How to find downloaded files on your phone or tablet

You won’t always find your downloaded photos, videos, screenshots, documents, and other files all in one place on your Android phone.

It makes finding important files challenging, even if you use a file manager app to organize your phone.

Our guide shows you where to find any downloaded file on your phone if it didn’t save to your Downloads folder. We also show you how to organize your Downloads folder.

You can follow this guide whether you use one of the best Google Pixel phones or another Android smartphone.

How Android’s file system works and where to find it

Android uses a file system similar to disk-based file systems. There are usually two physical storage locations: internal and external.

Internal storage tends to be smaller, while external storage can be bigger.

Not all devices have a dedicated external storage space (you usually have to buy an SD card or use a compatible flash drive), and some may rely on emulated storage or adoptable storage instead.

Internal storage is also where the Android OS and applications are installed.

Removable volumes appear in the file system as part of external storage.

Android adds a path (location of a file) for your removable volumes (for an SD card, it is /sdcard). If you know the path, you can store files directly.

Find downloaded files on your Android’s Files or My Files app

Each smartphone manufacturer may offer a slightly different built-in Android app for file management. The experience of using different file managers should still be similar.

If you use a Samsung phone or tablet, refer to our tutorial, which shows you how to find downloads on your Samsung Galaxy device.

Like Windows, macOS, and iOS operating systems, Android has a Downloads folder for your files.

Here’s how to find downloads on your device.

1. Open the Files or My Files app from the home screen or app drawer.
2. Tap Downloads.
3. View the files you downloaded.
   

   

After you’ve finished reviewing your files, it is recommended that you move them to another folder or delete them from your phone or tablet. Doing so will save storage space and alleviate the worry of clutter.

We cover how to move your downloaded files in a later section.

You can also find your downloads on the Files by Google app

Files by Google is one of the best apps if you don’t want to deal with complicated UIs to find your documents.

Files by Google is pre-installed on Pixel phones and some other Android devices.

1. Open the Files app.
2. Tap Downloads.
3. Browse the Download tab to see the downloaded files and folders.
   

   

Manually search for downloaded files in Internal storage

If you can’t find the Downloads folder storage location in your file manager app, navigate to your phone’s internal storage.

The UI of your internal storage may vary depending on your smartphone brand.

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Scroll down and go to Internal storage.
3. Tap the Download folder.
   

   

How to move your downloaded files to a different folder

Moving files away from the Downloads folder is beneficial for several reasons.

One reason is privacy and security: files containing private or personal information should be placed into a more secure location.

Placing these files in another folder keeps them secure and makes it more difficult to delete them accidentally. It also prevents those files from getting buried and mixed with future downloads.

1. Open the Files app.
2. Navigate to your Download folder.
3. Tap the overflow menu (the three dots) next to a file.
   

   
4. Choose the Move to option.
5. Select any location or folder.
6. Tap Move here to transfer the file to that location.
   

   

View the exact location of your Download folder

When you want to see the location of the Download folder, tap the overflow menu (the three dots) next to one of your downloaded files and go to File info.

The /storage/emulated/0/Download path is the default for many Android devices.

Some third-party web browsers might save files to a different folder, but this should be the location for most downloads.

If you are downloading files from a mobile web browser, you can view the download location by visiting the web browser settings.

On Chrome, tap the overflow menu, select Settings, and tap Downloads.

If you wish to change the default download location, you can toggle on Ask where to save files.

Changing the download files location on the Firefox app requires visiting the about:config preferences editor.

Be aware of what could happen when downloading files

While downloading files, you could encounter the following errors:

• It takes too long to download a small file
• Files won’t open
• Device freezing or stuttering while a download is in progress
• Failed – network error

If you are facing difficulty downloading files onto your Android device, there could be a number of reasons why.

In that case, we recommend checking your available storage space via your Android settings and selecting Storage (Device care if you are on Samsung).

Device issues while a download is in progress could also happen.

Your phone may crash, freeze, or close unexpectedly while downloading or opening a file. If your device has problems after a download is completed, double-check that you didn’t accidentally download malware.

If it occurs while the download is happening, stop the download and restart your device. Also, ensure it is up-to-date and has sufficient storage available.

Related

How to upload videos to Google Drive

Google Drive makes it easy to save all of your important documents and images to the cloud

Managing your downloads is easier than you think

Google’s Files app is a great option if you prefer simplicity in a file manager. The app features a clean UI and intuitive design. It also neatly organizes your documents by file type, such as downloads, images, videos, and audio.

Google’s File apps can also clear junk files, which is a cheap method for freeing up storage space.