? Do you have a better or different approach? Let me know!

Start building with a free account

Build your app on Bubble's Free plan. No need to upgrade until you're ready to launch your app.

Join building

LATEST STORIES

blog-thumbnail

How to Make a Fitness App with AI in Just Five Steps

Make your own custom fitness app, wellness app, or workout app with our step-by-step guide. Bubble’s AI will help you generate the foundation, then we’ll walk you through how to customize and complete your app.

Bubble
August 08, 2025 • 15 minute read
blog-thumbnail

7 Mobile App Development Trends You Should Know for 2025

AI features, vibe coding, hybrid monetization: mobile app development is changing fast. Get the intel you need on which trends matter most and why.

Bubble
August 07, 2025 • 12 minute read
blog-thumbnail

How AI Data Type Generation Fits into Bubble's AI Vision

AI data type generation is here, automating one of the trickiest parts of app building so you can focus on what your users need.

Emmanuel Straschnov
August 01, 2025 • 3 minute read
blog-thumbnail

The Case for Building in Public

Thinking about building in public? Here’s an overview of what it means, how to do it well, and how to decide if it’s right for you.

Bubble
July 28, 2025 • 9 minute read

What Can You Build on Bubble? 25 Examples to Inspire You

November 18, 2024 • 19 minute read

The Future of Bubble’s Editor: Introducing the New Workflow Tab

October 11, 2024 • 3 minute read

Efficient App Building 101: Improving Your Workload Usage

July 01, 2024 • 3 minute read

How to Craft Effective Prompts for Bubble’s New AI Page Designer

June 17, 2024 • 4 minute read

Build the next big thing with Bubble

Start building for free