Content

• Steps

Downloading files is one of the main tasks when using the Internet. You can find almost anything on the net and you must have downloaded a lot of files since you started using your computer. The operating system always tries to put all downloaded files in one primary location, but there are times when the downloaded file will be scattered all over the computer. If you know how to find downloaded files quickly, you will save a lot of time and headaches.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Find downloaded files on Windows

1. 

   Check the Downloads folder. On Windows, the Downloads folder acts as a downloadable location for most programs for all users. Here are a few ways to find the Downloads folder:
   • Click the Start menu and choose your username. The Downloads folder will be in the pop-up window.
   • Open Windows Explorer ⊞ Win+E. The Downloads folder may be in the left pane, under "Favorites" or "Computer / This PC".
   • Press ⊞ Win+R and enter shell: downloads. Press ↵ Enter to open the Downloads folder.

2. 

   
   
   Check out another location. If you download a lot of programs, chances are these files will be scattered all over the place. The most common locations for file downloads are Desktop and Documents / My Documents folder.
   • If your computer has an extra drive for data storage, check if you ever created a folder containing downloaded files in that drive.

3. 

   
   
   Find the file. If you know the name of the downloaded file, you can search for it to open quickly. Press ⊞ Win and start typing the filename. The file will appear in the search results.

4. 

   
   
   Open the downloaded file. It is not difficult to open most files downloaded from the Internet, but some formats will be a little strange. You can read the articles below or learn online to learn how to open some unusual files.
   • Play MKV video file
   • Burn ISO image file
   • Extract the RAR file
   • Use BIN file
   • Download Torrent files
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Method 2 of 4: Find downloaded files on OS X

1. 

   Check the Downloads folder. On OS X, the Downloads folder serves as the downloadable location for most programs for all users. Here are a few ways to find a download directory:
   • Click the Downloads folder in the Dock bar.
   • Click the menu Go and choose Downloads
   • Open a Finder window. Press ⌥ Opt+⌘ Cmd+L to open the Downloads folder.

2. 

   Check out other directories. Downloaded files tend to be scattered across your computer over time, especially if you use a lot of programs to download them. Some common locations where file downloads are usually concentrated include the Desktop or the Documents folder.
   • If your computer has an extra drive for data storage, check if you ever created a folder containing downloaded files in that drive.

3. 

   Find the file. If you know the name of the downloaded file, you can search for it to open quickly. Open a Finder window and click ⌘ Cmd+F to open the search bar, then enter a file name and select a word from the search results.

4. 

   Open the downloaded file. It is not difficult to open most files downloaded from the Internet, but some formats will be a little strange. You can read the articles below or learn online to learn how to open some unusual files.
   • Play MKV video file
   • Burn ISO image file
   • Extract the RAR file
   • Use BIN file
   • Download Torrent files
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Method 3 of 4: Managing downloaded files on Chrome

1. 

   Open the Downloads list. You can open Chrome's recently downloaded file list by clicking the Menu button (☰) and selecting Downloads, or pressing Ctrl+J (on Windows) and ⌘ Cmd+J (with Mac).

2. 

   Browse on recently downloaded file list. Chrome stores download history for several weeks, unless you actively delete it. When you click anything in the list, the file will open (if it still exists). You can also click the "Show in folder" link to open the folder containing the selected file.

3. 

   Open the Downloads folder. Click the "Open downloads folder" link in the upper right to open the folder where Chrome saves your downloads. By default, this is the Downloads folder located in the user's folder.

4. 

   Change to the directory where Chrome downloads are located. Click the Chrome Menu button (☰) and select Settings (Setting). Scroll down and click the "Show advanced settings" link. In the "Downloads" section, you can set a new folder for Chrome downloads by clicking the Change ... button.
   • You can also choose to have Chrome prompt you to save the file before downloading.
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Method 4 of 4: Managing Download Files on Firefox

1. 

   Open the Recent Downloads list. Click the down arrow button in the upper right corner of the Firefox window. Recently downloaded files will appear. When you click the folder icon next to a file, the folder containing the selected file opens.

2. 

   Open the Downloads Library. In the Recent Downloads list, click "Show All Downloads". The Firefox Library will open with the Downloads tab selected. All downloaded files stored will be displayed here. You can use the search bar to find specific content.

3. 

   Change the Firefox Download folder. Click the Firefox Menu button (☰), select Options (Optional) then click the "General" tab. You can change the directory where downloaded files are saved by clicking Browse ....
   • You can also choose to have Firefox prompt you to save the file before downloading.
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