Quick Answer
Open the Files app from the shelf or launcher (blue folder icon) to browse everything stored locally, on Google Drive, on an SD card or USB drive, and on any connected network shares. Use the left sidebar to switch between these locations, and right-click any file for options like Share, Delete, Rename, or “Available offline.”
What the Files App Actually Shows
Unlike a phone’s gallery or a single downloads folder, the Files app is a full file manager. The left sidebar separates storage into distinct sections: My files (local storage, including Downloads and Play files from Android apps), Google Drive (cloud storage, split into My Drive and Shared drives), and any removable devices like a USB stick or SD card. If your Chromebook has Linux enabled, a Linux files section appears too, and it’s separate from both local and Drive storage.
How to Use It
Step 1: Open the Files app
Click the folder icon in the shelf, or search for “Files” in the launcher (the circle icon, or press the Search/Everything key).
Step 2: Browse your storage locations
Click each entry in the left sidebar to switch between My files, Google Drive, and any connected drives. Downloads from Chrome and Play Store apps’ saved files typically land under My files > Downloads.
Step 3: Search and sort files
Use the search icon at the top to find a file by name across every connected location at once. Click the “Name” or “Date” column header to sort a folder’s contents, which is the fastest way to find your largest or most recent files.
Step 4: Make Google Drive files available offline
Right-click any file or folder inside Google Drive and toggle “Available offline.” This downloads a local copy that stays in sync, so you can open it without a connection. Skip this for anything you don’t need offline, since it uses local storage.
Step 5: Connect a USB drive, SD card, or network share
Plug in a USB drive or insert an SD card and it appears automatically under “Removable devices” in the sidebar. To connect to an SMB network share, click the three-dot menu, select “Services,” then “SMB file share,” and enter the share’s address.
Step 6: Extract and create ZIP files
Right-click a .zip file and choose “Extract” to unpack it into a new folder. To create an archive, select one or more files, right-click, and choose “Zip selection.”
Still Stuck?
If a file you know you downloaded isn’t showing up anywhere, check whether it actually finished downloading, then confirm you’re not running low on local storage, which can cause silent save failures. If the Files app itself feels sluggish or a folder takes forever to load, that’s usually a symptom of a Chromebook that’s running slow overall rather than a Files app problem specifically. For a broader health check of storage and hardware, the built-in Diagnostics app can confirm free space matches what Files reports.
FAQ
Where do screenshots and downloads actually get saved?
By default, both save to My files > Downloads, visible right at the top level of local storage in the Files app.
Does deleting a file in the Files app delete it from Google Drive for everyone?
If you delete a file inside the Google Drive section and you’re the owner, yes, it moves to Drive’s trash for everyone with access. Files under My files are only ever local to that Chromebook.
Can I open Files app content in Android or Linux apps?
Yes. Android and Linux apps can both read from and save to the shared storage areas visible in the Files app, though Linux needs files placed inside its dedicated Linux files folder to be accessible from inside the Linux environment.
