# Finding files on Android Smartphone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769 "2015-08-13T20:31:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/1 "2015-08-13T20:31:10Z")
As part of troubleshooting an application that is crashing, I’ve been asked to provide crash logs. “Your crash logs should be in the /data/data/\/files/com.crittercism/dumps folder,” I am cheerfully told. Well, that’s great. But this is a phone…I don’t have a tool to go through folders as far as I know. I don’t have a clue how to see or search for files on this thing. The whole Android operating system is slickly packaged and spoon feeds me apps; I have never seen a directory structure, folder, search function, root, or anything but prepackaged apps and widgets. Looking in “settings” didn’t reveal anything, and reading three or four websites about “crittercism” crash files gives me the impression they start out assuming I already know how to browse through the file structure. How do I even go about looking? " ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/2 "2015-08-13T20:39:07Z")
Connect it to your computer. I’m a Winderz guy and I can use “Windows Explorer” to search the files once the phone is connected via the USB charging cable. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/3 "2015-08-13T20:42:32Z")
> [@Ornery\_Bob](#): > > Connect it to your computer. I’m a Winderz guy and I can use “Windows Explorer” to search the files once the phone is connected via the USB charging cable. Thanks. I tried that last night and nothing I saw seemed like a recognizable file structure. Will look again and see if I can figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/4 "2015-08-13T21:18:03Z")
There are file manager apps for the phone itself. I have OI File Manager installed, and it seems to work reasonably well. Look up “file manager” in the Play Store. I also had a “my files” app preinstalled on mine. > **[How to Manage Files and Use the Android File System](https://www.howtogeek.com/202644/how-to-manage-files-and-use-the-file-system-on-android/)** > > One of Android’s best features is its file system and file manager apps. You don’t have to wonder what’s taking up space—it’s all accessible to you. We’ll show you where to find certain things, and share some great file managers. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/5 "2015-08-13T21:37:19Z")
I use root browser, which even if you’re not rooted will browse files on your SD card. Just look up “file manager” in the Play store. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/6 "2015-08-13T21:40:01Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Thanks. I tried that last night and nothing I saw seemed like a recognizable file structure. Will look again and see if I can figure it out. If you’re doing this on a computer you have to either set your phone to allow the PC to mount your SD card, or setup adb on your computer and allow debugging on your phone. Or get an app like WiFi file transfer which will let you browse your phone’s file system over your wifi network using FTP. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/7 "2015-08-13T22:34:36Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > If you’re doing this on a computer you have to either set your phone to allow the PC to mount your SD card, or setup adb on your computer and allow debugging on your phone. Or get an app like WiFi file transfer which will let you browse your phone’s file system over your wifi network using FTP. The directory structure in OP isn’t on the SD card. adb remote debugging, a local terminal app, or a file manager app would allow you to get to that directory path. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-files-on-android-smartphone/727769/8 "2015-08-13T23:01:21Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > There are file manager apps for the phone itself. I have OI File Manager installed, and it seems to work reasonably well. Look up “file manager” in the Play Store. I also had a “my files” app preinstalled on mine. > > [http://www.howtogeek.com/202644/how-to-manage-files-and-use-the-file-system-on-android/](http://www.howtogeek.com/202644/how-to-manage-files-and-use-the-file-system-on-android/) I rather like the Astro file manager. (Available from the Play Store).