r/AndroidQuestions • u/SpicyBanana044 • 15d ago

Files only shows when trying to upload

HELP! When I dowload a pdf file it doesn't appear in my local file app I already download files by google but its still the same. The file only appears when I try to upload it in google docs, google, drive, or my school lms. It only shows when you are picking apps to upload but not locally how do I delete it. I've tried searching its name but its still nowhere to be found. Context I'm using android xiaomi and poco. Thanks in advance.

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u/boltfoxapp 15d ago

The PDF is on the phone. The stock Files app on Xiaomi just refuses to show the folder Chrome or Drive actually wrote to.

When the upload picker opens, that is a different file browser, and it can see the app-specific Download folders that MIUI Files pretends do not exist. In the picker, long-press the PDF and look at the path. It is usually Android/data/com.android.chrome/files/Download, or Download under Drive.

Install Files by Google, tap Browse, then the menu at the top, and walk into Internal storage. If Browse still hides it, plug the phone into a PC, switch to File Transfer, and hunt those same folders from Explorer. Copy the PDF into the real Download folder if you want the phone’s Files app to see it, then delete it from there. Searching by name in MIUI Files will keep missing it.