"inetloc" sounds like a shortcut back to a webpage or other online URL. Is it possible that instead of saving the image, Firefox is saving a link to the image?

Could you try this way:

• right-click (Ctrl+click) the image > Copy Image
• right-click (Ctrl+click) the desktop > Paste

Not sure if MacOS supports that method of pasting.

jscher2000 said

"inetloc" sounds like a shortcut back to a webpage or other online URL.

It is a shortcut, to a web whatsapp blob.

The copy/paste does not work on OSX like that. My guess is that Chrome has specific code in it to handle this, as apparently whatsapp messes the image somehow, maybe by compression or maybe it is just what Facebook does with images by inserting into them their telemetry and other junk . FF failed at it.

I am really trying to change browsers, but there are so many nagging little things bugging me. :-(

One brief follow-up, if you create a folder on your desktop and open it in Finder, can you right-click > Paste into that folder in Finder? Not that it's convenient, but in case it could be an option.

Can't. The only way I can get the images out of web.whats is by right cliking them and save image. They then come as index.jpg (all of course).

My guess it is, while trying FF, it is just best to electron this web.whatsapp. Oh boy, I wish people stopped using whatsapp, it is so awful.

Thanks for the help anyway Jeff.