How to open downloaded files on chromebook

If you’ve downloaded a file through the Chrome browser on your Chromebook (or in Chrome OS), you might not know where it ended up. Luckily, there’s an obvious place to look—and a way to double-check if you’re not sure. Here’s how.

Check Your Downloads Folder

By default, Chrome OS includes a special folder called “Downloads” in the “My Files” storage area on your device. To see its contents, first open the Files app. To do so, click the App Launcher button (a circle) in the lower-left corner of the screen. After expanding the menu, click the “Files” folder icon.

When the Files app opens, look in the sidebar on the left side of the window. Expand “My Files” by clicking the small arrow beside it, if necessary. Below that, you’ll see “Downloads” listed. Click that.

After clicking “Downloads” in the sidebar, you’ll see the contents of your Downloads folder in the Files window. Odds are high that your downloaded file is located there. If not, there are a few other ways you can potentially find it, which we’ll cover below.

Check Chrome’s Download History

If you can’t find the file you’re looking for in the Downloads folder, you can check your Chrome browser’s download history. To do so, open Chrome and click the three-dots menu in the upper-right corner of the window. In the menu that appears, select “Downloads.” (Or press Ctrl+J on the keyboard.)

The “Downloads” tab will open. If your Downloads list hasn’t been cleared recently, you should see the file you recently downloaded listed there. To reveal the file’s location in the Files app, click the “Show in Folder” link beneath it.

After that, the Files app will open directly to the location of the downloaded file with the file highlit. Such convenience!

RELATED: How to View and Clear Download History in Google Chrome

If All Else Fails, Search

If you still can’t find the file you’re looking for, open the App Launcher by clicking the circle button in the lower-left corner of the screen. Or you can press the search key on your keyboard, which is labeled with a magnifying glass icon. In the menu that pops up, type in the name (or part of the name) of the file you’re looking for.

If you see the file in the results listed below, click its name to open it. If it’s not a media file, the Files app will open and reveal its location. Good luck!

Many Chromebook users have complained their devices fail to open files. For example, they can navigate to Folders but are unable to open their documents. There’s no error message on the screen. It’s just that nothing happens when they select a file. This issue often occurs when users are trying to open PDF files. If you’re experiencing similar issues, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

What to Do If Chromebook Won’t Open Files

Use a Different Folder to Open the Files

Check if you can open the problematic file from a different folder. For example, go to Folders and select Recent if you recently used the file. Alternatively, you can go to Image, Video, or Audio and check if you can open the problematic document.

If you’re trying to open an Android app file, go to My files and select Play files. Try to open your files directly from the Downloads folder.

Update Your OS and Browser

Make sure you’re running the latest OS and browser version on your laptop. To manually install the latest updates, go to Settings, and click on About Chrome OS. Then click on Check for updates. Don’t forget to restart your laptop after installing the updates.

If your laptop is managed by a company or school, and you can’t update it, contact your IT admin for further help.

Use Incognito Mode

Check if you can open your documents in Incognito mode. Launch Google Chrome, click on More Options, and select New Incognito Window. If the issue is gone in Incognito mode, clear your browsing cache.

Reset Chromebook Hardware

Check if resetting your Chromebook hardware solves the problem.

1. Turn off your laptop, and wait for one minute.
2. Then press and hold the Refresh and Power keys until your device boots up.
   
3. Release the Refresh button when your device starts up.
4. Check if you can open the problematic documents.

Save a New File Copy

If the issue persists, check if you can open the problematic file on a different computer. Save the file in the cloud and check if you can access it directly from your Chromebook. Then save a new copy of the file using a chromeOS-compatible format. If the file got corrupted, saving a new copy should fix the problem.

Conclusion

If you can’t open specific files on Chromebook, check if you can open them directly from the Downloads folder. Additionally, use Google Docs in Incognito mode to open the problematic files. Then, make sure to update your OS and browser and reset Chromebook hardware. If the issue persists, open the file on a different device, and save a new copy using another format.

Did you manage to fix the problem? Which of the solutions above worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.

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