Where Are PDFs Stored On My Phone? Storage Locations & Editing Options

Smartphones have become essential devices for both professional and personal use. In fact, we often intend to fulfill most of our computing needs from our smartphones. Downloading PDFs from the internet, email, or an app is a common activity most of us do regularly from smartphones. But unlike our computers, it is not always clear where those PDF files are stored on the phone. So, if you are also in search of where are PDF files stored on my phone, then this guide is for you. Here we will discuss in detail where are PDF files stored on your phone and also present how to quickly edit your PDFs with the intuitive PDF editor app, UPDF. So, let's get started!

Part 1. Where are PDF Files Stored on My Phone?

The default location where your PDF files are stored on your phone depends on your phone's operating system, i.e., Android or iPhone.

#1 For Android

For Android, the default place where all PDF files go is the "Downloads" folder. So, follow the below steps to access downloaded PDF files from your Android:

• Open the "File Manager" app.
• Select "Internal Storage" and click the "Downloads" folder.
• Search for the PDF file you want to access. You can even use the search bar to quickly navigate to the targeted PDF.

This way, you can quickly address where are PDF files stored on my phone by accessing them from the Downloads folder.

However, if you don't find the PDF files in the Downloads folder, then try to find them in the "Documents" folder. Alternatively, if you have downloaded a PDF from a specific app, it might be stored in that app's folder in File Manager.

#2 For iPhone

For iPhone, the default place where all PDF files go can vary depending on your preference. iPhone allows you to save the PDF in "Files" in the "Downloads" folder or in the "Books" app. So, let's explore how to access PDF files from both places.

Follow the below steps to access PDF files on iPhone from the Downloads folder:

• Open the "Files" app.
• Click "On My iPhone" from the main dashboard.
• Click the "Downloads" folder.
• Search for the PDF file you want to access. You can even use the search bar to navigate to the targeted PDF quickly.

In case if you don't find the PDF file in the Downloads folder, then follow the below steps to look in the Books app:

• Open the "Books" app. You can find this app on the home screen of your iPhone.
• Click on the "Library" tab from the bottom toolbar. From there, you can explore the PDF files. You can also click the "Search" tab from the bottom toolbar to navigate to the specific PDF quickly.

This way, you can quickly address where are PDF files stored on my phone by accessing them from the Downloads folder or Books app. Learn more about how to download a PDF on iPhone.

Part 2. Where are PDF Files Stored on Android Using SD Card?

If you are using an SD card on your Android phone, it might be confusing to know whether the PDF files are stored in internal or SD card storage. Basically, the default destination of all the PDF files you download on Android from a browser is the "Downloads" folder in your internal storage.

However, you do get the option to direct the download route to your SD card. So, if you are unable to find PDF files in the internal storage, as discussed in Part 1, then you should look for them on the SD card. Follow the below steps to access PDF files on Android using an SD card:

• Open the "File Manager" app.
• Select "SD Card" and click the "Downloads" folder.
• Search for the PDF file you want to access. You can even use the search bar to quickly navigate to the targeted PDF.

This way, you can address where are PDF files stored on Android with or without using an SD card.

Part 3. How to Change the Default Location of Storing PDF Files on My Phone?

You can change the default location of storing PDF files on your phone from the web browser app you use to download PDF files. You can assign a different location from your browser where all the future PDF files will store. Let's take Google Chrome as an example. So, follow the below steps to change the default storage location of PDF files from the Google Chrome app:

• Open the Google Chrome app on your phone.
• Click the "3-dots" menu icon from the top right corner and then click "Settings".

• Scroll down and click "Downloads".
• Click "Download location". If you have installed an SD card, it will give you the option to choose between "Internal storage" and "SD card".

However, if you also want to change the default folder location, then toggle the "Ask where to save files" button to the right. This way, Chrome will now always ask you where to save the file before downloading.

You can follow similar steps using any browser other than Google Chrome and set a preferred location to save and access PDF files.

Part 4. How to Edit PDF Files on My Phone?

Smartphones are not just meant to save and access PDFs. You can now also edit PDF files easily from your phone with UPDF.

UPDF is a powerful, AI-integrated, and easy-to-use PDF editor app that allows you to edit, annotate, organize, summarize, translate, chat, and sign PDF files directly from your phone. With UPDF, you can add or remove text/images, change font size and color, add highlights, sticky notes, and drawings, and do a lot of other customizations. Moreover, it also offers comprehensive page management, such as changing page positions, extracting specific pages, or inserting blank or other PDF pages. In short, it is an all-in-one finest PDF editor app.

Follow the below steps to edit PDF files on your phone with UPDF:

Step 1. Download and install the UPDF app on your Android or iPhone device.

Step 2. Click the "All PDFs" section to access all PDFs you have on your phone.

Step 3. Open the PDF file you want to edit and click the "Edit" icon from the top toolbar. You will enter editing mode.

Step 4. Select the text/paragraph you want to edit and then select "Edit Properties" or "Edit Text" to make your required changes.

Step 5. If you want to annotate the PDF file, then click the "marker-shaped" icon from the top toolbar and then choose the appropriate option.

Step 6. Once you have made all the changes you want to make, click the "3-dots" icon and then click "Save as" to save the PDF file in your targeted folder.

That's it! So, a few simple clicks let you easily edit PDF files on your phone with UPDF.

With its wide compatibility and powerful capabilities, UPDF has become the ideal choice for users who work with PDFs in their daily lives. Moreover, it is much more affordable than renowned PDF editors, such as Adobe. Don't hesitate to upgrade to UPDF Pro and unlock all its features!

Wrapping Up

PDF files have become a popular digital documenting format, and many users save and access PDFs from their smartphones for instant access. However, it is not uncommon to see users searching for where are PDF files stored on my phone. Above, we have discussed in detail the likely destination of PDF files and how to change the default location. In short, you will most likely find all the downloaded PDFs within your "Downloads" and "Documents" folder. Besides accessing PDFs, if you also want to edit them, like crop, add/remove text, annotate, or do other customizations, then UPDF mobile app is the ideal app you should have on your phone.