diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 95ffb8a9..56ad8d1f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,9 +110,10 @@ Application behavior can be changed by configuring the following environment var
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_PHOTOS = 1` constrains the size of each photo, and enables a surrounding border (potentially useful for photos with tall aspect ratios)
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_BLUR_DISABLED = 1` prevents image blur data being stored and displayed (potentially useful for limiting Postgres usage)
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_GEO_PRIVACY = 1` disables collection/display of location-based data (⚠️ re-compresses uploaded images in order to remove GPS information)
-- `NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER = 1` prevents `priority_order` field affecting photo order
-- `NEXT_PUBLIC_PUBLIC_API = 1` enables public API available at `/api`
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_REPO_LINK = 1` removes footer link to repo
+- `NEXT_PUBLIC_ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS = 1` enables public photo downloads for all visitors (⚠️ may result in increased bandwidth usage)
+- `NEXT_PUBLIC_PUBLIC_API = 1` enables public API available at `/api`
+- `NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER = 1` prevents `priority_order` field affecting photo order
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_SOCIAL = 1` removes X button from share modal
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_FILM_SIMULATIONS = 1` prevents Fujifilm simulations showing up in `/grid` sidebar and CMD-K search results
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_EXIF_DATA = 1` hides EXIF data in photo details and OG images (potentially useful for portfolios, which don't focus on photography)
diff --git a/src/admin/AdminPhotoMenuClient.tsx b/src/admin/AdminPhotoMenuClient.tsx
index dc0ceda6..e73f0629 100644
--- a/src/admin/AdminPhotoMenuClient.tsx
+++ b/src/admin/AdminPhotoMenuClient.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ import { ComponentProps, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { pathForAdminPhotoEdit, pathForPhoto } from '@/site/paths';
 import { deletePhotoAction, toggleFavoritePhotoAction } from '@/photo/actions';
 import { FaRegEdit, FaRegStar, FaStar } from 'react-icons/fa';
-import { Photo, deleteConfirmationTextForPhoto } from '@/photo';
+import {
+  Photo,
+  deleteConfirmationTextForPhoto,
+  downloadFileNameForPhoto,
+} from '@/photo';
 import { isPathFavs, isPhotoFav } from '@/tag';
 import { usePathname } from 'next/navigation';
 import { BiTrash } from 'react-icons/bi';
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ export default function AdminPhotoMenuClient({
         className="translate-x-[-1.5px] translate-y-[-0.5px]"
       />,
       href: photo.url,
-      hrefDownloadName: photo.url.split('/').pop(),
+      hrefDownloadName: downloadFileNameForPhoto(photo),
     });
     items.push({
       label: 'Delete',
diff --git a/src/components/DownloadButton.tsx b/src/components/DownloadButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2874c4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/DownloadButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { MdOutlineFileDownload } from 'react-icons/md';
+import { clsx } from 'clsx/lite';
+import { downloadFileNameForPhoto, Photo } from '@/photo';
+import LoaderButton from './primitives/LoaderButton';
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { downloadFileFromBrowser } from '@/utility/url';
+
+export default function DownloadButton({
+  photo,
+  className,
+}: {
+  photo: Photo
+  className?: string
+}) {
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
+
+  return (
+    <LoaderButton
+      title="Download Original File"
+      className={clsx(
+        className,
+        'text-medium',
+      )}
+      icon={<MdOutlineFileDownload size={18} />}
+      spinnerColor='dim'
+      styleAs='link'
+      isLoading={isLoading}
+      onClick={async () => {
+        setIsLoading(true);
+        downloadFileFromBrowser(photo.url, downloadFileNameForPhoto(photo))
+          .finally(() => setIsLoading(false));
+      }}
+    />
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/ShareButton.tsx b/src/components/ShareButton.tsx
index 25875e55..bb9d5d33 100644
--- a/src/components/ShareButton.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ShareButton.tsx
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ export default function ShareButton({
       className={clsx(
         className,
         dim ? 'text-dim' : 'text-medium',
-        '-mx-0.5 translate-x-0.5',
-        'sm:mx-0 sm:translate-x-0',
       )}
       icon={<TbPhotoShare size={16} />}
       spinnerColor="dim"
diff --git a/src/components/more/MoreMenuItem.tsx b/src/components/more/MoreMenuItem.tsx
index 0de107a1..2530bd1c 100644
--- a/src/components/more/MoreMenuItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/more/MoreMenuItem.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { clsx } from 'clsx/lite';
 import { ReactNode, useState, useTransition } from 'react';
 import LoaderButton from '../primitives/LoaderButton';
 import { usePathname, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
+import { downloadFileFromBrowser } from '@/utility/url';
 
 export default function MoreMenuItem({
   label,
@@ -53,8 +54,10 @@ export default function MoreMenuItem({
           }
         }
         if (href && href !== pathname) {
-          if (Boolean(hrefDownloadName)) {
-            window.open(href, '_blank');
+          if (hrefDownloadName) {
+            setIsLoading(true);
+            downloadFileFromBrowser(href, hrefDownloadName)
+              .finally(() => setIsLoading(false));
           } else {
             startTransition(() => router.push(href));
           }
diff --git a/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx b/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
index fb87af1d..15fc2c29 100644
--- a/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
+++ b/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
@@ -19,13 +19,17 @@ import {
 } from '@/site/paths';
 import PhotoTags from '@/tag/PhotoTags';
 import ShareButton from '@/components/ShareButton';
+import DownloadButton from '@/components/DownloadButton';
 import PhotoCamera from '../camera/PhotoCamera';
 import { cameraFromPhoto } from '@/camera';
 import PhotoFilmSimulation from '@/simulation/PhotoFilmSimulation';
 import { sortTags } from '@/tag';
 import DivDebugBaselineGrid from '@/components/DivDebugBaselineGrid';
 import PhotoLink from './PhotoLink';
-import { SHOULD_PREFETCH_ALL_LINKS } from '@/site/config';
+import {
+  SHOULD_PREFETCH_ALL_LINKS,
+  ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS,
+} from '@/site/config';
 import AdminPhotoMenuClient from '@/admin/AdminPhotoMenuClient';
 import { RevalidatePhoto } from './InfinitePhotoScroll';
 import { useRef } from 'react';
@@ -232,8 +236,11 @@ export default function PhotoLarge({
                   />}
               </>}
             <div className={clsx(
-              'flex gap-x-2 gap-y-baseline',
-              'md:flex-col md:justify-normal',
+              'flex gap-x-2.5 gap-y-baseline',
+              ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS
+                ? 'flex-col'
+                : 'md:flex-col',
+              'md:justify-normal',
             )}>
               <PhotoDate
                 photo={photo}
@@ -243,24 +250,34 @@ export default function PhotoLarge({
                   !hasNonDateContent && isUserSignedIn && 'md:pr-7',
                 )}
               />
-              {shouldShare &&
-                <ShareButton
-                  className={clsx(
-                    'md:translate-x-[-2.5px]',
-                    'translate-y-[1.5px] md:translate-y-0',
-                  )}
-                  path={pathForPhotoShare({
-                    photo,
-                    tag: shouldShareTag ? primaryTag : undefined,
-                    camera: shouldShareCamera ? camera : undefined,
-                    // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
-                    simulation: shouldShareSimulation ? photo.filmSimulation : undefined,
-                    // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
-                    focal: shouldShareFocalLength ? photo.focalLength : undefined,
-                  })}
-                  prefetch={prefetchRelatedLinks}
-                  shouldScroll={shouldScrollOnShare}
-                />}
+              <div className={clsx(
+                'flex gap-1 translate-y-[0.5px]',
+                ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS
+                  ? 'translate-x-[-3px]'
+                  : 'md:translate-x-[-3px]',
+              )}>
+                {shouldShare &&
+                  <ShareButton
+                    path={pathForPhotoShare({
+                      photo,
+                      tag: shouldShareTag ? primaryTag : undefined,
+                      camera: shouldShareCamera ? camera : undefined,
+                      // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
+                      simulation: shouldShareSimulation ? photo.filmSimulation : undefined,
+                      // eslint-disable-next-line max-len
+                      focal: shouldShareFocalLength ? photo.focalLength : undefined,
+                    })}
+                    prefetch={prefetchRelatedLinks}
+                    shouldScroll={shouldScrollOnShare}
+                  />}
+                {ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS && 
+                  <DownloadButton 
+                    className={clsx(
+                      'translate-y-[0.5px] md:translate-y-0',
+                    )}
+                    photo={photo} 
+                  />}
+              </div>
             </div>
           </div>
         </DivDebugBaselineGrid>}
diff --git a/src/photo/index.ts b/src/photo/index.ts
index e3890a20..97c96b71 100644
--- a/src/photo/index.ts
+++ b/src/photo/index.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   formatExposureCompensation,
   formatExposureTime,
 } from '@/utility/exif';
+import { parameterize } from '@/utility/string';
 import camelcaseKeys from 'camelcase-keys';
 import { isBefore } from 'date-fns';
 import type { Metadata } from 'next';
@@ -311,5 +312,10 @@ export const isNextImageReadyBasedOnPhotos = async (photos: Photo[]) =>
     .then(response => response.ok)
     .catch(() => false);
 
+export const downloadFileNameForPhoto = (photo: Photo) =>
+  photo.title
+    ? `${parameterize(photo.title)}.${photo.extension}`
+    : photo.url.split('/').pop() || 'download';
+
 export const doesPhotoNeedBlurCompatibility = (photo: Photo) =>
   isBefore(photo.updatedAt, new Date('2024-05-07'));
diff --git a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
index f1d4772a..d2883f9f 100644
--- a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
+++ b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
   aiTextAutoGeneratedFields,
   hasAiTextAutoGeneratedFields,
   isPublicApiEnabled,
+  arePublicDownloadsEnabled,
   isOgTextBottomAligned,
   gridAspectRatio,
   hasGridAspectRatio,
@@ -507,13 +508,21 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
               {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_GEO_PRIVACY'])}
             </ChecklistRow>
             <ChecklistRow
-              title="Priority order"
-              status={isPriorityOrderEnabled}
+              title="Show repo link"
+              status={showRepoLink}
               optional
             >
-              Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to prevent
-              priority order photo field affecting photo order:
-              {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER'])}
+              Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to hide footer link:
+              {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_REPO_LINK'])}
+            </ChecklistRow>
+            <ChecklistRow
+              title="Public downloads"
+              status={arePublicDownloadsEnabled}
+              optional
+            >
+              Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to enable
+              public photo downloads for all visitors:
+              {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS'])}
             </ChecklistRow>
             <ChecklistRow
               title="Public API"
@@ -525,12 +534,13 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
               {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_PUBLIC_API'])}
             </ChecklistRow>
             <ChecklistRow
-              title="Show repo link"
-              status={showRepoLink}
+              title="Priority order"
+              status={isPriorityOrderEnabled}
               optional
             >
-              Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to hide footer link:
-              {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_REPO_LINK'])}
+              Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to prevent
+              priority order photo field affecting photo order:
+              {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER'])}
             </ChecklistRow>
             <ChecklistRow
               title="Show social"
diff --git a/src/site/config.ts b/src/site/config.ts
index cf1e6980..55961890 100644
--- a/src/site/config.ts
+++ b/src/site/config.ts
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ export const PRIORITY_ORDER_ENABLED =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER !== '1';
 export const PUBLIC_API_ENABLED =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_PUBLIC_API === '1';
+export const ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS = 
+  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS === '1';
 export const SHOW_REPO_LINK =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HIDE_REPO_LINK !== '1';
 export const SHOW_SOCIAL =
@@ -223,6 +225,7 @@ export const CONFIG_CHECKLIST_STATUS = {
     Boolean(process.env.AI_TEXT_AUTO_GENERATED_FIELDS),
   isPriorityOrderEnabled: PRIORITY_ORDER_ENABLED,
   isPublicApiEnabled: PUBLIC_API_ENABLED,
+  arePublicDownloadsEnabled: ALLOW_PUBLIC_DOWNLOADS,
   isOgTextBottomAligned: OG_TEXT_BOTTOM_ALIGNMENT,
   gridAspectRatio: GRID_ASPECT_RATIO,
   hasGridAspectRatio: Boolean(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_GRID_ASPECT_RATIO),
diff --git a/src/utility/url.ts b/src/utility/url.ts
index 71b2e887..c41dc8e7 100644
--- a/src/utility/url.ts
+++ b/src/utility/url.ts
@@ -10,3 +10,19 @@ export const makeUrlAbsolute = (url?: string) => url !== undefined
   ? (!url.startsWith('http') ? `https://${url}` : url)
     .replace(/\/$/, '')
   : undefined;
+
+export const downloadFileFromBrowser = async (
+  url: string,
+  fileName: string,
+) => {
+  const blob = await fetch(url)
+    .then(response => response.blob());
+  const downloadUrl = window.URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+  const link = document.createElement('a');
+  link.href = downloadUrl;
+  link.download = fileName;
+  document.body.appendChild(link);
+  link.click();
+  document.body.removeChild(link);
+  window.URL.revokeObjectURL(downloadUrl);
+};