Looking for files on Android can occasionally become a very frustrating process. Whether it is an mp3 file that just won’t show up on your music app or a downloaded image that you cannot find on the phone’s gallery app, navigating through Android’s file jungle is a tricky business. In this tutorial we are going to be taking a look at two very simple ways of exploring files on your Android device.
Method 1: via your phone’s File Manager app
The overwhelming majority of phone makers, if not all, offer their very own file managing app on their devices. While the name of the app might vary – File Manager, File Explorer etc. -, the core functionality between all file managing apps remains the same.
- First, go to your home screen and look for the said app, either by distinguishing it from the rest of your apps or by searching for ‘file manager’ or something to that effect. If you own a Xiaomi device, then just look for ‘Explorer’.
- If you are looking for a specific app’s files, go to storage and then scroll down until you a file with the app’s name. For instance, if you are looking for saved recording from a third party app, the path that you should follow is Storage>App’s name file.
- Once you open the folder you will be greeted with the saved content.
If you need to access your downloaded content (images, text files, mp3s etc.), select the ‘Downloads’ option from the homepage. There you will find all of the files that you have downloaded on the particular device – the ones you haven’t deleted.
You can also instantly access your device’s downloaded files via the ‘Downloads’ app, which can be found on your phone’s home screen along with the rest of your apps.
Method 2: Via a third party app
In the quite unlike event that your device does not feature a file managing app, there are plenty of free options on Play Store as well. In this tutorial, we are going to be using one of the go-to apps for this task, which is ES File Explorer. With over 100 million downloads and a 4.6/5 rating, the app has gained a strong reputation for seamless file exploration.
Download and then open the app. Much like in the previous example, we are going to be searching for a saved recording. Since it is an mp3 file, the user will have to open the music category. If you are looking for a video, then you’ll have to tap on the ‘Movies’ icon, if it is an image the ‘Images’ button and so on.
If you encounter any problems while trying out any of the above or have a recommendation to make, feel free to shoot a comment down below.