Android includes full access to a file system, complete with back up for removable SD cards. But Android itself has never come with a congenital-in file manager, forcing manufacturers to create their own file manager apps and users to install third-party ones. With Android 6.0, Android now contains a hidden file managing director.

The file manager doesn't have its own icon in the app drawer, as Google still wants to hibernate the file arrangement from most people. Simply the file manager allows yous to browse, delete, search, open up, share, copy, and do everything else you'd want to do with your files.

Access Android 6.0's Hidden File Manager

To access this File Manager, open up Android'southward Settings app from the app drawer. Tap "Storage & USB" nether the Device category.

RELATED: Five Ways to Free Up Space on Your Android Device

This takes you to Android'due south storage manager, which helps yous free upwards space on your Android device. Android provides a visual overview of how much infinite you lot've used on your device and break it down into categories similar Apps, Images, Video, Sound, and Other. If yous have multiple user accounts configured on your device, Android will evidence you how much data each user account is using.

Tap a category to encounter what'south using space and cull what to remove — for example, borer "Apps" will show you a list of your installed apps with the largest apps first.

To access the file manager, scroll down to the bottom of this list and tap the "Explore" option.

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This will accept you to an interface that allows you lot to view and browse your device's internal storage or external SD card storage. Android is actually presenting the file organization here — the same file organisation you lot'll meet in 3rd-political party file management apps. Of course, you can't access the total root file system without a 3rd-party file manager and root permissions.

How to Use Android'due south Built-in File Managing director

Here'due south what you can do from here:

  • Browse the file system: Tap a folder to enter it and view its contents. To go back up, tap the folder'due south name at the acme-left corner of the screen and tap i of the parent folders.
  • Open up files: Tap a file to open it in an associated app, if you take an app that can open files of that type on your Android device. For example, you could tap Downloads to view your downloads and tap a PDF file to open it in your default PDF viewer.
  • Select 1 or more files: Long-press a file or folder to select it. Tap files or folders to select or deselect them after doing so. Tap the menu push after selecting a file and tap "Select all" to select all files in the current view.

  • Share one or more files to an app: Subsequently selecting one or more files, tap the Share button to send them to an app. For case, you could share them to Dropbox or Google Drive to upload them to a cloud storage service.
  • Delete one or more than files: Tap the trash can icon to delete one or more selected files.
  • Re-create files to another folder: Tap the carte button and select "Copy to" to copy the selected files or folders to another folder. From here, you tin can tap the bill of fare button and select "Evidence internal storage" to run across your device's internal storage and copy it to whatsoever folder y'all like. There will be a "New folder" button here, allowing you to create new folders on your internal storage. Android doesn't seem to accept a manner to "motion" files — you'll just take to copy them to a new location and delete the originals to move them.

  • Search for files: Tap the magnifying glass icon at the tiptop-right corner of the screen to search for files on your Android device'due south storage.
  • Choose between list and grid view: Tap the menu button and select either "Grid view" or "List view" to toggle between the 2.
  • Choose how to sort the files: Tap the sort button at the top-right corner of the screen and select "Past name," "Past date modified," or "Past size" to sort the files.

The born file managing director is minimal and barebones, only it has all the basic features you'll demand — unless you need to admission network storage locations or gain access to the root file organization, which are more than advanced features better left to tertiary-party apps.

You can also tap the menu button whenever you see Android'due south "Salve To" interface and select "Show internal storage" to see your device's file system, saving files wherever you desire to save them.