Computer Basics · Files & Folders · Lesson 3 of 5
Where Did My Download Go?
Find a file you downloaded, open it, and put it somewhere sensible.
Where downloads land
To download means to copy a file from the internet onto your computer. A recipe, a form or a photo can all be downloaded.
A web browser is the app you use to visit websites, like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. When you click a download button, the browser saves the file for you.
Unless you choose a different place, downloads go to the Downloads folder. That is the first place to look.
Right after a download, the browser shows it in a downloads list. In Edge and Chrome, a small panel opens near the top right. You can open this list any time. Hold Ctrl and press J.
From the list you can:
- Click the file name to open it.
- Click the small folder icon, or Show in folder, to see where it is saved.
Another way is to open File Explorer and click Downloads on the left. The newest files are usually near the top.
On a Mac, open Finder and click Downloads on the left side.
On the practice computer, download the pancake recipe and find it in the downloads list. Then open the Downloads folder and open pancakes.pdf.
Opening it and putting it away
Double-click a downloaded file to open it. A .pdf file usually opens in your web browser or a PDF app. A photo opens in the Photos app.
The Downloads folder fills up fast. If you want to keep a file, move it to a folder that makes sense. A recipe could go in Documents. A photo could go in Pictures.
To move a file:
- Open the Downloads folder in File Explorer.
- Drag the file onto a folder on the left, like Documents.
If dragging is hard, there is another way. Click the file once and press Ctrl and X to cut it. Open the new folder, then press Ctrl and V to paste it there.
One safety habit matters here. Only download from websites you know and trust. If a download starts that you did not ask for, don't open it. The next track covers this in more detail.
On a Mac, a PDF usually opens in an app called Preview. You can drag files in Finder just like on Windows.
Can you answer these?
- You downloaded a form but didn't pick a place for it. Where should you look first?
- You want to keep a recipe you downloaded. What is a sensible next step?
Answer them in the app to earn 40 XP.
Answer in the app