Where Do Downloaded Videos Go on Android and iPhone?
You tapped Download, the progress bar finished, and now the video is nowhere to be seen. It is on your phone; it is just not where the camera puts videos. Here is where to look.
Android
- Files app. Open Files (or My Files on Samsung) and tap Downloads. Sort by date and the newest file is at the top.
- Chrome. Tap the three dots and then Downloads to see everything Chrome has saved, with a button to open each file.
- Gallery or Google Photos. Look in the Albums or Library tab for a folder called Download. It is not shown in the main camera timeline by default.
iPhone and iPad
- Files app. Safari saves to Files → Browse → Downloads, either under iCloud Drive or On My iPhone.
- Safari’s download list. Tap the small arrow-in-a-circle icon next to the address bar to see recent downloads.
- Moving it to Photos. Open the video in Files, tap the share icon and choose Save Video.
You can change Safari’s folder in Settings → Apps → Safari → Downloads. Choosing “On My iPhone” keeps videos off your iCloud storage.
The file is still missing
- The download never finished. Check the browser’s download list for a failed or paused entry and retry on a stable connection.
- Storage is full. A phone with no free space silently fails. Clear some room and try again.
- The video only played. If it opened in a player instead of downloading, press and hold on the link and choose the download option.
Keeping things tidy
The Downloads folder fills up quickly. Once a month, move the videos you want into a named album and delete the rest.