If you do not download files in Google Chrome with regularity, and you are used to downloading files in a different Web browser, then you might have trouble locating a downloaded file if you do not open it right away. Google Chrome displays in-progress and completed downloads in a horizontal pop-up window at the bottom of the window and you can open any file by clicking it in this window after the download has completed. However, you can also close this pop-up window, which requires you to then navigate your computer folders to find files downloaded from Google Chrome. Fortunately you can use a couple quick shortcuts within Google Chrome to locate your download folder and the file that you just downloaded.
Our Chrome bookmarks location guide can come in handy as well if you would like to be able to find that file.
Finding Downloaded Files in Google Chrome
After you have finished following this tutorial about locating downloaded Chrome files, you can learn how to change the Chrome download folder location. This will allow you to specify any folder on your computer as the preferred download location. But before you can learn how to change the download folder, we must first locate the folder to find the file that you just downloaded.
Begin by launching the Google Chrome browser.
Click the Customize and Control Google Chrome icon at the top-right corner of the window. This is the icon that looks like a little wrench.
Click the Downloads option on this menu. Note that you can also just press Ctrl + J on your keyboard within the Chrome browser to more quickly open this location.
You will notice that all of the files you have downloaded in Google Chrome are listed at the center of this window in chronological order. If you click the Show in folder link under each file, a Windows Explorer window will open with the selected file highlighted.
There is also an Open downloads folder at the top-right corner of the window that will open the folder that is currently set as your downloads folder. Once the folder is open, you can click the column headings at the top of the window to sort the files based upon that parameter. For example, clicking the Name option would sort the files by file name, while clicking Date modified will sort the files based on the date that they were downloaded to your computer.
If you are using a Windows 10 laptop or desktop, then our find downloads on Windows 10 tutorial can help you to find those downloaded files in a couple of different ways.
See also
- How to turn off hardware acceleration in Google Chrome
- How to see recent downloads in Google Chrome
- Set Google Chrome as default browser in Windows 7
- How to start Google Chrome automatically
- How to change the startup page in Google Chrome
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
