Where is the download folder in Android?

Table of Contents Show

Enable the Recycle bin in settings
Restoring a deleted file
Restoring a deleted image
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The location of your downloaded files will depend on the type of file you have downloaded and the app that you used to download it. Most of your files are organised within the My Files app, however some files will not appear here. Some apps, such as Netflix, store their downloads securely on your phone and are only available through the app itself.

If you can't locate images downloaded from the Google app, make sure your storage permissions are enabled on your device. Find out where the Google app saves downloaded images.

Where to find My Files Click to Expand

You can find almost all the files on your smartphone in the My Files app. By default, this will appear in the folder named Samsung.

If you are having trouble finding the My Files app, you should try using the search feature. To begin, swipe up on your home screen to see your apps.

1 Tap on the search bar at the top of the screen

2 Enter 'My Files' and the My Files app will be shown

Locating your files Click to Expand

The My Files app automatically organises your files into categories, making them easy to find. You can also look through your recently used files, search for a file by name or browse all the files you have saved.

Please note: not all downloaded content will be available in My Files. Content that has been downloaded within a streaming app that allows listening or viewing offline will normally be available only within that app itself. This is most commonly due to copyright restrictions.

1 Search - tap this icon to search for a file by name. You can also tap Type to see all files of that type, or Time to see files saved yesterday, in the past 7 days or in the past 30 days.

2 Recent files - all your most recently used files are displayed here. Tap the last file in this section to see all your recently used files in order of use.

3 Categories - all the files saved on your phone have been organised into categories based on the type of file they are. For example, if you have downloaded a file from the internet it will appear under Downloads.

4 Storage locations - depending on how you use your device, your files could be stored in different locations. For example, if you have an SD card you can set your device to download files straight to the SD card. Tap one of the storage options to see all the files that are saved to it.

Restoring deleted files Click to Expand

If you have recently deleted a file, these can often be restored from the Recycle bin. To ensure that your files are sent to the Recycle bin when deleted, turn this on in settings using the steps below.

Enable the Recycle bin in settings

1 Open My files

2 Tap the Menu icon (3 vertical dots)

3 Tap Settings

4 Switch the toggle next to Recycle bin to turn on

Restoring a deleted file

1 Open My files

2 Tap the Menu icon (3 vertical dots)

3 Tap Recycle bin

4 Here you will see your deleted files. Hold down the file you want to select and tap Restore. The file will be found in My Files once more.

Restoring a deleted image

1 Open the Gallery app

2 Tap the Menu icon (3 vertical dots)

3 Tap Recycle bin

4 Select an image and tap the curved arrow in the bottom left hand corner to restore it. The image will be found in your gallery library once more

If you're experiencing unusual behaviour on Samsung mobiles, tablets or wearables, you can send us an error report or ask us a question in the Samsung Members app.

This allows us to a closer look at what is happening. The data is anonymised and only held for the duration of the investigation. Find out more about sending an error report through the Samsung Members app.

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