I have run out of space on my phone. (Again. Why can't I add an sdcard to this nexus thing dammit?) I'm going through the Storage sections under Settings, picking and choosing what I want to keep and discard. There's a number of items appearing in Downloads that I want to move to my PC, but I can't find the files and the only commands available are Open, Delete and Share.
How do I locate the items so can copy them?
My phone is not rooted and is running Lollipop 5.1.1.
Downloads as shown in from Settings >> Storage:
i.imgur.com/LzJz05I.png
Downloads as seen by ES File Explorer:
i.imgur.com/EJZUHYu.png
(sorry, no active links. I don't have the reputation to post links).
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but the first image shows the list of things that you've downloaded (and then maybe moved to another folder?) while the second shows what is in your downloads folder now. In other words, one image shows an application, the other shows files.
The Downloads app seems to show items downloaded in the traditional sense (like from my browser, those are the items also seen in 2nd screen shot)
as well as items downloaded by apps, and these are saved somewhere else, not in /sdcard/download.
My question is how do I follow the items from the Download app to their actual location, so I can do something with them?
Double tap on the item opens it. Long press selects it. I need to copy it (or rename or move or...)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
If my suggestion is correct, and nobody so far has contradicted it, then the download list needn't correspond in any way to what's actually on your phone at this moment. You may have moved the files, deleted them... there may not be anything to find. What you're seeing is just your file download history, not what actually exists now.
One tool that I find invaluable for this sort of thing is Search Everything - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marlon.searcheverything
It indexes all your files and displays them on the fly - as you type each letter the list of files shown diminishes until you're left with the one you're looking for. If you're looking for a downloaded file then it shouldn't be hidden in an unreachable system folder requiring root. If Search Everything doesn't find what you're looking for, it's a pretty safe bet that it's been deleted.
On your comment about the reason for your question, that your phone is getting full, have you tried Disk Usage to see where the heavy usage is? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.diskusage
And finally consider Stickmount - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.stickmount
In combination with an OTG cable (a couple of dollars) and a USB stick, Stickmount allows you to store files on the USB stick, so you can have effectively unlimited storage.
I keep experiencing mysterious, extensionless files that appear in my downloads folder. Sometimes one, sometimes more. I have confirmed that they only appear after I open the Snapchat app, even for just a brief second.
When I open the files as text I get random Chinese characters that don't seem to want to be decoded.
What are these files? And how do I remove them for good? I can hide them, but they reappear under different names.
Is there any way to either
A) prevent an app from creating files in the download folder
B) change the directory where Snapchat creates these files
C) stop Snapchat from making these files altogether
I am using Snapchat Beta on an unrooted Droid Turbo 5.1
SOLUTION: Using es file explorer, I highlighted the unwanted files and selected Menu > Hide. They're gone now and they don't seem to be coming back even though I've been using Snapchat numerous times per day. Still, if anyone knows why these files exist, how to get rid of them, or how to prevent an app from creating a file like this in the first place, this information would be appreciated.
Thx bruhs
It may very well be spyware, like the one at mspy dot com, or a government spyware app distributed via Snapchat.
Based on the file sizes people are reporting and the way it changes, I'd say this file in particular is probably an encrypted log file for a key logger. That is: It is everything you've typed, and it's sent to the one who's spying on your phone activity.
Hint: Hiding the file won't solve the problem (for the person who's being spied on anyway...).
I saw this on my device, and only found little info/threads, with almost zero content/analysis. Aparently the kindle app leaves a bunch of random files around. And since the prefix is "RCE" i am a little paranoid, since that usually means "Remote code execution" and is usually associated with exploits
Files:
CS_JIT_Animation.mp4
jit_cs_positive_preview.png
rce_plugin_strings_resource_cs_CZ.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_de_DE.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_en_US.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_es_ES.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_fr_FR.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_it_IT.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_ja_JP.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_nl_NL.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_pt_BR.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_v2_TYPO_TEST.json
rce_plugin_strings_resource_zh_CN.json.min
All Attached in a zip created by the android native file manager.
Current places mentioning this
https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/unkown-files-in-download.948860/
https://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xper...erious-Files-in-Downloads-Folder/td-p/1353185
https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-xz1/help/phone-mysterious-files-download-folder-t3871763
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMmx5tRm0jM (one of the files is a video, someone uploaded to youtube ...and to https://gfycat.com/generouspinkcolt
How to make those files appear for you:
Install kindle from the google app store
if you already have it installed, or want to see the files again after you deleted, Stop the app and delete all storage. (nothing will be lost, this app syncs everything and some more to the amazon servers)
perform the first Sync on kindle app
Now, insert a pen drive and open the native android File Mananger and look at the local Download folder
Files are somewhat hidden:
If you look into the download folder with any other app (I tried, blackberry file manager, oi file manager, Ghost Commander, and Termux --after enabling the storage setup)
Files probably have a weird attribute or ownership... but the native android file manager does not show anything other than creation date! And every single file operation (copy, move, compress) reset the information to "regular user, creation time set to now". So either I see them on the Native File Manager, without any information available, or I do not see the files until I destroy the information.
Android version is not important (seems to happen on several versions) and has been happening for a while (First mention seems to be Nov2018)
Anyone have any idea what this is? I know I will probably reverse eng the kindle app at some point, wast a bunch of time, and realize it is just some dumb amateur library badly implemented by amazon... or maybe not. I think at this point I am most curious as to how the app "hides" the files from most everything.
Hi people.
No matter what I try, I don't get the bluetooth option when I want to share a file. I've even paired with the other phone, tried other file managers, but no luck.
I'll select the file, select the share option, and then get a popup listing what appears to be frequent/recent contacts over various apps in the top row, then a row with what seems to be frequent/recent apps, then an app list, but nowhere is bluetooth an option. I've scrolled up, down, left, right, I've done everything obvious and slightly less obvious that I could think of. Is this a bug, or some stupid security setting or something? The internet is full of bluetooth related issues with the Pixel 2, it seems, but none I've found addresses this issue.
Regards
kowalski5233 said:
Hi people.
No matter what I try, I don't get the bluetooth option when I want to share a file. I've even paired with the other phone, tried other file managers, but no luck.
I'll select the file, select the share option, and then get a popup listing what appears to be frequent/recent contacts over various apps in the top row, then a row with what seems to be frequent/recent apps, then an app list, but nowhere is bluetooth an option. I've scrolled up, down, left, right, I've done everything obvious and slightly less obvious that I could think of. Is this a bug, or some stupid security setting or something? The internet is full of bluetooth related issues with the Pixel 2, it seems, but none I've found addresses this issue.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bluetooth can only share text files and photos , so it depends on what type of file is being shared. If you want to share other type of files(other than text and photos) then just rename the last part of file name to txt,pdg, mp4, the Bluetooth share Option is available after being shared just rename file to it original name the file will be back.
riyan65 said:
Bluetooth can only share text files and photos , so it depends on what type of file is being shared. If you want to share other type of files(other than text and photos) then just rename the last part of file name to txt,pdg, mp4, the Bluetooth share Option is available after being shared just rename file to it original name the file will be back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That most definitely is not a limitation. I can share that same file from another phone over Bluetooth.
I can no longer find the media files that used to be in /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp until Android 10. I've searched the following locations with no luck:
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.whatsapp
/storage/0BD9-A981/Android/data/com.whatsapp
/data/data/com.whatsapp
/data/user/0/com.whatsapp
/data/user_de/0/com.whatsapp
Any help is welcome. Thank you!
KaMyKaSii said:
I can no longer find the media files that used to be in /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp until Android 10. I've searched the following locations with no luck:
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.whatsapp
/storage/0BD9-A981/Android/data/com.whatsapp
/data/data/com.whatsapp
/data/user/0/com.whatsapp
/data/user_de/0/com.whatsapp
Any help is welcome. Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try to locate the folder using the command:
Code:
ls /data/data/com.whatsapp*
VD171 said:
Try to locate the folder using the command:
Code:
ls /data/data/com.whatsapp*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just found the folder. But thanks anyway. Here's the location for those who also need it:
/storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp
Hi.. In Android 10, Whatsapp folder used to be in root folder (emulated/0), but in Android 11, it has moved to Android/media folder. The big problem it has is - everytime you wipe data to install a ROM, Whatsapp along with media needs to be backed up. Does someone know a workaround here so that WhatsApp has its folder in the root directory? Thanks.
I wouldn't call /sdcard (/storage/emulated/0) the root directory, but ok. Whether the whatsapp folder is placed directly in /sdcard or in /sdcard/Android/media doesn't make a difference as to whether you have to back it up, as it will be on the userdata partition in both cases.
how about my case, im using samsung android 11, and i clone whatsapp with the built-in app = dualapp, but the problem is i can't received a media file from other people like document, images, videos, etc. and cannot sending any files too from my device, i've checked the dualapp\android\media and there is no com.whatsapp folder inside. anyone can help me with this case?
thanks before.
maleforwork said:
how about my case, im using samsung android 11, and i clone whatsapp with the built-in app = dualapp, but the problem is i can't received a media file from other people like document, images, videos, etc. and cannot sending any files too from my device, i've checked the dualapp\android\media and there is no com.whatsapp folder inside. anyone can help me with this case?
thanks before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same boat. I can no longer find the dual WhatsApp files, and that version is like a redhead stepchild, cannot add stickers, doesn't recognize file types, etc. All since Android 11 moved the dual app files "somewhere".
maleforwork said:
how about my case, im using samsung android 11, and i clone whatsapp with the built-in app = dualapp, but the problem is i can't received a media file from other people like document, images, videos, etc. and cannot sending any files too from my device, i've checked the dualapp\android\media and there is no com.whatsapp folder inside. anyone can help me with this case?
thanks before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, it happened this morning. I am having my exams and because of this I can't access my pdf notes anymore. All of this is so frustrating :/
Someone also got trouble with loading the "WhatsApp Images" Folder over a File Explorer?
When i wanna access it from several Apps like File Explorer or Backup Apps, it will load like endless, some minutes at least.
Have mor than 10 000 Pictures in it but before it loaded always immediately.
If i am in TWRP i can access the Folder but don't scroll down with the bar, just around 1/3 of the Page. Only if i scroll over the Display every File it will show me someting, otherwise it shows just Empty over some Files, like there would be a File Limitation?
Chrypsisilon said:
Someone also got trouble with loading the "WhatsApp Images" Folder over a File Explorer?
When i wanna access it from several Apps like File Explorer or Backup Apps, it will load like endless, some minutes at least.
Have mor than 10 000 Pictures in it but before it loaded always immediately.
If i am in TWRP i can access the Folder but don't scroll down with the bar, just around 1/3 of the Page. Only if i scroll over the Display every File it will show me someting, otherwise it shows just Empty over some Files, like there would be a File Limitation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly the same here. Switched to Samsung android 11 3 weeks ago and since a few days Whatapp app backup (80mb) took an hour instead of less than 2 minutes. Quickly found out that WA folder had been moved and that it now takes 10-60 seconds to open WA images folder (9400 pics) instead of < 1sec at previous location. Yesterday I reinstalled WA and everything was placed back in the original folder (0/WhatsApp) and everything was fast again. But tonight (00:00) everything has been moved to Android/media/com.whatsapp and the backup of whatapp is already running for 50 minutes now. The status for a very long time is: "Prepairing google drive backup".
This is very frustrating and I don't understand how they can ruin this for so many people (see google store reviews).
I don't understand why one location is so much slower than another directory. Is exactly the same storage. Does it have to do with indexes? Who is going to offer a solution for this, Samsung or Whatsapp?
Google or WhatsApp have had to get a solution, but if the wan't?
Because i am using OnePlus, so we know that it shouldn't be a Mobile Phone Manufacturer issue.
Crazy that even the built in Backup won't work because i just use other ways like "FolderSync" or "Synology DS Cloud" Backup.
Even Built in File Explorer or such as "X-Plore" and whatever, won't load the Folder until there are gone some Minutes.
Can also just guess why, but Indexing should be done if it is.
Did also some other trys with a Folder which has just 5130 Pictures (copy of some Pictures).
Used "X-plore" to easy Move the Folder around.
- Move Picture Folder in "Android" Folder will work well but every of the 3 subfolder "data", "media", "obb" will get in trouble.
- Move Picture Folder into "data", it will take a longer Time, also "obb" Folder which is a kind faster.
- Move Picture into "media", it will moved immeaditly like usual at the Phone.
Access Picture Folder just under "Android" Folder it will work fine, but if you wanna Access this Folder under "data", "media" or "obb" you have to wait and enjoy the running circle symbol.
So is the question, what is different with all the subfolder under "Android", like they would have a Speed limit or additional encryption?
First you need to do a whole backup of your chat so that you can migrate the chat information from respectable whatsapp to Fouad Whatsapp.
I am also facing this problem yesterday when I upgrade my smartphone from android 10 to android 11. But after some research, I found the solution. Here are the complete details:
Whatsapp folder in android 11
For images
Android\media\com.whatsapp\WhatsApp\Media\WhatsApp Images
Guys, I'm using Samsung phone too and my WhatsApp media files is in a mess too since the location change a couple of months ago. Now I have media stores in these 2 folders, just like you guys:
1) Whatsapp/Media
2) Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp/Media (new location)
Now my issue is, I have photos back from year 2016. I can view it in Whatsapp chat (some of them can't locate anymore) but i can't find it in both the directories mentioned above. When I select 'view in gallery', and then i use MiXplorer to check the image location, it says: (refer to attached screenshots)
Path: content://com.whatsapp.provider.media/item (which i guess it is in obb folder)
How is this even possible? The image is not lost but it is not accessible by me anymore and I cant back it up. Due to this mess, I really want to tidy up my media files and move them into single location, presumably the new location but the missing files stop me from doing it. It's bugging me for a few months now
maleforwork said:
how about my case, im using samsung android 11, and i clone whatsapp with the built-in app = dualapp, but the problem is i can't received a media file from other people like document, images, videos, etc. and cannot sending any files too from my device, i've checked the dualapp\android\media and there is no com.whatsapp folder inside. anyone can help me with this case?
thanks before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had installed beta APK and it has some bugs. Today I've decided tou reinstall the sable APK when i uninstalled the beta App the whole folder form android/media also deletd and I've lost everything thing. I had backed up to google drive a few days ago now i could not found the backup. The backup i got is of Dec 2020.
Guys, try this path: <SD-CARD>/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp
I found all my whatsapp media there since android 11 upgrade (Samsung M31)
All my files keep on /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media even on Android 11.
Some solution here about the Access Time from the Images Folder?
When i Access (does not matter which File Explorer or Backup Tool) then i have to wait over 10 Minutes and most of them still won't show any pictures. Of Coursee i have over 10'000 Files in it but at the old Location it took me just a few seconds.
Chrypsisilon said:
Some solution here about the Access Time from the Images Folder?
When i Access (does not matter which File Explorer or Backup Tool) then i have to wait over 10 Minutes and most of them still won't show any pictures. Of Coursee i have over 10'000 Files in it but at the old Location it took me just a few seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any OS has problems to deal with folders that contains millions of files.
Certainly, you need to clean the folder.