How do you find recently downloaded files in Windows 10/8/7 and 11? Learn where to find downloads and where do Downloads go if you need help finding them.
Users download files, applications, and other items from app stores or web browsers. In general, the downloaded files will be gathered and stored in a fixed or settled place - the Downloads folder under the User profile, by default.
Thus users could access and manage their downloaded files according to their needs and preferences.
However, it seems that plenty of users don’t know where to find Downloads. Some of them reported that downloads not showing up in the Downloads folder, and some may just have problems finding their files.
Download files have disappeared
I cannot find my downloaded files. They were there yesterday and gone today. I have read other posts, and I think I have tried everything offered. I download from several browsers, and they always go to the same place "This PC Downloads".
- Question from Windows10Forum
This article is about to address the question of “where can I find my Downloads” for users. If you are also eager to know where do Downloads go, keep reading and get some help.
Check possible reasons why you failed to find your downloaded files first.
Learning the causes of this issue makes it easier to solve the problem.
β Changed path. You may have changed the default downloading path. Then the downloaded files are saved in other places.
β File deletion. Perhaps you have mistakenly or intentionally deleted the downloaded files from your hard drive.
β Storage Sense. If you have enabled Storage Sense, it automatically removes the old files in the Downloads folder. If you have found that Recycle Bin automatically deletes files, it might be the case.
There are some feasible methods ready. Generally, you have two approaches to accessing your downloaded data according to different cases.
By default, wherever your files were downloaded from, they will be kept in the Windows Downloads folder. You could check your files in this folder if you haven’t modified the default storage location.
>> Start File Explorer/This PC > find Downloads under Quick access in the sidebar > all the files or apps you downloaded will be shown. Sort them by Date modified to check the recently added ones.
If the Downloads folder isn’t listed under Quick access or you could not locate it, you could also access it in the C: drive. This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > UserName > Downloads.
Thus you could access the files you want.
Some users who have changed the storage path might ask, “Where can I find my Downloads if they were not in the saving path”. In this case, try checking the download settings of the browsers you use to download files.
Here, we take Chrome as an example.
Step 1. Start Chrome > click the menu button > Downloads. Or you could press Ctrl+J to open it.
Step 2. Click the three-dot icon > Open downloads folder. Thus you could access the storage location of Chrome.
If you need to change the storage path,
Step 1. Click menu > Settings.
Step 2. Downloads > check the Location > click Change to specify it as you like.
The process to visit the Downloads folder of other web browsers would be similar.
Except for suffering from the question - “how do you find recently downloaded files”, a group of users also noticed downloaded files disappear on Windows 10.
This isn’t a rare case. File deletion, system crashes, viruses, and many causes lead to file loss.
Given this, some users will try using commands to scan and recover the lost files, and some prudent ones have their backups to save the situation. But there are more users without backups.
In this case, you might as well choose an advanced Windows data recovery app to help you out.
One of the qualified programs is MyRecover; it has sophisticated data scanning technology and algorithms that enable users to recover erased data from internal/external HDD, SSD, USB, SD card, and other storage devices.
Step 1. Install and run MyRecover > hover the mouse over the C: drive > click Scan.
Step 2. Sort the detected files by Date modified, Type, Size, Path, etc. For example, if your waned files are applications, input “exe” to target them.
Step 3. Locate the Downloads folder under Deleted files or Recycle Bin > choose the deleted files you need > click Recover x files.
Thus you could get your downloaded files back. Also, it helps recover accidentally formatted hard drive.
How do you find recently downloaded files on your PC? In general, they are stored in the Downloads folder under Quick access. Sort them by Date modified to find your recently added ones.
If you have specified a preferred storage path, check the browser settings from which you downloaded items.
If, unfortunately, you failed to locate the downloaded files and you thought they might be deleted, you could utilize MyRecover to scan and recover the deleted files you need.