Keeping track of media and other files on your Android device can be tricky. Y'all may accept downloaded something from the spider web, social media apps or electronic mail and it doesn't announced in the Downloads folder.

Similarly, if you've non disabled the auto-download feature on your device, some files will nonetheless be downloaded to your device without your knowledge. Plus, deleted files also remain in storage until they're overwritten with new information or yous format your device.

All these together get in harder to put all your downloaded files together and delete what you don't demand.

This guide explains the unlike options you have to delete downloads on Android.

3 Ways to Delete Downloads on Android

There are several options to aid you lot delete downloads on Android devices including using a USB cable to view your files on a laptop and manually deleting the files. Alternatively, y'all can employ the native My Files app on your device, or install a 3rd-party app to assistance you select the files y'all want and permanently delete them from your device.

Note: Before deleting your files, make sure you back them up to your preferred deject storage or external difficult bulldoze just in case you accidentally delete an important file or retentiveness.

How to Delete Downloads on Android Phone Using a USB Cablevision

Y'all can delete downloads on your Android device if you accept a USB cable and laptop.

  1. To practice this, get the USB cable that came with your Android phone and utilize it to connect the device to a computer.
  1. The computer will detect your phone and a new File Explorer window will appear. Select your device from the listing of connected devices, and go to the folder that contains the files you want to delete.

How to Delete Android File Downloads via My Files App

You can also delete downloads individually from dissimilar folders on your Android device. These folders include media file downloads from social media apps similar Facebook or Twitter, deject storage and from your SD bill of fare if bachelor.

  1. To practice this, open the My Files (or Files) app on your device.
  1. Next, tap the Downloads folder. Here, yous'll observe all your general downloads, just it would take longer to find the exact files you lot want to delete, particularly if y'all don't know the file name or blazon of file.
  1. Once you find the file or files you want to delete, select the file and then select Delete (trash icon) at the lesser of your screen.

Notation: If you want to delete all files from the Downloads folder, printing and concur one file so tap the circumvolve at the top left side of your screen to select All files.

  1. Tap Delete and then tap Delete over again to confirm your activeness.

How to Delete Media File Downloads on Android

If you just want to delete a video or all video downloads from your Android device, open My Files app and select Images, Videos or Audio category. Either of these folders will contain all the image, video or music downloads in your device and y'all tin can select individual files or all files for deletion.

  1. If you select the Images folder, you'll find all image downloads including Screenshots, social media image downloads, and other image files saved on your device.
  1. The Videos folder contains videos downloaded from social media including GIFs and videos you recorded using your device's camera.
  1. The Audio folder contains all audio files downloaded or saved on your device including any phone call recordings, music, notification ringtones and external audio files.

How to Delete Document Downloads on Android

The Documents folder on your device contains all the documents you may have saved or downloaded from your email, social media apps, and other sources.

  1. To delete certificate downloads, get to My Files and tap the Documents folder. Here, you'll find all the documents on your device in unlike file formats such as Give-and-take or PDF documents, and more.
  1. Press and agree the document download you lot want to delete, tap Delete then confirm the activity by tapping Delete again. To delete all document downloads, press and hold 1 of the files, select All at the top left side then tap Delete.

Third-political party Apps You Can Use to Delete Downloads on Android

You lot can besides permanently delete data from your Android device'south storage using a third-political party deletion app. One such app is the File Shredder, which works by deleting the files you select and so overrides the data with random information to get rid of the files completely.

You tin can too use an app like Secure Delete to delete private files forever, especially if you intend to dispose of or sell your device.

Permanently Delete Downloads From Your Device

Deleting data from your phone or tablet is a great way to redeem your precious storage space and go rid of clutter that would otherwise affect your device's operation.

The best way to delete unwanted downloads is past using a USB cable and deleting them manually from a computer as the files will go direct to the Recycle Bin. Notwithstanding, if you don't want to leave any trace of such files, y'all can delete them straight on your device.

Were y'all able to delete downloads on your Android device using any of these steps? Share your experience with us in a comment.