Files app download

How to Find Downloaded Files on an iPhone or iPad

• Benj Edwards
  Reviewed By

  @benjedwards



• Updated

If youve downloaded files to your iPhone or iPad, accessing them might be confusing compared to a Mac or PC. Theres a special folder where iOS and iPadOS store downloads, and you can find itvia the Files app.

First, locate the Files app on your iPhone or iPad. The quickest way to do this is withSpotlight Search. Swipe one finger downward from the middle of the Home screen, and then type Files. Tap Files in the search results.

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Select the Browse tab at the bottom, and then tap On My iPhone or On My iPad, depending on which device youre using.

The list under Locations will vary depending on which apps you have installed, but your device will always have an On My [Device] listing.

Youll then see a list of folders that, again, will vary depending on which apps you have installed. Generally, most people save files to the Downloads folder, so tap it.

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Youll see a list of all the files youve downloaded. During the download process, you can save a file to a folder other than Downloads. If you dont see the file youre looking for, tap the Back arrow at the upper left, and then tap another folder.

Once you locate the file you want, you can tap it to preview it, or tap and hold it to open a pop-up menu. Then, you can move, copy, or rename the file, along with other operations.

When youre done, just exit the Files app. The next time you open Files, the file youre looking for will be right where you left it.

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