Android phone how to find download directory

On your phone, you can usually find your files in the Files app. You may need to open the Samsung folder to find My Files. Tap More options the three vertical dots , and then tap Settings. Tap the switch next to Show hidden system files, and then tap Back to return to the file list. Hidden files will now appear. Navigate to the file manager on your Android device and find a PDF file.

We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. Jason Cipriani , Ed Rhee. April 18, p. Now playing: Watch this: The top 5 best Android Q features. Discuss: Where to find downloaded files on your Android phone.

To a non-expert, these files do tend to disappear, but that's not really the case. The files are stored in various directories depending on the application and device settings. Here in this article, we'll tell you how to find and view downloaded files on Android. One of the easiest ways to find a downloaded file on Android is to instantly access it using the notification panel soon after the download is completed. Whenever you download a file on your Android device, a notification appears in the notification panel that displays the download status.

Swipe down to open up the notifications panel after downloading the files. Click on the download notification, and this will open up the downloaded file instantly. File managers come built-in with Android phones. There are also many third-party file managers available in the Google Play store to download. Most file managers allow you to sort items by name and modified date or recent.

You can then sort accordingly and locate your downloaded files. Case in point: WhatsApp by default downloads images and videos to your phone and keeps them in its own folder. You may be able to change where files are downloaded by default to keep everything more organized on your device. 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. The menu on the right includes a Find feature. I also love that search tips are included in the search box. Enter part of your file name and locate your file in seconds. The notification looks like a checkmark. This is an easy way to see where your downloads are stored by default.

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.