Where do I delete Downloads on Android?
Why You Might Want to Delete Downloads
The Downloads folder on your Android phone can quickly eat up storage space, especially if you download lots of apps, music, videos, PDFs, and other files. With limited onboard storage on many Android devices, your Downloads folder may be one of the biggest culprits for filling up your phone’s storage.
Some reasons you may want to delete downloads include:
- Free up storage space – Removing files you no longer need from Downloads is an easy way to quickly regain storage capacity on your phone.
- Speed up your phone – Having a bunch of downloads on your device can slow it down, so deleting unneeded files can help your phone run faster and smoother.
- Remove clutter – Large collections of downloads you don’t use anymore can feel cluttered. Cleaning them out helps keep things organized.
- Fix performance issues – If you start having problems with freezing, crashing apps or other glitches, clearing out Downloads could help troubleshoot the issue.
With apps, videos, music and more taking up a growing chunk of the finite storage on your Android, regularly removing unnecessary downloads is a good device maintenance habit to get into. Keeping your Downloads folder lean and clean improves your phone’s performance and stability.
Finding the Downloads Folder
On most Android devices, the Downloads folder is located in the device’s internal storage. It can usually be accessed through the Files or My Files app on your home screen or app drawer. When you open the Files/My Files app, look for a section called “Downloads” and tap into it to view all the files you’ve downloaded.
The Downloads folder may also be accessible through your device’s native file manager app, such as Files by Google or Samsung My Files. The location can vary slightly between manufacturers, but it’s generally in the internal storage under a folder named “Download,” “Downloads,” or something similar.
You can also access downloads through 3rd party file manager apps. These give you access to browse all of the folders and files on your device. Using the file path, the Downloads folder is typically located at:
/storage/emulated/0/Downloads
So in summary, the Downloads folder lives in your internal storage and can be quickly accessed through your device’s pre-installed file manager app, whether that’s Files, My Files, or a manufacturer-customized file manager.
Deleting Downloads Individually
If you only want to delete certain downloads from your device, you can delete them one by one.
To delete downloads individually, go to your device’s Downloads folder. Press and hold on the download you want to delete. This will bring up a menu. Select “Delete” or “Move to trash.” The selected download will be removed from your device’s storage.
You can also tap the three dot icon or menu button next to a download, then choose the delete option. This will delete that individual file.
According to Android Authority, selecting “Move to trash” on Android will move the file to the trash folder, allowing you to restore it if needed. Choosing “Delete” will permanently remove the download.
Deleting downloads individually allows you to get rid of unneeded files without removing ones you want to keep. It’s useful for managing your storage space while maintaining downloads that are still useful.
Deleting All Downloads at Once
You can delete all your Android downloads at once to quickly free up storage space. There are a couple ways to do this:
In the Files app, tap on the Downloads folder and then tap on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner. Select “Select all” and then tap the trash icon to delete everything. You’ll need to confirm the deletion.
Alternatively, in Files go to Clean and then tap “Delete downloaded files.” This will select everything in Downloads. Review the list and then tap “Delete” to confirm.
On some versions of Android, you can also long press on the Downloads folder and select “Delete all” to remove everything at once. Just be careful, as this deletion is permanent.
Emptying the Trash
When you delete downloads on an Android device, they are moved to the trash or recycle bin rather than being permanently erased. This gives you a chance to restore deleted downloads if you change your mind. The trash is essentially a temporary holding place for recently deleted files.
To permanently remove deleted downloads on an Android phone or tablet, you need to empty the trash folder. Here is how to do it:
- Open the Files or My Files app on your device.
- Look for the Trash folder, it may also be called Recycle Bin or Recently Deleted.
- Tap to open the Trash folder and view deleted downloads.
- In the upper right corner, tap the Empty trash icon.
- Confirm that you want to permanently delete all items.
Once the trash is emptied, all deleted downloads will be permanently erased and no longer recoverable. So be certain before emptying the trash.
As an alternative to the Files app, you can install a third-party file manager like ES File Explorer which also allows emptying the trash.
Using a File Manager App
One convenient way to delete downloads in bulk is by using a file manager app. These apps give you access to all the files on your Android device and allow you to easily select, move, and delete multiple files at once.
Some of the most popular Android file manager apps include File Manager +, X-plore File Manager, and Files by Google. These apps allow you to navigate to the Downloads folder and then tap and hold to select multiple downloads. Once selected, you can delete them all at once.
File manager apps also give you other useful tools for managing downloads, like the ability to view downloads by date, size, or name. You can also usually create folders within Downloads to better organize your files.
Overall, using a dedicated file manager app is an easy way to bulk select and delete downloads on your Android device. The apps provide a simple interface for navigating your phone’s storage and offer powerful file management capabilities.
Turning Off Auto Downloads
One way to prevent your Downloads folder from getting cluttered is to turn off auto downloading on your Android device. Many apps and services automatically download files, updates, and other content in the background. Over time, this can fill up your Downloads folder and take up valuable storage space.
To disable auto downloading:
1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Tap on “Apps & notifications”.
3. Select “Advanced” and then “Special app access”.
4. Tap on “Download manager”.
5. Turn off “Allow automatic downloading” by sliding the toggle to the left.
With auto downloading disabled, you will have to manually approve any new downloads. This gives you greater control and prevents files from being saved without your permission. Just be aware that you may need to manually update apps going forward.
Disabling auto downloads can be especially useful for large files like music, videos, and APK app installers. These types of downloads can quickly consume storage space. So turning off auto downloads helps keep your Downloads folder tidy and under control.
Backing Up Downloads First
It’s often a good idea to back up important downloads before deleting them from your Android device. That way, you have a copy stored elsewhere in case you need to access them again later. Here are a couple options for backing up downloads:
You can use the Google One app to back up your entire device, including downloads, to your Google Drive storage. Just open the Google One app, tap Storage, and turn on device backup.
Another option is to manually transfer downloads you want to keep to a computer or external storage device. You can do this by connecting your Android phone to a computer via USB and copying/pasting files over. Or use a file manager app to move downloads to external SD card storage.
Backing up important downloads first gives you a copy in case you later decide you need that file after deleting it from your Android device. Just remember your backup location so you can retrieve the download if necessary.
Alternative Storage Options
If your device is running out of storage space, there are alternatives to using the Downloads folder that can help free up internal storage:
One option is to use cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. You can upload files to these cloud services rather than storing them locally on your device. This will save space on your phone while still allowing you to access the files anytime.
Another alternative is to use an external SD card if your device supports it. SD cards provide additional storage space separate from the internal storage. You can set the Downloads folder to save directly to the SD card rather than to internal device storage.
Using cloud services or external SD card storage can help free up space on your Android device if the Downloads folder is taking up too much internal storage.
Deleting Downloads on Other Versions
The process for deleting downloads may be slightly different on older versions of Android:
On Android 8 Oreo and below, open the Files app or File Manager. Navigate to the Downloads folder. Long press on a file, then tap Delete. You can also tap the menu icon in the top right and select “Select items” to delete multiple files at once.
On Android 7 Nougat and below, open the My Files or File Manager app. Tap on the Downloads folder, long press a file, then tap Delete. You can also tap the menu icon and select “Select” to choose multiple files.
For Android 4.4 KitKat and earlier, open your file manager app, go to Downloads, long press a file and tap Delete. Tap the menu icon and tap “Select items” to delete multiple.
So in summary, while the Files app provides an easy way to delete downloads on newer Android versions, the process is very similar in file manager apps on older versions – just locate the Downloads folder and delete files individually or in bulk.