How to Find a File on Your Computer After Download

This tutorial is available as a short video and as a written text with screen shots.

How to find a file on your computer after downloading it - in Pictures

1.  When clicking on an online link to download a file using Internet Explorer first notate the name of the file you are downloading AND the folder you select as the file's eventual location.
   
   
   
   
2. After you click Save, a new window will pop up asking you where you want to save your file. Pick a folder, or create one, then write down the location. Use the dropdown box to navigate to the folder you want to use.
   
   
   
   
3. This is now the location of your file. If you forgot where you downloaded it you can find it by searching for it by name, or by folder, if you remembered to write this information down. You can search by right clicking on Start in the lower left hand part of your screen, then selecting Search. You can also look for it by hand by selecting Explore.
   
   
   
   
4. Another option to use when searching for your file will only work if you have not changed your default settings on the download destination. In other words, if you downloaded a file on Tuesday and did not download anything for the next five days and you go to look for your file but can't find it, try this: Go to any link and begin the download process for the sole purpose of seeing where Internet Explorer wants to download your file. (You don't have to initiate the download, just notate where it defaults to. If you haven't downloaded or changed the settings, this is most likely where your missing file is.
   
   

How to find a file on your computer after downloading it - in Words

Using Internet Explorer and Windows XP

The first step in the download process involves clicking a link from an online location to download a file.

In Internet Explorer, when you click a link to download, a window pops up asking you whether you want to open or save the file. In most cases you'll want to save the file.

If you want to be able to find your file after you've downloaded it, this is a very important step because it shows you the name of the file you are downloading. Until you develop a system for downloading your files, be sure to write down the name of the file as a fail-safe.

After I click save, I have to pick the location. I can use the drop down box to navigate to any folder on my computer.

Many people like to pick the desktop as a default but if you are downloading often and from the same site, you'll most likely want to organize your downloads into folders instead of cluttering your desktop.

After you've picked a folder, be sure to write down the name of it. This is where it will be when the download process is complete.

************

Now, once the download is complete. How do you find it? Locate the Start Button in the lower left hand part of your computer screen. Unless, you've modified this setting in Windows, this is the default location.

Right click on the start button to open Windows Explorer - this is different from Internet Explorer. Windows Explorer is built into your computer operating system and is used to locate files on your computer. After right clicking, select Explore and navigate to your folder.

You can see the file I downloaded is in the folder we selected. That's all there is to it.

************

Now, if you happen to forget the folder you used to save your download to, you can search for it using the file name (if you wrote it down to begin with).

To search for your file, right click on the Start button but this time instead of Explore, select Search. Then, enter the name of the file and where you want to search. The computer will do the rest. After the search is complete, the result will appear in the window to the right. You can simply click on the file to open it or navigate to the folder using the information from the search.

Another way you might be able to find your downloaded file is to find out what your default settings are. If you recently downloaded the file and haven't changed where you download files to, go back to any download link, click it, and notate where Internet Explorer wants to download your file. There is a high probability your missing file is in the same folder that is showing up now, especially if you downloaded it recently.

You'll find more tutorials by clicking on this link: free scrapbook tutorials or by looking inside the member area. You can also learn more by visiting Jessica's Scrapbook Blog.