Ever downloaded files on your Android device and not be able to find them? It happens all the time! Downloaded files don't but disappear, though.

All downloads (photos, videos, and other media) end up somewhere on your phone, and there are several ways of finding them. Hither are five ways to access downloads on your Android telephone.

1. Get Instant Admission via the Notifications Panel

First, the simplest method. Whenever yous download a file on your Android device, you get a notification in your notification tray. Here's how to locate downloads via the notifications console.

  1. Download your file (wait till information technology reaches 100%).
  2. Tap on the download notification icon to see—and open—your downloads.

two. Locate Downloaded Files Using the Pre-installed File Manager

Your Android device should have come with a pre-installed file director. Here's how to notice downloads using the default file manager app for Android.

  1. Open the app drawer. You lot tin commonly open information technology past borer the icon with several dots at the lesser of the home screen icon, or by swiping up from the lesser of the screen.
  2. Tap on an app chosen My Files, or Downloads, or File Manager, depending on your Android device. If your Android device doesn't have any of the above options, you may want to use a third-party file managing director. We'll await at how to do that next.
  3. Navigate the File Managing director app to discover the Download or Downloads folder. Tap on it to admission your downloaded files.

When you tap a download it volition open up in the relevant app. In instance you lot downloaded a RAR file, you might want to install 1 of the best RAR extractors for Android to open up it.

3. Find Downloads Using a Third-Party File Manager

The default file manager app works just fine but isn't the easiest to employ or navigate. If you don't similar it, or your Android device doesn't have ane, you lot tin download and install a third-party file managing director.

A popular and helpful option is Cx File Explorer. Information technology is easy to navigate and provides quick admission to your downloads.

  1. Download Cx File Explorer (Free) from Google Play Store.
  2. Open the app, so select Local > Downloads to see a listing of downloaded files.
  3. Select and open up the file y'all're looking for.

Sometimes, downloads become sluggish or even fail. Thankfully, an internet download manager tin help accelerate your download speeds and resume interrupted downloads due to network problems. Here are the best download managers for Android.

4. Find Android Downloads From Your Windows PC

If you lot find information technology hard navigating through a small screen, you can ever view your Android downloads from your Windows PC.

  1. Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable. You may get a notification on your Android device asking what y'all want to practice with the USB connection. Choose File Transfer.
  2. Click on the Phone choice in Windows Explorer. Navigate to the Downloads folder and y'all will be able to see your downloaded files.

This is one of several means you tin transfer files from your Android phone to your PC.

5. Apply Google Chrome to Find Your Downloads

If you're using Google Chrome as your browser yous tin access your downloads straight though the carte. All other browsers have a similar option.

  1. Open up Google Chrome.
  2. Tap on the 3 dots at the top-correct corner of the Chrome browser.
  3. Select Downloads, and the files y'all downloaded from the net will appear. To search for a specific download file, tap the search icon at the top of the screen.

Know Where to Look for Downloads on Your Phone

And there you have information technology; now yous know how to observe downloads on Android.

It's almost as if files, photos, and videos disappear later downloading them to your Android device. The files are there, hidden somewhere, and finding them shouldn't be that hard.

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About The Author

Denis Manyinsa (51 Articles Published)

Denis is a tech writer at MakeUseOf. He especially enjoys writing about Android and has an obvious passion for Windows. His mission is to brand your mobile devices and software easier to apply. Denis is a quondam loan officeholder who loves dancing!

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