How to Access Internal Storage on Android (Phone and PC)

Looking for a downloaded file, a folder an app created or the photos your camera saved? Many downloaded files, photos and app-created folders are stored in your phone’s internal storage, although some may be saved to an SD card or cloud service instead. You can browse internal storage directly on the phone or from a computer. The exact app name depends on your phone’s brand, but the steps are similar on Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, Motorola and most other Android phones.

Quick answer: Open your phone’s Files app (on Samsung, My Files), then tap Internal storage to browse the folders you’re allowed to access. In Files by Google, find Storage devices and tap Internal storage (depending on your app version, you may need to tap Browse first). To browse from a computer, connect with a USB cable, tap the USB notification on your phone and choose File transfer.

What is internal storage on Android?

Internal storage is the built-in memory in your phone, as opposed to a removable microSD card. In file manager apps it usually appears as “Internal storage,” and in Android file paths the primary shared-storage area is often shown as /storage/emulated/0. This shared area (as opposed to each app’s private storage) contains folders like:

• DCIM (camera photos and videos, usually in DCIM > Camera)
• Download (files saved from your browser and many apps)
• Pictures (images saved by apps, and on many phones a Screenshots folder; the exact location varies by device, so see where screenshots are saved on Android)
• Documents, Music and Movies
• Android (app folders, many of which are restricted on newer Android versions)

Each app also has private storage that other apps, including file managers, can’t open. Android protects that data, along with system files, on purpose, so you won’t see everything on the phone in a file manager. That’s normal. We don’t recommend rooting your phone to get around it; it can break security features and app support.

How to access internal storage with Files by Google

Files by Google comes preinstalled on Pixel phones and many other Android phones, and it’s free on the Google Play Store.

1. Open the Files app (Files by Google).
2. Tap Browse (on some versions you’ll see categories and storage devices right on the main screen).
3. Scroll to Storage devices and tap Internal storage. Labels can vary slightly by app version.
4. Tap any folder to open it. Touch and hold a file to move, copy, share, rename or delete it.

Files by Google also groups files into categories such as Downloads, Images, Videos and Documents, which can be faster than opening individual folders (see Google’s View your files guide). Google’s Android Help page on finding files notes that if you can’t find a Files app, your phone’s manufacturer may include a different one.

How to access internal storage on a Samsung Galaxy phone

1. Open the My Files app. It’s usually inside the Samsung folder on your Apps screen; you can also search for it.
2. Tap Internal storage.
3. Open the folder you need. For camera photos, go to DCIM > Camera.

Samsung’s guide to managing files on Galaxy devices also covers categories like Images, Videos and Downloads, and My Files includes an Analyze storage option for finding large or duplicate files.

How to see hidden files in internal storage

Some files and folders, including those with names beginning with a dot (such as .thumbnails), may be hidden by default. To show them in Files by Google, open the app’s menu, tap Settings and turn on Show hidden files. In Samsung My Files, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, and turn on the option to show hidden system files. Showing hidden files doesn’t unlock protected folders such as other apps’ private data or restricted Android/data folders. Be careful: deleting hidden files you don’t recognize can cause apps to lose settings or data.

How to access Android internal storage from a computer

Browsing on a computer is easier for copying lots of photos or large files.

On a Windows PC

1. Unlock your phone, and keep it unlocked during the transfer.
2. Connect it to the PC with a USB cable that supports data, not just charging.
3. On your phone, tap the Charging this device via USB notification (on Samsung, you may first see an “Allow access to phone data?” prompt; tap Allow).
4. Under Use USB for, choose File transfer.
5. On the PC, open File Explorer, click your phone’s name, then open Internal storage.
6. When you’re finished, eject your phone from Windows before unplugging the USB cable.

On a Chromebook

Connect your phone to the Chromebook with a USB cable, unlock the phone, tap the USB notification and choose File transfer. Google’s file transfer help page says the Chromebook Files app then opens so you can drag files.

On a Mac

macOS doesn’t browse Android phones over USB on its own, so you’ll need a third-party file transfer app, or you can move files wirelessly by uploading them to Google Drive on the phone and downloading them on the Mac.

If you don’t see the USB notification at all, our guide on enabling the USB notification on Android can help.

Can’t access internal storage? Try these fixes

• The phone is locked. Unlock it before and after you plug it in; many phones hide storage from a computer while locked.
• The cable is charge-only. Google notes that not all USB cables can transfer files. Try another cable or port.
• “Charging only” is selected. Open the USB notification again and choose File transfer.
• The phone shows up on the computer but no folders appear. Unlock the phone, approve any “Allow access” prompt, and make sure File transfer (not Charging only) is selected.
• The folder looks empty in the Android folder. On recent Android versions, app folders inside Android/data are restricted for privacy. Use the app itself to export what you need.
• A file is visible inside an app but not in your file manager. It’s probably in that app’s private storage. Use the app’s Share, Save or Export option to copy it to Downloads.
• You can’t find the Files app. Search your apps for “Files” or “My Files,” or install Files by Google from the Play Store.

How to check how much internal storage you have left

Go to Settings > Storage (on Samsung, Settings > Battery and device care > Storage, or a similar path depending on your One UI version). You’ll see used and free space broken down by apps, images, videos and other categories. Files by Google’s cleaning tools (labeled Clean in many versions) can also suggest junk files, large files and duplicates you can remove.

Frequently asked questions

Where is internal storage on my Android phone?

It’s inside your file manager app: Files (Files by Google) > Browse > Internal storage, or My Files > Internal storage on Samsung.

How do I access emulated storage on Android?

“Emulated” storage (/storage/emulated/0) is just the technical name for the shared part of your internal storage. When you open Internal storage in a file manager, that’s what you’re looking at.

Can I use an SD card as internal storage?

Some phones support formatting a microSD card as “internal” (adoptable) storage, but many current phones, including most Samsung Galaxy models, don’t offer it, and plenty of phones have no SD card slot at all. Check your phone’s settings or manual.

Can I access internal storage if my screen is broken?

Only in limited cases. You usually still need to unlock the phone and approve access, so if you can’t see or use the screen, a computer may not be able to read it. A repair or your cloud backup is often the safer route.

How we researched this guide

We based these steps on Google’s Find and delete files on Android and file transfer help pages, Google’s View your files guide for Files by Google and Samsung’s My Files guide. Menu names vary by phone maker and Android version, so your screens may look a little different. We did not test every phone model.

Related guides: where the recycle bin is on Android and where the gallery is on your phone.