Why can't I store files locally?

[Royce Fickling]

I have a few docs and spreadsheets that I want to keep available on my phone (Galaxy Note 9, Android 10), but every time that I edit a file, it gets stored on Google Drive even though I tell it to store the file on my device. Then when I need to use the file, I get a message that it is not available offline and I need to make it available offline. I don't have that many files and because I don't want the hassle of logging into Google Drive to retrieve a file, I want to store all of my files locally. How can I get around this problem?

 

[ocnbrze]

you say you tell it to store the file on your phone. where? what folder?

 

[Royce Fickling]

In Internal Storage/Documents

 

[Royce Fickling]

More to this issue: when I open the file from My Files, I have no problem. But when I create a shortcut on the Home screen, it is then unavailable to me from the Home screen, which is the reason for creating the shortcut in the first place.

In retrospect, the title of my question should have been more like 'Can't open a file from my Home screen'.