Android find downloaded file

Where do you find the Downloads folder on your Android device?

So you’ve just downloaded a file on your Android device but don’t really know where it went? There are a few ways that you can find the file you just downloaded, along with all your previous downloads. Pro tip: you might want to clean up your Downloads folder from time to time to avoid running out of space on your SD card.

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Step 1: Use the pre-installed Downloads app

This is the method that should work for most Android devices out there. Chances are, that if you look inside your app drawer, you will find an app called “Downloads”. Opening the app will take you straight to your downloads folder without the need to search anywhere else for the downloaded files.

Step 2: Use and Android file manager

Another way to get to the Downloads folder is by using a file manager for Android, much like you would use on your Mac or PC to find files. Some Android devices will have a file manager already pre-installed, usually on older versions of Android. To access the built-in File Manager, go to your App Drawer and find an app called “Files”. If you can’t find it, go ahead and download a file manager from the Play Store. My go-to file manager for Android is Total Commander.

[appbox googleplay com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander]

To find a list of all the downloaded files with the help of a file manager app, simply open it to find a list of directories on your device. What you are looking for are either “Phone Storage”, “Internal Storage” or “SD Card” (sometimes called /sdcard).

Once you locate the folder, go ahead and open it up, and then find a folder called Downloads. Open the folder to see a list of all your downloaded files. It’s as simple as that.

Step 3: Access downloaded files from a Mac or PC

If you want to access your downloaded files form your computer, connect your Android device your your Mac or PC using a USB cable. If you’re on a Mac, make sure to download Android File Transfer for Mac first. If you’re on Windows, you won’t need any additional software.

Once plugged in via USB, you should be getting a notification on your computer’s screen, which will tell you to follow a few simple steps to access your device storage. In some cases you will also get a notification on your Android device asking you to choose what you want to do with your USB connection. Your goal here is to select the option “File Transfer”.

After successfully connecting your Android device to your computer, navigate to the SD card folder to find all the downloaded files.

Where do WhatsApp downloads go?

Some apps will use a separate folder for downloaded files. Probably the best example for this scenario is WhatsApp.

To find pictures, videos and audio files downloaded from WhatsApp to your Android device, open a file manager on your mobile device or computer, go to the SD Card or Internal Storage folder and look a folder called WhatsApp. Inside this folder you will find all the downloads.

Daniel Bulygin

Daniel’s passion is optimizing stuff, making it work better and faster. He likes tech, entrepreneurship and the outdoors. Online Marketer | Entrepreneur | Hard Worker | Smart Thinker | Techie

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How to Find Downloaded Files on Android

There is a saying “Ignorance is Bliss”, but not in the case if you have downloaded a file on your Android Device and now you don’t know where to find it. This could be a very basic thing to know for an Advanced Android user but believe me, there are many and many users who don’t know where to find the downloaded files. So, we decided to write a small guide on How to Find Downloaded Files on Android.

Here we are not talking about the files downloaded via an app like WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook. Files downloaded by an app is usually stored by default in the app’s folder. We are talking about the files downloaded from your browser, those are the one we are going to find here. So, if you have downloaded a file and don’t know where to find it then follow our guide below on How to Find Downloaded Files on Android.

How to Find Downloaded Files on Android

• First of all, you need to install a File Explorer on your device. They are in abundance on Google Play Store. Astro File Manager is one of the most popular.
• Now open the open the file manager and access internal storage. In Internal Storage simply find the Download Folder. All your downloaded files are stored in this folder.
• However, if you are using a device running on Marshmallow then you have to go to Settings >> Storage & USB >> Internal Storage >> from here click on Explore at the bottom. From the list of folders look for Download Folder.

There you go, this is how to find downloaded files on Android.

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How to Find Downloaded Files on Any Android Device

Finding the downloaded files on your Android device is usually an easy task. The steps to finding them vary slightly, depending on what kind of device you have, but for some reason, the downloaded files tend to “disappear” sometimes.

The files haven’t disappeared, though. You just have to dig in to your Android device’s settings to find them. In some cases, you may need to install a file manager to help you keep those downloaded files under control. Let’s take a look at some options.

Also read: 10 Best Sticker Packs for WhatsApp

Look in the Downloads folder

Like most computer, Android does come with a “Downloads” folder to store all your downloaded files. This won’t usually be available as an app unfortunately, but as a folder within a file manager.

You can find the Downloads folder using a third-party file manager, but each Android phone also has its stock file manager app that you can equally well use.

On stock Android, this app is just called “Files.” Simply open it then tap “Downloads” to access the Downloads folder.

Your downloaded files should be listed, with the most recent one at the top. If you tap the three-dotted menu option at the top right, you can do more with your downloaded files – you can clear your download history, edit, share, and sort by.

To make your downloads easier to find, you can use the “Sort by” option and organize them either by time, type, name, size, ascending or descending – whatever works best for you.

Alternatively, you can select individual files in your downloads list by tapping the three-dot menu icons next to them, which will bring up various options like Delete, Share, Rename and so on.

If you want to bulk-select or bulk-delete files in your downloads, long-tap one of the files until the checkboxes appear, then tap each subsequent file you want to carry out the same action for.

Check Your App Settings

Many apps have their own download settings. Instead of sending your Android downloads to your device’s download folder by default, they’re sent to the app’s download folder.

Case in point: WhatsApp by default downloads images and videos to your phone and keeps them in its own folder. In the “Files” app, this is separated into WhatsApp Images and WhatsApp Videos.

If you’re using a third-party file explorer, you’ll find the WhatsApp downloads in Internal Memory/WhatsApp/Media.

You can also check within your app’s settings. You may be able to change where files are downloaded by default to keep everything more organized on your device.

Use a Third-Party File Explorer

While the built-in file manager works well enough in Android, it’s not perfect. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, try a third-party file explorer app. There are a variety of Android file managers to use. However, a highly popular and useful option is X-plore File Manager. The dual-pane feature makes it a personal favorite.

It’s easy to use. The menu on the right includes a Find feature. You don’t need to know the full file name. I also love that search tips are included in the search box. Enter part of your file name and locate your file in seconds.

Download Another File

If you can’t find your Android downloads now, why would you download something else? When you download a file, you get a notification in your device’s notification tray. The notification looks like a checkmark.

Tap it and you’re sent to the downloaded file, meaning you can also check out where the download came from. This is an easy way to see where your downloads are stored by default.

How to Find the Downloads Folder from Your Windows Computer

If you just can’t stand how small things look on your Android device, you can always look at your downloads on your computer. Connect your Android device to your computer with a USB cable, and within a few seconds, you should see a prompt appear offering to show you the contents of the device you connected.

The next window will offer various options such as import/export (among others). Click on the one that allows you to see the contents of your Android device. Click on the Phone option and scroll down until you find the Downloads folder. Just open it and do whatever you please.

Also read: How to Share Files Between Android and Windows on Your Network

Find Your Downloads in Chrome

You downloaded an image last week but accidentally erased it from your device. To recover that image, open Chrome, tap the three-dotted menu icon at the top right corner, then tap Downloads to see your list of downloads from the browser.

If you want to find a specific file such as video, tap on the drop-down menu beside Downloads and tap on videos (or whatever file you’re looking for).

Also read: 10 New iOS and Android Mobile Games to Play this Month

Find Your Downloads in Edge

The new and much-improved Microsoft Edge browser is slowly making inroads on Android, and makes it relatively easy to find your downloads.

Open Edge, then tap the three horizontal dots at the bottom-centre of the browser and tap “Downloads.”

That’s it. All your downloads should now be visible to manage.

Find your Firefox Downloads

Firefox makes it just as easy to find your downloads. Once you have the browser open, tap on the three vertical dots at the top-right (or bottom-right, depending on your personal setup) of your display.

After that, tap “Downloads”, and you’re good to go.

As you can see, your downloaded files didn’t disappear, they just went to a folder created especially for that. To dig a little deeper still into your Android directories, you should read our guide on how to install TWRP Recovery. Or if you’ve started dabbling in streaming movies and TV between your devices, see our list of the best DLNA streaming apps.

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Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.

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Where to find downloaded files on your Android phone

Can’t find that document you just downloaded on your phone? We got you.

It can be incredibly convenient to use Android to download files and forgo a computer for things like editing a document for work, adding to a presentation for class or downloading a photo that you want to use as a wallpaper. The problem is, it’s not always clear where the file you just downloaded was saved on your phone or tablet.

When Android first launched, finding files was especially cumbersome due to the fact that not every Android device came with a file manager app. A lot has changed since then. Most Android devices now come with some sort of file manager preinstalled, and for those that don’t, there’s a better alternative anyway.

Find the file manager app

Left: Files app on a Pixel 3. Right: My Files on a Galaxy S10 Plus.

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

By far the easiest way to find downloaded files on Android is to look in your app drawer for an app called Files or My Files. Google’s Pixel phones come with a Files app, while Samsung phones come with an app called My Files. Regardless of which device, once you find and open the file manager, use it to look for the Downloads folder and open it.

There you will find your downloaded files in chronological order (newest to oldest, in most cases). You can, however, change how the files are sorted. In Samsung’s My Files app, tap on the three-dot menu icon and then select «Sort by.» In the Files app on a Pixel phone, tap on the «Modified» text to change how the app sorts your files.

Once you’ve located your downloaded files, you can open a file with a tap, or bring up more options with a long-press on the file.

Better yet, use Files by Google

The Files by Google app is one of the best file manager apps for Android users.

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET

If you don’t like the default file manager app on your Android phone, or it doesn’t have one, download the Files by Google app ( formerly Files Go ) from the Play Store. The app is easy to navigate, provides quick access to your downloads folder and helps you free up storage space .

When you open Files by Google, the app will recommend various options like clearing out app caches, removing junk files or deleting backed-up photos from your device. There’s even an AirDrop-like file-sharing feature baked into the app that makes it really easy to share files with someone who is nearby.

Once you’ve installed the app, you can find your downloaded files by selecting the Browse tab at the bottom of the app, then tapping Downloads. Tap a file to open it, or long-press on it to select the file and delete, share or rename it.

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