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Smartphone owners are often faced with the need to quickly find photos that have been marked as “Favorites” or added to “Favorites.” This function allows you to sort successful frames from unsuccessful ones, but after clearing the memory or resetting the settings, users are at a loss as to where this archive is physically located.
In fact, the system Android does not create a separate magic folder for such pictures in the root directory. How the Favorites feature works depends on the specific gallery app that is preinstalled by your device manufacturer. Understanding this logic will help you avoid losing important memories when switching to a new phone or using third-party software.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at the structure of the file system, paths to data in standard shells, and methods for manually transferring valuable frames. You will learn how to distinguish a virtual album from a real directory on disk.
The principle of operation of the “Favorites” function in the gallery
When you click on the heart icon under a photo, it does not move the file to another folder, but only changes its metadata or creates a link in the application database. Standard Google Gallery or Samsung Gallery use internal SQLite databases to store information about which images are tagged by the user
This means that physically the file remains where it was saved by the camera or downloaded from the messenger. However, some manufacturers, such as Xiaomi or Huawei, may implement this function differently, creating hidden copies or special directories for quick access.
For the average user, this is a transparent process, but when trying to find files through a computer or file manager, confusion arises. You can see the album in the app, but you can't find the corresponding folder in File Explorer.
If you plan to transfer data manually, copy the original files from the DCIM folder rather than trying to look for a special Favorites folder that may not exist on the file system.
Standard file system storage paths
Most photos, regardless of their status, are saved by default in the directory /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera. This is a universal standard for all devices based on Android. If you took a photo and added it to your favorites, it will remain here.
However, if you use specific applications or downloads from social networks, the paths may differ. Below is a table with the most common directories where your media files can be hidden:
| Content type | Folder path | Source application |
|---|---|---|
| Camera photo | DCIM/Camera |
Standard camera |
| Screenshots | Pictures/Screenshots |
System screenshot |
| Downloads from Telegram | Android/media/org.telegram.messenger |
Telegram messenger |
| Whatsapp images | Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media |
Messenger WhatsApp |
Please note that starting from version Android 11, access to the folder Android/media i Android/data may be restricted for third-party file managers for security reasons. You may need to grant special permissions or use the built-in explorer.
☑️ Check for file availability
Features of the MIUI, One UI and ColorOS shells
Smartphone manufacturers often modify the standard interface Androidby adding their own media management functions. This directly affects where and how your favorite photos are stored. For example, in the shell One UI from Samsung, the “Favorites” function is exclusively a virtual filter.
In devices Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) the situation may be different. When adding a photo to the Favorites album, the system sometimes duplicates the file or creates a link in a hidden system folder that can only be accessed with superuser rights (root). It is better for the average user to focus on the visual interface of the gallery.
⚠️ Attention: Do not try to manually move files from the gallery system folders through the file manager. This may disrupt the application's database and all your albums will disappear or get mixed up.
For owners of Oppo i Realme (ColorOS shell), it is important to know that the “Hidden Album” and “Favorites” function can be separated. Hidden photos are often encrypted and change the file extension, making them invisible to standard viewing apps.
What to do if albums are missing after a firmware update?
Often after major Android updates, the Gallery application resets its settings or re-indexes media files. Wait for the system optimization process to complete, which may take up to 30 minutes after you first turn it on. If the photos do not appear, check for the presence of the .nomedia file in the folders with images - deleting it will trigger a rescan.
How to find your favorite photos through the file manager
If you need to access files to send by mail or transfer to your computer, using the built-in Gallery application is not always convenient. This is where a file manager comes to the rescue, such as Files by Google or Solid Explorer.
To search for the required frames, follow these steps:
- 📂 Open the file manager and go to the “Internal storage” section.
- 🔍 Use the search function and enter the name of the folder where they were originally located photo (for example
Camera). - 📅 Sort files by modification date to find recent photos.
- ⭐ Some managers have a "Star" or "Favorites" function that syncs with system labels.
Remember that the file manager shows the real structure of disks, not virtual albums. If you If you don’t see photos in the folder, but you see them in the gallery, it means they can be saved in the cloud or protected by a password.
Problems with access and rights in Android 13-14
With the release of new versions of the operating system, Google is tightening its file access policy. Android 13 i Android 14 a Granular Media Permissions mechanism has been introduced, which requires applications to request access to specific types of media files.
This may lead to a situation where the file manager simply “does not see” folders with photos, although they physically exist on the disk. To solve the problem, you need to go to Settings → Applications → Your file manager → Permissions and provide full access to the media files.
⚠️ Attention: The permission settings interface may differ depending on the model. smartphone. If you do not find the item you need, use the search in the settings for “File access.”
It is also worth considering that some system folders are now accessible only via the MTP protocol when connected to a PC, but are hidden from applications inside the phone itself.
The lack of visibility of folders in new versions of Android is not a bug, but a security measure. Always check application permissions in system settings.
Transferring your favorite photos to a computer or to the cloud
The most reliable way to save your favorite photos is to back them up. Since these files are often physically scattered in different directories, manual transfer can be done. labor-intensive.
Use cloud services, such as Google Photos or Yandex Disk. They automatically synchronize all folders, including those where the originals of your “favorite” pictures are stored. On your computer, you can go to the service’s web interface and filter photos by tag. “Favorites.”
When connecting your smartphone to a PC via a USB cable:
- 💻 Select the file transfer mode (MTP) in notifications on the phone screen.
- 📁 Copy the entire folder
DCIMto your computer's hard drive. - 🖼️ Use a search by date or file name on your PC to find the footage you need.
Don't forget that when copying via cable, you get access to all files at once, ignoring the virtual limitations of mobile phones applications. This is the best method for creating a complete backup.
Why are your favorite photos not displayed in the gallery after transfer?
When transferring files to a new device or to a new folder, the media scanner database file may be lost. Try restarting the phone or clearing the cache of the Media Server application in the developer settings so that the system scans again. storage.
Is it possible to recover deleted favorite photos?
If a photo has been deleted from the Favorites folder in the Gallery application, it usually ends up in the application's Trash, where it is stored for 30 days. If the file is deleted from the file system, recovery is only possible through special utilities such as DiskDigger, and even then it is not always successful.
Where are favorite photos stored in Google Photos?
In the Google Photos application there is no physical “Favorites” folder on disk. The star tag is only stored in your Google cloud account. On the device, the file lies in its original folder (for example, in DCIM), and the “favorites” status is downloaded from the Internet.
How to hide favorite photos from prying eyes?
The “Favorites” function is not a privacy tool. To hide photos, use the Secure Folder function on Samsung or Hidden Album on Xiaomi. These tools encrypt files and require a separate password or fingerprint for access.