Where iPhone stores files and how to reach them
Files on your iPhone live in different places depending on what they are. Photos go to the Photos app. Documents you create in Pages or Numbers stay in those apps. PDFs, Word files, and spreadsheets can live in the Files app — think of it as a folder system similar to what you see on a computer. Email attachments stay in Mail unless you save them elsewhere. The app that created a file is usually where you'll find it first.
The Files app is the main place to look for documents, spreadsheets, and other files that aren't photos or videos. You open it like any other app: tap the Files icon on your home screen (it looks like a folder). If you don't see it, swipe left on your home screen or use Spotlight search — swipe down from the top of the screen and type "Files".
Key Takeaways
- The Files app shows documents and spreadsheets stored on your iPhone, organized into folders you can browse or search.
- Photos and videos are in the Photos app, not the Files app, even though they are files.
- Email attachments stay in Mail until you save them to the Files app or another app.
- You can search for any file by name using Spotlight — swipe down from the top and type what you're looking for.
- Files created in apps like Pages, Numbers, or Keynote open from those apps first, not from the Files app.
Using the Files app to browse and find documents
Open the Files app and you'll see two tabs at the bottom: Recents and Browse. Recents shows files you've opened recently, sorted by date. Browse shows you the folder structure — you'll see "On My iPhone" and possibly "iCloud Drive" if you use iCloud. Tap "On My iPhone" to see folders for each app that stores files there.
To find a specific file, tap the search icon (magnifying glass) at the bottom of the Files app and type the name or part of the name. The search looks through all your files and shows matches instantly. If you remember only part of the filename, type that — searching for "budget" will find "Budget 2024" and "Monthly Budget".
You can create new folders to organize files. Tap Edit in the top right, then tap the folder icon with a plus sign. Name the folder and tap Save. Then drag files into it by tapping Edit again, selecting the files you want to move, and tapping Move at the bottom.
Opening files from email and other apps
When someone sends you a file in Mail, you see it as an attachment below the message. Tap the attachment to open it in the app that reads that file type — a PDF opens in your PDF reader, a Word document opens in Word or another compatible app. If you want to keep it, tap and hold the attachment, then tap "Save to Files". Choose where to save it and tap Save.
Files you create in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote are stored inside those apps. Open the app and you'll see a list of your documents. Tap one to open it. If you want to move a document to the Files app so it's easier to find later, open it, tap the three dots in the top right, tap Move, and choose a location in the Files app.
Finding photos and videos
Photos and videos are not in the Files app — they're in the Photos app. Open Photos and you'll see tabs at the bottom: Library, Collections, and Years. Library shows all your photos and videos in one place. Collections organizes them by date and location. Years groups them by year taken.
To find a specific photo, tap the search icon (magnifying glass) in the Photos app and type what you're looking for — "beach", "dog", "January" all work. You can also search by the person's name if you've tagged people in your photos. Scroll down to see suggestions like "Favorites", "Screenshots", or "Selfies".
Saving files from the web and other sources
When you download a file from a website — a PDF, an image, a document — it usually goes to the Files app automatically. Open Files, tap Browse, then "On My iPhone", then look for a "Downloads" folder. If you don't see one, the file may have gone into a specific app's folder instead.
To save a file from a website, tap and hold the link or file, then tap "Download" or "Save to Files". You'll see a menu asking where to save it — choose a folder in the Files app and tap Save. If you want to save an image from a website, tap and hold it and tap "Save Image" — it goes to your Photos app, not the Files app.
Organizing files into folders and subfolders
The Files app lets you create as many folders as you need. Open Files, tap Browse, tap "On My iPhone", then tap Edit in the top right. Tap the folder icon with a plus sign to create a new folder. Name it something clear like "Receipts" or "Tax Documents" and tap Save.
To move files into a folder, tap Edit, select the files you want to move (tap each one), then tap Move at the bottom. Choose the folder where you want them to go and tap Move again. You can create subfolders inside folders — for example, a "Tax Documents" folder with subfolders for each year. Just open the main folder and create a new folder inside it the same way.
To rename a folder, tap and hold it, then tap Rename. Type the new name and tap Save. To delete a folder, tap and hold it, tap Delete, then confirm. Deleting a folder also deletes everything inside it, so be careful.
Sharing and sending files from your iPhone
To send a file to someone, open the Files app, find the file, tap and hold it, then tap Share. You'll see options like Mail, Messages, AirDrop, and others depending on what's installed. Choose how you want to send it. If you use AirDrop, you can send to someone nearby without using email or internet.
You can also share a file by creating a link. Tap and hold the file, tap Share, then tap "Copy iCloud Link" (if the file is in iCloud Drive). This creates a shareable link you can paste into an email or message. The person you send it to can open it in their browser or save it to their own device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I find a file I know I have?
Files created in specific apps like Pages or Numbers stay in those apps unless you move them to the Files app. Check the app where you created the file first. If it's an email attachment, look in Mail. Use Spotlight search — swipe down from the top and type the filename — to search everywhere at once.
Can I access files on my iPhone from my computer?
Yes, if the files are in iCloud Drive. Open iCloud.com on your computer, sign in with your Apple ID, and click iCloud Drive. You'll see the same files that appear in the Files app on your iPhone. Changes you make on your computer sync back to your iPhone automatically.
What happens to files if I delete them from the Files app?
Deleted files go to a Recently Deleted folder for 30 days, similar to a trash bin. Open Files, tap Browse, scroll down, and tap Recently Deleted. You can tap and hold a file to restore it, or it will be permanently deleted after 30 days.
Can I open Microsoft Word or Excel files on my iPhone?
Yes. Download the Microsoft Word or Excel app from the App Store, or use the free versions that come with iCloud. Open the file in the Files app and it will open in the correct app. You can edit the file and save changes back to the Files app.
How do I see how much storage my files are using?
Go to Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. You'll see a list of apps and how much space each one uses. Files stored in the Files app appear under "Files" in this list. If you're running low on storage, you can delete files you no longer need or move them to iCloud Drive to free up space.