The Internet is often used to download files. You can find pretty much everything online, and most likely, by the time you use your computer, you have already downloaded files. Although your computer's operating system tends to put all downloads in one folder, in the long run you will find yourself having files downloaded almost everywhere on your computer. Knowing how to find downloaded files quickly can save you time and frustration.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Search for Downloaded Files
Step 1. Check the Downloads folder
Windows sets up a Downloads folder for each user, which is the default location for downloaded files for most programs. There are several ways to be able to find the Downloads folder.
- Click on the Start menu and then click on your username. In the window that opens, you should see a Downloads folder.
- Open Windows Explorer ⊞ Win + E. The Downloads folder should be listed in the left frame, under "Favorites" or "Computer / PC".
- Press ⊞ Win + R and type shell: downloads. Press Enter to open the Downloads folder.
Step 2. Check other locations
If you download using different programs, the downloaded files are likely to be everywhere. Another very likely location for downloads is the Documents folder.
If you have a secondary drive that you use to store files, check if you have also created a download folder here
Step 3. Search for the file
If you know the name of the file, you can quickly search and open it. Press ⊞ Win and type in the file name. It should appear in the search results.
Step 4. Open the downloaded files
You shouldn't have too much difficulty opening most of the files downloaded online, but you may run into certain file types that could give you problems. See guides online or on wikiHow for more information on how to open the following files:
- Play MKV video files;
- Burn ISO image files;
- Extract RAR files;
- Use BIN files;
- Download Torrent files.
Method 2 of 4: Search for Downloads in OS X
Step 1. Check the Downloads folder
In OS X each user has a Downloads folder where files downloaded by most programs are kept. There are a few ways to be able to find the downloads folder:
- Click the Downloads folder in the Dock.
- Click the menu Go and select Download.
- Open the Search Tool window. Press ⌥ Opt + ⌘ Cmd + L to open the Downloads folder.
Step 2. Check other locations
The downloaded files tend to be found almost everywhere on the computer, especially when different programs are used to download. Other likely locations to find downloaded files are your desktop or documents folder.
If you have a secondary drive that you use to store files, check if you have also created a download folder here
Step 3. Search for the file
If you know the name of the file, you can quickly search and open it. Open a Search Tool window and press ⌘ Cmd + F to open the search bar. Start typing the file name and select it in the search results.
Step 4. Open the downloaded files
You shouldn't have too much difficulty opening most of the files downloaded online, but you may run into certain types of files that could give you problems. See guides online or on wikiHow for more information on how to open the following files:
- Play MKV video files;
- Burn ISO image files;
- Extract RAR files;
- Use BIN files;
- Download Torrent files.
Method 3 of 4: Manage Downloads with Chrome
Step 1. Open the Downloads list
You can open the list of recent downloads in Chrome by clicking the Menu button (☰) and selecting Downloads or by pressing Ctrl + J (Windows) or ⌘ Cmd + J (Mac).
Step 2. Search the list of recent downloads
If your download history isn't cleared, Chrome keeps it for a few weeks. Clicking on any item will result in an attempt to open the file (if it still exists). You can also click the "Show in Folder" hyperlink to open the folder containing the selected file.
Step 3. Open the Downloads folder
Click the "Open Downloads folder" hyperlink in the top right to open the folder where Chrome downloads files. By default, this is the Downloads folder in the home directory.
Step 4. Change the Chrome Downloads folder
Click the Chrome Menu button (☰) and select Settings. Scroll down and click the "Show advanced settings…" hyperlink. In the "Downloads" section, you can set a new folder to save downloads with Chrome by clicking Change….
You can also choose whether you want Chrome to prompt you to save a file while downloading
Method 4 of 4: Manage Downloads with Firefox
Step 1. Open the list of recent downloads
Click the down arrow button in the upper right corner of the Firefox window. This will show recent downloads. By clicking on a file in the list, you will open it (if it still exists). By clicking on the folder icon next to the file, the folder containing the selected file will open.
Step 2. Open the Download Library
In the list of recent downloads, click on "View all downloads". This will open the Firefox Library, with the Downloads tab selected. All archived downloads will be shown here. You can use the search bar to find a particular file.
Step 3. Change the Firefox Downloads folder
Click the Firefox Menu button (☰) and select Options. Click the "General" tab. You can change the folder where downloads are saved by clicking Browse….
