diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/hub/catalog/on-device-folders-dialog.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/hub/catalog/on-device-folders-dialog.tsx
index 2b0f2c3a8d..bef2f79747 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/hub/catalog/on-device-folders-dialog.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/hub/catalog/on-device-folders-dialog.tsx
@@ -23,12 +23,21 @@ import {
   removeScanFolder,
 } from "@/features/hub";
 import { FolderBrowser } from "@/features/model-picker";
-import { openModelsDir } from "@/features/native-intents";
+import {
+  openModelsDir,
+  pickHuggingFaceCacheDir,
+} from "@/features/native-intents";
+import {
+  type HuggingFaceCacheSettings,
+  loadHuggingFaceCacheSettings,
+  updateHuggingFaceCacheSettings,
+} from "@/features/settings";
 import { isTauri } from "@/lib/api-base";
 import { toast } from "@/lib/toast";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import {
   Delete02Icon,
+  DownloadCircle01Icon,
   FileSearchIcon,
   FolderAddIcon,
   FolderExportIcon,
@@ -49,6 +58,12 @@ function formatError(error: unknown): string {
   return error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
 }
 
+function formatFreeSpace(bytes: number | null): string | null {
+  if (bytes === null || !Number.isFinite(bytes)) return null;
+  const gb = bytes / 1024 ** 3;
+  return gb >= 10 ? `${Math.round(gb)} GB free` : `${gb.toFixed(1)} GB free`;
+}
+
 export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
   open,
   onOpenChange,
@@ -68,6 +83,11 @@ export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
   );
   const refreshIdRef = useRef(0);
   const mutationVersionRef = useRef(0);
+  const [downloadCache, setDownloadCache] =
+    useState<HuggingFaceCacheSettings | null>(null);
+  const [downloadCacheLoaded, setDownloadCacheLoaded] = useState(false);
+  const [downloadBrowserOpen, setDownloadBrowserOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [downloadSaving, setDownloadSaving] = useState(false);
 
   const sortedFolders = useMemo(
     () => [...folders].sort((a, b) => a.path.localeCompare(b.path)),
@@ -108,10 +128,66 @@ export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
     return () => window.clearTimeout(timer);
   }, [open, refreshFolders]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    let cancelled = false;
+    // The dialog stays mounted between opens, so re-arm the flag or a reopen
+    // shows the previous answer as if it were fresh.
+    setDownloadCacheLoaded(false);
+    loadHuggingFaceCacheSettings()
+      // Indexed locations do not depend on this. Null drops the stale path
+      // rather than offer Change against a location we could not confirm.
+      .catch(() => null)
+      .then((settings) => {
+        if (cancelled) return;
+        setDownloadCache(settings);
+        setDownloadCacheLoaded(true);
+      });
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, [open]);
+
   const handleInventoryChanged = useCallback(() => {
     onInventoryChange?.();
   }, [onInventoryChange]);
 
+  // Relocating the cache changes which repos are on disk, but
+  // updateHuggingFaceCacheSettings already bumps the inventory version, which
+  // re-fetches every source. Refreshing here too would scan twice, since the
+  // two rounds carry different version keys and cannot be deduplicated.
+  const saveDownloadLocation = useCallback(async (nextPath: string | null) => {
+    setDownloadSaving(true);
+    try {
+      const settings = await updateHuggingFaceCacheSettings(nextPath);
+      setDownloadCache(settings);
+      toast.success("Download location updated", {
+        description: settings.cacheHome,
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      toast.error("Couldn't update the download location", {
+        description: formatError(err),
+      });
+    } finally {
+      setDownloadSaving(false);
+    }
+  }, []);
+
+  const changeDownloadLocation = useCallback(async () => {
+    if (!isTauri) {
+      setDownloadBrowserOpen(true);
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      const picked = await pickHuggingFaceCacheDir();
+      if (picked) await saveDownloadLocation(picked);
+    } catch (err) {
+      toast.error("Couldn't open the folder picker", {
+        description: formatError(err),
+      });
+    }
+  }, [saveDownloadLocation]);
+
   const handleAdd = useCallback(
     async (rawPath: string) => {
       const nextPath = rawPath.trim();
@@ -182,10 +258,10 @@ export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
     <>
       <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
         <DialogContent
-          className="gap-0 overflow-hidden p-0 sm:max-w-[620px] lg:max-w-[660px] xl:max-w-[680px] [&_[data-slot=dialog-close]]:right-3 [&_[data-slot=dialog-close]]:top-3"
+          className="flex max-h-[90dvh] flex-col gap-0 overflow-hidden p-0 sm:max-w-[620px] lg:max-w-[660px] xl:max-w-[680px] [&_[data-slot=dialog-close]]:right-3 [&_[data-slot=dialog-close]]:top-3"
           overlayClassName="bg-black/20 backdrop-blur-none"
         >
-          <DialogHeader className="border-b border-border/60 px-5 py-4">
+          <DialogHeader className="shrink-0 border-b border-border/60 px-5 py-4">
             <DialogTitle className="text-ui-15">
               On-device locations
             </DialogTitle>
@@ -195,7 +271,78 @@ export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
             </DialogDescription>
           </DialogHeader>
 
-          <div className="space-y-4 px-5 py-4">
+          <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 space-y-4 overflow-y-auto px-5 py-4">
+            <div className="rounded-[14px] border border-border/70 bg-muted/20 p-3">
+              <div className="mb-2 flex items-center gap-2 text-ui-12 font-medium text-foreground">
+                <HugeiconsIcon
+                  icon={DownloadCircle01Icon}
+                  strokeWidth={1.75}
+                  className="size-3.5 text-muted-foreground"
+                />
+                Download location
+              </div>
+
+              <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 sm:flex-row sm:items-center">
+                <Input
+                  readOnly={true}
+                  aria-label="Model download location"
+                  value={
+                    downloadCache?.cacheHome ??
+                    (downloadCacheLoaded ? "Unknown" : "Loading...")
+                  }
+                  title={downloadCache?.cacheHome}
+                  className="field-soft h-9 min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-full px-3 font-mono text-ui-12"
+                />
+                <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2">
+                  <Button
+                    type="button"
+                    variant="outline"
+                    size="sm"
+                    onClick={() => void changeDownloadLocation()}
+                    disabled={!downloadCache?.editable || downloadSaving}
+                    className="h-9 rounded-full px-3 text-ui-12p5"
+                  >
+                    {downloadSaving ? (
+                      <Spinner className="size-3.5" />
+                    ) : (
+                      <HugeiconsIcon
+                        icon={FolderSearchIcon}
+                        strokeWidth={1.75}
+                        data-icon="inline-start"
+                        className="size-3.5"
+                      />
+                    )}
+                    Change
+                  </Button>
+                  {downloadCache?.isCustom ? (
+                    <Button
+                      type="button"
+                      variant="ghost"
+                      size="sm"
+                      onClick={() => void saveDownloadLocation(null)}
+                      disabled={downloadSaving}
+                      className="h-9 rounded-full px-3 text-ui-12p5 text-muted-foreground"
+                    >
+                      Use default
+                    </Button>
+                  ) : null}
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
+              <p className="mt-2 text-ui-10p5 text-muted-foreground">
+                {downloadCache?.source === "environment"
+                  ? `Managed by the ${
+                      downloadCache.environmentVariable ?? "HF_HOME"
+                    } environment variable.`
+                  : [
+                      "New downloads only. Models already on disk stay where they are.",
+                      formatFreeSpace(downloadCache?.freeBytes ?? null),
+                    ]
+                      .filter(Boolean)
+                      .join(" · ")}
+              </p>
+            </div>
+
             <div className="rounded-[14px] border border-border/70 bg-muted/20 p-3">
               <div className="mb-2 flex items-center gap-2 text-ui-12 font-medium text-foreground">
                 <HugeiconsIcon
@@ -425,6 +572,16 @@ export function OnDeviceFoldersDialog({
         onOpenChange={setBrowserOpen}
         onSelect={(selectedPath) => void handleAdd(selectedPath)}
       />
+
+      <FolderBrowser
+        open={!isTauri && downloadBrowserOpen}
+        onOpenChange={setDownloadBrowserOpen}
+        onSelect={(selectedPath) => void saveDownloadLocation(selectedPath)}
+        initialPath={downloadCache?.cacheHome}
+        title="Choose model download location"
+        confirmLabel="Use for future downloads"
+        showModelHints={false}
+      />
     </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/index.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/index.ts
index f27100a322..49d73dcfb3 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/index.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 
 export { SettingsDialog } from "./settings-dialog";
 export { loadEmbeddingModelSettings } from "./api/embedding-model";
+export {
+  loadHuggingFaceCacheSettings,
+  updateHuggingFaceCacheSettings,
+} from "./api/hugging-face-cache";
+export type { HuggingFaceCacheSettings } from "./api/hugging-face-cache";
 export {
   loadPersonalization,
   savePersonalization,
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-dialog.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-dialog.tsx
index f4ba98b1ce..2b46dbd55e 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-dialog.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-dialog.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ import {
   useRef,
   useState,
 } from "react";
-import { SETTINGS_SEARCH_INDEX } from "./settings-search";
+import {
+  SETTINGS_SEARCH_INDEX,
+  SETTINGS_SEARCH_KEYWORDS,
+} from "./settings-search";
 import {
   type SettingsTab,
   useSettingsDialogStore,
@@ -157,8 +160,12 @@ export function SettingsDialog() {
     return TABS.map((tab) => {
       const tabLabel = t(tab.labelKey);
       const entries = SETTINGS_SEARCH_INDEX[tab.id]
-        .map((key) => t(key))
-        .filter((label) => label.toLowerCase().includes(q));
+        .filter((key) => {
+          if (t(key).toLowerCase().includes(q)) return true;
+          const keywordsKey = SETTINGS_SEARCH_KEYWORDS[key];
+          return keywordsKey ? t(keywordsKey).toLowerCase().includes(q) : false;
+        })
+        .map((key) => t(key));
       const deduped = [...new Set(entries)];
       return {
         tab,
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-search.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-search.ts
index a5b008579c..582602e061 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-search.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/settings/settings-search.ts
@@ -146,3 +146,15 @@ export const SETTINGS_SEARCH_INDEX: Record<SettingsTab, TranslationKey[]> = {
     "settings.about.shutDownStudio",
   ],
 };
+
+/**
+ * Extra terms a row matches on, beyond its own label. The value is a
+ * translation key holding space-separated synonyms; it is never rendered.
+ * Search matched labels only, so "models folder" or "directory" found nothing.
+ */
+export const SETTINGS_SEARCH_KEYWORDS: Partial<
+  Record<TranslationKey, TranslationKey>
+> = {
+  "settings.resources.storage.modelsFolder":
+    "settings.resources.storage.modelsFolderKeywords",
+};
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ar.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ar.ts
index 47d5032fae..e5c709de60 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ar.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ar.ts
@@ -317,6 +317,8 @@ export const ar = {
         diskUsage: "{used} مستخدم / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} متاح",
         modelsFolder: "مجلد النماذج",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "النماذج مجلد دليل مسار موقع تنزيلات التنزيل ذاكرة التخزين المؤقت تخزين قرص محرك نقل تغيير models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "المكان الذي تُخزَّن فيه النماذج المُنزَّلة.",
         openAction: "فتح",
         copyAction: "نسخ المسار",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
index cb7d603f42..a0ea20999c 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/de.ts
@@ -330,9 +330,23 @@ export const de = {
         diskFree: "{free} frei",
         modelsFolder: "Modell-Ordner",
         modelsFolderDescription:
-          "Wo heruntergeladene Modelle gespeichert werden.",
+          "Wo heruntergeladene Modelle gespeichert werden. Ändern Sie ihn, um Modelle nicht auf dem Systemlaufwerk abzulegen.",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "Modelle Ordner Verzeichnis Pfad Speicherort Download Downloads Cache Speicher Festplatte Laufwerk verschieben ändern hugging face",
+        futureDownloads: "Nur neue Downloads",
+        environmentManaged:
+          "Wird über die Umgebungsvariable {variable} verwaltet.",
+        locationFree: "{free} frei",
         openAction: "Öffnen",
         copyAction: "Pfad kopieren",
+        changeAction: "Ändern",
+        resetAction: "Standard verwenden",
+        chooseTitle: "Speicherort für Modell-Downloads wählen",
+        chooseAction: "Für künftige Downloads verwenden",
+        cacheSaved: "Speicherort für Modell-Downloads aktualisiert",
+        cacheSaveError:
+          "Der Speicherort für Modell-Downloads konnte nicht geändert werden",
+        cachePickerError: "Die Ordnerauswahl konnte nicht geöffnet werden",
         copied: "Pfad kopiert",
         openError: "Der Ordner konnte nicht geöffnet werden",
         copyError: "Der Pfad konnte nicht kopiert werden",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index bdfcf38231..88baa480a5 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -556,8 +556,12 @@ export const en = {
         systemDisk: "System disk",
         diskUsage: "{used} used / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} free",
-        modelsFolder: "Model downloads",
-        modelsFolderDescription: "Hugging Face cache used for model downloads.",
+        modelsFolder: "Models folder",
+        modelsFolderDescription:
+          "Where downloaded models are stored. Change it to keep models off your system drive.",
+        // Not rendered: extra terms the settings search matches this row on.
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "models folder directory path location download downloads cache storage disk drive move relocate hugging face",
         futureDownloads: "New downloads only",
         environmentManaged: "Managed by the {variable} environment variable.",
         locationFree: "{free} free",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
index f7cb0e11f6..713417ab27 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
@@ -328,6 +328,8 @@ export const es = {
         diskUsage: "{used} en uso / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} libre",
         modelsFolder: "Carpeta de modelos",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "modelos carpeta directorio ruta ubicacion ubicación descargas descarga cache caché almacenamiento disco unidad mover cambiar models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription:
           "Dónde se almacenan los modelos descargados.",
         openAction: "Abrir",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
index 4f2838391f..d271587406 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/fr.ts
@@ -325,6 +325,8 @@ export const fr = {
         diskUsage: "{used} utilisé / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} libre",
         modelsFolder: "Dossier des modèles",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "modeles modèles dossier repertoire répertoire chemin emplacement telechargements téléchargements cache stockage disque lecteur deplacer déplacer changer models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "Emplacement de stockage des modèles téléchargés.",
         openAction: "Ouvrir",
         copyAction: "Copier le chemin",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hi.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hi.ts
index 33b827f314..e7ac8863a6 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hi.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/hi.ts
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ export const hi = {
         diskUsage: "{used} उपयोग में / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} खाली",
         modelsFolder: "मॉडल फ़ोल्डर",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "मॉडल फ़ोल्डर फोल्डर निर्देशिका पथ स्थान डाउनलोड कैश संग्रहण डिस्क ड्राइव स्थानांतरित बदलें models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "जहां डाउनलोड किए गए मॉडल संग्रहीत होते हैं।",
         openAction: "खोलें",
         copyAction: "पथ कॉपी करें",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
index 978fde6281..01c012109c 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
@@ -393,6 +393,8 @@ export const ja = {
         diskUsage: "{used} 使用中 / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} 空き",
         modelsFolder: "モデルフォルダ",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "モデル フォルダ ディレクトリ パス 保存先 場所 ダウンロード キャッシュ ストレージ ディスク ドライブ 移動 変更 models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "ダウンロードしたモデルの保存先。",
         openAction: "開く",
         copyAction: "パスをコピー",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
index aa8a4fd47b..dfca8bfa8c 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@ export const ko = {
         diskUsage: "{used} 사용 중 / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} 여유",
         modelsFolder: "모델 폴더",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "모델 폴더 디렉터리 디렉토리 경로 위치 저장 다운로드 캐시 저장소 디스크 드라이브 이동 변경 models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "다운로드한 모델이 저장되는 위치입니다.",
         openAction: "열기",
         copyAction: "경로 복사",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/pt-br.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/pt-br.ts
index 84cd3f945e..1f0df15666 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/pt-br.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/pt-br.ts
@@ -417,6 +417,8 @@ export const ptBR = {
         diskUsage: "{used} usados / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} livres",
         modelsFolder: "Pasta de modelos",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "modelos pasta diretorio diretório caminho local localizacao localização downloads baixar cache armazenamento disco unidade mover alterar models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "Onde os modelos baixados são armazenados.",
         openAction: "Abrir",
         copyAction: "Copiar caminho",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
index 7725212e3b..798d640e65 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/ru.ts
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ export const ru = {
         diskUsage: "{used} использовано / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} свободно",
         modelsFolder: "Папка моделей",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "модели папка каталог путь расположение загрузки кэш хранилище диск перенести изменить models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "Где хранятся загруженные модели.",
         openAction: "Открыть",
         copyAction: "Копировать путь",
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
index 06326ed008..4292b2a394 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
@@ -408,6 +408,8 @@ export const zhCN = {
         diskUsage: "已用 {used} / {total}",
         diskFree: "{free} 可用",
         modelsFolder: "模型文件夹",
+        modelsFolderKeywords:
+          "模型 文件夹 目录 路径 位置 下载 缓存 存储 磁盘 驱动器 移动 更改 models folder path hugging face",
         modelsFolderDescription: "已下载模型的存储位置。",
         openAction: "打开",
         copyAction: "复制路径",