How do I listen to downloaded audio files on Android?

Listening to audio files like music, podcasts, and audiobooks on your Android device can be a great way to enjoy entertainment or learn new information on the go. With the right apps and settings configured, you can easily access and play downloaded audio files stored on your device’s internal or external storage.
This guide will provide an overview of how to locate, play, organize and control your downloaded audio files on an Android device. We’ll cover the default audio apps, third party options, enabling external storage access, using file manager apps, audio controls/settings, formats and codecs, and tips for managing your audio library.
By the end, you’ll have the knowledge to seamlessly listen to any downloaded audio file on your Android smartphone or tablet.
Locating Downloaded Audio Files
When you download audio files on an Android device, they are typically saved to a few default locations:
- Music Folder – Many audio downloads will be saved to the Music folder or a subfolder within it. The path is usually Internal Storage/Music.
- Downloads Folder – The Downloads folder is another common location for audio downloads. The path is usually Internal Storage/Downloads.
- Third Party App Folders – If you download audio through a specific app like Spotify, the files may be saved in that app’s folder rather than a default folder. The path will vary.
- External SD Card – If you have an SD card inserted and have set your phone to save downloads there, audio downloads will be in the Music and Downloads folders on the SD card.
You can navigate through your Android’s Internal Storage and External SD card folders using the File Manager or My Files app to locate audio downloads. The Music and Downloads folders are usually the first places to check.
If you are unsure where a specific audio download went, use the search function in your device’s Files app. Searching by audio file type (mp3, m4a, etc) or by song title can help you track it down.
Playing Audio with Default Apps
Android phones typically come with some pre-installed music apps that can play audio files downloaded on your device. The most common default music app is Google Play Music, which comes preloaded on many Android phones.
To play downloaded audio files using Google Play Music:
- Open the Google Play Music app.
- Tap on the hamburger menu icon in the top left corner.
- Select “Songs” or “Albums” to browse your downloaded audio files.
- Tap on a song to start playback.
Google Play Music allows you to play both audio files stored locally on your device as well as stream songs from your online library (Source). The app has standard playback controls like play, pause, repeat, etc.
Some Android manufacturers like Samsung also include their own default music apps like Samsung Music. These apps work similarly to Google Play Music and let you access and play local audio files.
Third Party Audio Apps
While Android comes with basic music and audio playback capability through apps like Google Play Music and Android Media Player, many users prefer more advanced third party apps for listening to audio files. Third party apps like VLC Media Player, Rocket Player, and GoneMAD Music Player offer enhanced functionality and customization options.
Benefits of third party audio apps include:
- Support for more audio formats like FLAC, OGG, M4A, etc.
- Customizable interfaces and themes
- Advanced audio controls like equalizers and audio effects
- Tag editing and library management tools
- Gapless playback and crossfading
- Enhanced playlists and queuing options
- Audio visualizations and widgets
- Smart playlists and recommendations
With their extensive feature sets and configurable options, third party audio apps provide a more robust listening experience tailored to audiophiles and power users. They make it easy to organize, enhance, and enjoy downloaded audio files on your Android device.
Enabling External Storage Access
Starting in Android 11 and higher, apps are limited on how they can access external storage like SD cards or USB drives for security and privacy reasons. This means that audio apps may not be able to access your downloaded audio files stored on external storage without granting special permissions.
To allow an audio app permission to access external storage:
- Go to Settings > Apps.
- Select the audio app.
- Tap Permissions.
- Enable the “All Files Access” permission.
This will allow the app to access audio files stored on external SD cards or USB drives. However, be cautious when granting the broad “All Files Access” permission, as it allows the app access to all files on external storage.
Alternatively, you can grant direct access to a specific folder on external storage. This involves using a file manager app to create a folder such as “Music” on the external storage. Then in app permissions, choose “Allow access to manage this folder only” and select the created folder.
For increased privacy and security, it’s best to grant audio apps the minimum permissions needed rather than full access to all external storage files.
See Storage updates in Android 11 for more details on managing external storage access.
Using File Manager Apps
File manager apps provide a convenient way to browse and play your downloaded audio files on an Android device. Popular file manager apps like X-plore File Manager allow you to easily navigate the folder structure on your device and access files stored both internally and on external storage.
To play an audio file using a file manager app, first use the app to locate the audio file, usually in a folder like Downloads, Music, or a specific storage location you saved the file to. Tap the audio file to open it. The file manager app will automatically open the file in an associated audio player app where you can play, pause, and control playback.
Advantages of using a dedicated file manager app include the ability to search for files, sort and organize files easily, create folders, move files between locations, and manage internal and external storage. This gives you more control and options for accessing and managing audio files compared to using only the default file browsing options in Android.
Audio Controls and Settings
When listening to audio on an Android device, you have various controls and settings at your fingertips to customize your listening experience. The primary audio controls are volume, play/pause, and seek bar. These can typically be accessed in the notification tray or lock screen when an audio app is running. Volume can be adjusted using the side volume buttons or by dragging the on-screen slider. Tapping the play/pause button will start and stop playback. The seek bar allows you to scrub through the track timeline.
Most Android audio apps also provide additional controls and settings accessible within the app itself. For example, apps like Spotify and Google Play Music allow you to adjust the repeat and shuffle modes – choosing to repeat just the current track, all tracks, or turn repeat off. Other audio settings may include sleep timer, equalizer, playback speed, bass boost, and more. These allow you to optimize the audio playback to suit your preferences.
At the system level, Android provides additional audio settings that can be accessed through the Settings app. Here you can configure volume limits, do not disturb preferences, and audio channel assignments. There are also accessibility settings for audio, such as audio balance and mono audio. Exploring these settings can help you customize your device’s audio to best match how you listen to music.
Overall, Android offers robust controls over audio playback and configuration. Getting familiar with the various options can enhance your listening experience.
Audio Formats and Codecs
The most common audio file formats supported natively by Android include MP3, MIDI, WAV, FLAC, AAC, and OGG (Source). MP3 and AAC are the most compatible for music, while WAV is commonly used for sound effects and ringtones. FLAC offers high-quality lossless audio, but takes up more storage space.
While Android supports most major audio formats, there can be compatibility issues with certain files and devices. For example, some older Android devices may not properly support FLAC playback. Certain high bitrate or variable bitrate MP3 and AAC files could also cause playback problems on some devices. Uncommon formats like WMA, AIFF, and DSD are generally unsupported.
If you encounter issues playing a particular audio file type or codec on your Android device, you may need to convert the file to a more compatible format using an audio converter app. MP3 and AAC at a bitrate of 192kbps or lower tend to provide the widest compatibility. Checking your device’s supported formats before downloading new music can help avoid playback issues.
Organizing Your Audio Library
With hundreds or even thousands of audio files downloaded to your Android device, it’s important to keep them organized so you can easily find what you want to listen to. Here are some tips for organizing your audio library:
Use Playlists
Most audio apps allow you to create playlists – collections of tracks you want to listen to together. You can make playlists for different moods, activities, genres or artists. Playlists let you queue up music without having to browse your whole library every time.
Sort Your Files
Use the sort options in your audio app to arrange files alphabetically by title, artist, album or genre. This makes it easy to browse and scroll through your library.
Tag Your Files
Adding ID3 tags to your files allows you to embed details like song title, artist, album, genre, and more. Apps can then organize your library using tag info. Apps like MediaMonkey make it easy to tag files.
Use Folders
Organize your library into folder hierarchies – like folders for genres, release year, artists etc. This helps group similar files together when browsing your library.
Taking the time to organize your audio collection makes it much more usable and enjoyable to listen to on your Android device.
Conclusion
Accessing and listening to downloaded audio files on Android devices is straightforward once you know where to find them and which apps can play them. The key steps are:
- Locate downloaded audio files using your device’s File Manager or a third party file browsing app.
- Play files in apps like Google Play Music, which supports common formats like MP3.
- Try dedicated audio apps like VLC media player for more format support and controls.
- Allow access to external SD card storage if downloads are saved there.
- Organize your audio collection into playlists and folders for easy access.
With a wide variety of compatible apps available, listening to audio files on an Android device is flexible and fully-featured. Take some time to find the file management and audio apps that fit your preferences for a seamless listening experience.