diff --git a/doc/administration/settings/import_and_export_settings.md b/doc/administration/settings/import_and_export_settings.md
index 221bfb843bdf45c65efce960f8fafa1c92f7ede1..d139a90ef0e371a2bc142eb0f7f4289f48198e87 100644
--- a/doc/administration/settings/import_and_export_settings.md
+++ b/doc/administration/settings/import_and_export_settings.md
@@ -69,12 +69,13 @@ The same setting
 ## Enable silent admin exports
 
 > - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/151278) in GitLab 17.0 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `export_audit_events`. Disabled by default.
+> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/152143) for file export downloads in GitLab 17.1.
 
 FLAG:
 The availability of this feature is controlled by a feature flag. For more information, see the history.
 
 Enable silent admin exports to prevent [audit events](../audit_event_reports.md) when
-instance administrators trigger a [project or group file export](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md).
+instance administrators trigger a [project or group file export](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md) or download the export file.
 Exports from non-administrators still generate audit events.
 
 To enable silent admin project and group file exports:
diff --git a/ee/app/controllers/ee/projects_controller.rb b/ee/app/controllers/ee/projects_controller.rb
index 565c8419292ac3b645e4c246d6cd43643c8f55ca..eca12c7e91d063b8a554383421a0f08fb217467f 100644
--- a/ee/app/controllers/ee/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/ee/app/controllers/ee/projects_controller.rb
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ def log_audit_event(message:, event_type:)
     end
 
     def log_download_export_audit_event
+      return if current_user.can_admin_all_resources? && ::Gitlab::CurrentSettings.silent_admin_exports_enabled?
+
       log_audit_event(message: 'Export file download started', event_type: 'project_export_file_download_started')
     end
 
diff --git a/ee/spec/controllers/projects_controller_spec.rb b/ee/spec/controllers/projects_controller_spec.rb
index 54a34f42e8bc18010d82e40808f7285f17b6985e..b41de746e100aaa9d0dd8eedaf60bac6f01e7939 100644
--- a/ee/spec/controllers/projects_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/controllers/projects_controller_spec.rb
@@ -719,6 +719,25 @@
         let_it_be(:audit_name) { 'project_export_file_download_started' }
         let_it_be(:custom_message) { 'Export file download started' }
       end
+
+      context 'when user is admin', :enable_admin_mode do
+        let_it_be(:user) { create(:admin) }
+
+        it_behaves_like 'audit events with event type' do
+          let_it_be(:audit_name) { 'project_export_file_download_started' }
+          let_it_be(:custom_message) { 'Export file download started' }
+        end
+
+        context 'when silent exports enabled' do
+          before do
+            stub_application_setting(silent_admin_exports_enabled: true)
+          end
+
+          it 'does not log an audit event' do
+            expect { request }.not_to change { AuditEvent.count }
+          end
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'when project export is disabled' do