Find your downloads on android

How to find your downloaded files on Android

This might seem like a funny question for those of you who are more used to using Android, but a lot of beginners are struggling to find their files once they have been downloaded. How many of you are wondering the same thing? In this article, we’ll explain to you how to easily find your downloaded files on your Android device.

Before diving into the details, we ought to define what we mean by ‘downloaded files’. These are items that you download from your browser, for example. They aren’t files that you receive via an app (via WhatsApp, for example) as those are generally stored by default in the app’s archive.

Finding downloaded files on Android

Here’s an easy tutorial on how to find downloaded files on your Android device. It just takes a few basic actions, nothing too intimidating, even for an Android newcomer.

Firstly, you need a file manager. You’ll find several of these in our article on the best file managers around if you want to download one. Reminder: on Marshmallow, you’ll have access to a file explorer in the settings.

• Best Android file managers: top 9 for exploring your phone

Here’s how to access Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s own file explorer. / © ANDROIDPIT

After that, all you have to do is look for the “Download” archive. This will be on the internal and not the external memory, so don’t go into the archives for your microSD card.

• How to format SD cards as internal memory

The downloaded files can be found in the “Download” archives. © NextPit

And there you have it, now you’ll be able to access your downloaded files on Android. If you run into any problems, feel free to use the comments section below to ask for help. For now, we hope we’ve been able to help you a little.

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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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Where Are the Downloads on My Phone?

Can’t find something you know you downloaded? Here’s where to look

Quickly accessing downloaded files on your smartphone is crucial if you want to get the most out of your device. Whether you’ve downloaded pictures or videos sent in a text message, email attachments, or files while browsing the web, they’re all stored somewhere on your phone.

If you’re an Android user (Android 7 or later), locating your downloads is similar to using Windows Explorer or Mac’s Finder. If you’re an iPhone user running iOS 11 or 12, Apple’s Files app connects you with all your device’s storage locations, both locally and in the cloud.

Where Are My Downloads on Android?

To navigate Android’s internal storage, you need a file manager app such as My Files. Connecting your phone to a computer will also allow you to manage your files and folders. In most instances, things you download will end up in the Downloads folder. However, depending on the app, the location may be different.

Google Messages Downloads on Android

To access your Google Messages downloads on Android:

Open your preferred file manager, tap Internal storage, then tap Pictures.

Select Messages.

All your downloaded images, videos, and voice clips will be in the Messages folder.

Samsung Messages Downloads on Android

To access your Samsung Messages downloads on Android:

Open your preferred file manager, then choose Internal storage.

Select Download.

All attachments downloaded via Samsung Messages will be in the Download folder.

WhatsApp Downloads on Android

To access your WhatsApp downloads on Android:

Open your file manager and select Internal storage > WhatsApp.

Select Media.

Your files and attachments are stored in their respective folders within WhatsApp’s Media directory.

Videos and pictures downloaded with apps like Hangouts and Textra are located in their respective folders in your device’s Internal storage.

Google Chrome Downloads on Android

To access your Google Chrome downloads on Android:

Open your file manager, go to Internal storage, then choose Download.

All files and attachments downloaded from Chrome are in your Download folder.

Gmail Downloads on Android

To access your Gmail downloads on Android:

Open your file manager, go to Internal storage, then choose Download.

All attachments downloaded from Gmail are in your Download folder.

Apps such as Outlook and Samsung Email also store your attachments in the Download folder.

Downloads Stored on Your iPhone

iPhone users running iOS 11 or newer have more control over where downloaded files are stored. In the past, downloads ended up in a location based on the file type. However, in iOS 11 and later, you can access downloads in the Files app.

In iOS 12 and newer, images and videos that are sent and received via Messages are automatically saved in the Photos app.

Apple’s Files app is a more streamlined approach to accessing the images, videos, and documents saved to your phone apps and cloud services. The Files app is essentially the iPhone’s file manager for iOS 11 and up.

Tap the Files app.

Tap an option under Locations to explore your iPhone’s downloads. Or, you can use the Search bar at the top of the screen to quickly search for the file or image.

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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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