Where Do Downloads Go on PC, iPhone/iPad, or Android?

This article describes "where do downloads go" on PC, iPhone/iPad, or Android, and how to find and access the downloaded files step by step. Scroll down to learn more.

Lora

By Lora / Updated on December 6, 2024

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What is a Downloads folder?

The images I download from relay aren't visible in my gallery app. Can view them via the downloaded notification but after I swipe it away, it's gone. Is this a known bug?

You may have many questions, such as, What happens to downloads? Where do downloads go? How do I access and open my downloads? But, before answering them, we need to come together and understand the downloads folder first.

It's a physical location to save data downloaded from an internet browser, app store, game center, etc., on a computer, iPhone/iPad, or Android device. The data can be images, videos, apps, software updates, OS updates, firmware updates, games, and more as long as they are downloaded. 

Where to find downloads?

All the downloads are saved in Downloads but in different locations on Windows PCs, iPhone/iPad, or Android devices. Here we are going to check "where do my downloads go" in detail.

Where do my downloads go on Windows PCs?

On Windows PCs, there is a Downloads folder to save downloaded files and you can check this through File Explorer. For specific web browsers or apps, you can check the settings to see the default directory.

From File Explorer: 

Step 1. Press the Win + E keys to open Windows File Explorer.

Step 2. Click This PC and double-click Downloads to open. Alternatively, you can find the Downloads folder under Quick Access.

download-folder

Step 3.  To check the directory of the Downloads folder, right-click it and select Properties. Then, scroll down to Location under the General tab. 

From Google Chrome:

Step 1. Open Google Chrome. Then, click the 3-dot icon in the upper-right corner and select Settings.

Step 2. Click Downloads from the left menu. Then, check the Location on the right side. It also allows you to change it by clicking the Change button.

Download Location

⚠️If you can’t find the Downloads folder or specific files in it, you maaccidentally delete the folder or it is hidden. Try to show hidden files or relay on data recovery software.

Where do my downloads go on iPhone/iPad?

If your iPhone/iPad is running iOS 11 or later, you can search the Files app that is automatically installed on your device.

Step 1. Open the File app. If you don't know where it is, type Files in the search box and select it the search result. 

Step 2. Tap Browse > On My iPhone or On My iPad> Downloads. Then, you can see all of your downloaded files on your iPhone or iPad. You can hold on to check it or perform any operation. 

iphone-download-folder

⚠️Note: Usually, downloaded photos will be saved directly in the Photos app and you can check the downloaded music files in the Music app.

Where do my downloads on Android phones?

For Android phones, you can access your internal storage directly to find your downloaded files. This method lets you manually navigate through the file manager on your device. You can edit, copy, move or delete files, which can assist you in remaining neat and organized.

⚠️No matter which brand of phone you use, finding downloads on other Android phones is very similar. The app name may differ depending on the models and manufacturers involved.

Step 1. Open the File app, and tap Browse at the bottom of the screen.

Step 2. Tap Internal storage under the Storage Devices section.

Step 3. Then scroll down, and you will find the Download folder. Click it to check if there are downloaded files you want.

android-download-folder

Step 4. Select downloaded files, and tap the three-dot menu to copy, move, or delete them.

How do I change where my downloads go?

As the Downloads folder may take up a lot of space on your computer or phone, you may try to change its location to alleviate the storage pressure.

On Windows 10 

Step 1. Open This PC. Right-click the Downloads folder and select Properties.

Step 2. On the Properties window, go to the Location tab. 

Step 3. Click Move... to browse and select a new location to save the Downloads folder. 

Move Downloads Location

Step 4. Click Apply to proceed. Then, when prompted, click Yes to move downloads to the new location.

On iPhone/iPad

Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad and scroll down to find Safari.

Step 2. Tap Safari > Tap Downloads. Then, you will see 3 DownloadS locations: iCloud drive, On My iPhone, and others...

change Downloads Location

Step 3. Click iCloud drive or Others to switch to and click Done to keep the changes.

On Android

Step 1. Open Settings on your Android phone. Then, go to Storage & USB > Internal Storage.

Step 2. Click the 3 dots icon and Change where new content is saved. 

Step 3. Select a new location and click Done to confirm this change. 

Why are my downloads not showing?

If your downloads not showing, the Downloads folder or files may be hidden or deleted. Try to show hidden Downloads folder:

Step 1. Press the Win + E keys to open Windows File Explorer.

Step 2. Go to the View tab and click Options > View.

Step 3. Tick Show hidden files, folders, and drives. Then, you can see the hidden Downloads folder again.

change-folder-hidden-protected-system-files-option

If the method above doesn’t work, the downloads or Downloads folder will be lost or deleted accidentally. The easiest way to recover them is to use reliable data recovery software. 

MyRecover is a good choice due to its easy operation, fast scanning speed, and high recovery rate. It supports recovering deleted or lost files from HDD, SSD, USB drives, and other storage devices.

MyRecover
Why Choose MyRecover?
  • Top algorithm - thoroughly search the disk for all recoverable data with Quick Scan and Deep Scan.
  • Retrieve 1000+ types of data, including documents (e.g. recover lost Word documents), pictures, videos, audios, emails, compressed files, etc.
  • Search or filter files quickly through file name/extension, data type, etc.
  • Preview files before recovery.
  • Recover specific files or folders instead of all.
  • Recover lost data due to accidental deletion, lost partition, virus attacks, system crashes, etc.
  • Support NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.

Don't hesitate to download MyRecover to start your Download folder and downloaded files recovery.

Step 1. Open MyRecover. Hover the mouse over the drive saving downloads, and click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. It automatically finds deleted files on the C drive with Quick Scan & Deep Scan and categorizes them into 3 types: Deleted Files, Files in the Recycle Bin, and Other Missing Files. 

scanning-drive

Step 3. You don’t need to wait for the scanning process to complete if you find the Downloads folder or downloaded files. Here are two ways to find them:

  • Through sidebar directories: Check the scanning result from the Deleted Files/Recycle Bin/Other Missing Files folder. 
  • Search or filter files: Type part or the entire filename (e.g. downloads) or the file extension in the search box. Or specify a data type, such as "Images" in the filter feature first. You can also set the date modified and file size. 

When you find the downloads folder or downloaded files you want to recover, choose them and click Recover X files to save them to another place. To confirm it, you can preview them before recovering. 

select-files-to-restore

⚠️You will be asked to upgrade to MyRecover Pro to enjoy unlimited data recovery. The Lifetime version is recommended, i.e. one-time payment for all features with no time limit. So you can always recover data at the first time.

Conclusion

Where do downloads go? All in all, the downloaded files will be saved in a Downloads folder. However, the location on different platforms may be different. You can check the above content to confirm this. 

Please note that in special cases, your Downloads folder or downloaded files may be hidden or deleted. Try to show hidden files or rely on reliable data recovery software like MyRecover to retrieve them. If you're in doubt, give it a try.

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Lora
Lora · Editor
Lora is an editor of AOMEI Technology. She is also a tester and editor of AOMEI Data Recovery Tools. -- "Keep testing, write the most useful tutorials for helping people recover the lost data for Windows and phones" is the most meaningful thing for her. Dedicated to creating helpful tutorials, she hopes her tutorial can assist users to effortlessly solve data loss problems on their personal computers and mobile phones.