Chaotically scattered photos in different albums on an Android smartphone - a familiar problem? Hundreds of pictures from trips, family holidays, or work events are often stored in separate folders, making them difficult to find and view. Fortunately, you can combine albums in a gallery on Android in several ways - both using built-in tools and through third-party applications.

In this article we will look at 5 working methodsincluding using a standard gallery Google Photos, a file manager and specialized utilities. You will learn how to transfer photos between albums without losing quality, automate sorting by dates or tags, and what to do if the system does not allow you to merge folders directly. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different versions of Android and popular shells (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS).

Before you start, check if your photos are duplicated in cloud services - this will save you from unnecessary steps. And remember: merging albums does not delete the originals, but only changes their location in the folder structure.

Most Android smartphones have a built-in gallery with basic album management functions. The method works on “pure” Android (for example, Pixel) and most shells, but it may not work. vary depending on the manufacturer.

To combine albums:

  • 📁 Open the application Gallery (or Photo in some firmware).
  • 🔍 Find the section Albums or Folders (usually in the bottom menu).
  • 📂 Select the album you want to merge and click ⋮ (three dots) → Edit or Manage.
  • 🔄 In some galleries, an option will appear Move photo — specify the target album.

If there is no such function, try an alternative way:

  1. Open the source album and select the photo (long press → mark the ones you need).
  2. Click Share → Save to album and select the target folder.
  3. Delete the originals from the old album (if duplicates are not needed).
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On smartphones Xiaomi (MIUI) in the gallery there is a function "Merge Albums" - it automatically groups photos by dates and events. Find it in the settings of the "Gallery" application.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Huawei s EMUI) the standard gallery does not support moving photos between albums. In this case, use the methods from the following sections.

2. Using Google Photos to combine albums

Google Photos is one of the most convenient solutions for managing media files on Android. The service allows you to create shared albumsautomatically sort photos by faces/places and even merge duplicates. use:

Step 1: Download Google Photo from Play Marketif it is not already there, and log in to your account Google.

Step 2: Open the application and go to the tab Library → Utilities → Create an album.

Step 3: Select photos from different albums, add them to a new album and name it (for example, “Vacation 2026”).

Advantages of the method:

  • 🌐 Access to albums from any device via a Google account.
  • 🤖 Automatic recognition of faces and places for easy sorting.
  • 🔄 Possibility shared albums (joint editing with friends).
Function Standard gallery Google Photos
Merge without duplicates ❌ Requires manual deletion ✅ Automatic
Cloud backup ❌ No ✅ Yes (15 GB free)
Face recognition ❌ No ✅ Yes
Access from PC ❌ Only via cable ✅ Via photos.google.com
⚠️ Attention: If you use Google Photos in the "Original quality" mode, the files will take up space in the cloud. To save space, turn on the "High quality" option (compression without losing visible quality).
📊 Which photo application do you use most often?
Standard gallery
Google Photos
Another application
I don’t use the gallery

3. Merging through a file manager

If the gallery is not available allows you to move photos, you can use file manager (for example, Files by Google, Solid Explorer or built into the firmware). This method is suitable for technically savvy users, as it requires working with folders directly.

Instructions:

  1. Open the file manager and go to the folder DCIM (usually located in the internal memory).
  2. Find folders with albums (for example, Camera, Screenshots, WhatsApp Images).
  3. Select the desired photos, press Cut (or Copy), then go to the target folder and paste (Paste).
  4. Delete empty folders if they are no longer needed.

Important nuances:

  • 📌 Do not move files from application folders (for example, Telegram or Instagram) - this may disrupt the operation of apps.
  • 🔄 After moving, refresh the gallery (pull the screen down or restart the application).
  • 🔒 If the folder DCIM is not displayed, turn on showing hidden files in the manager settings.

Make a backup of important photos|Close all applications that use the gallery|Check free space on the device|Disable cloud synchronization (if necessary)

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Example path to standard albums:

/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Samsung s One UI) the folder DCIM may be protected in this case. use My Files from Samsung or give the manager root access (not recommended for beginners).

4. Third-party applications for combining albums

If the built-in tools do not cope, specialized applications will come to the rescue:

1. QuickPic Gallery (from Cheetah Mobile)

  • 🔹 Allows you to move photos between albums by swiping.
  • 🔹 Supports hidden folders and passwords.
  • 🔹 Minus: contains advertising in the free version.

2. Simple Gallery (from Simple Mobile Tools)

  • 🔹 Open source (no spy modules).
  • 🔹 "Merge Folders" function in the context menu.
  • 🔹 Supports tags and color codes.

3. F-Stop Gallery

  • 🔹 Advanced sorting by EXIF data (date, camera model).
  • 🔹 Ability to create “virtual albums” without duplicates.
  • 🔹 Paid (about 300 rubles), but without unnecessary water.

How to use (using example Simple Gallery):

  1. Install the application and provide access to media files.
  2. Go to section Folders and select the source album.
  3. Click ⋮ → Select all → Move to and specify the target folder.
  4. Confirm the action and wait for completion (a progress bar will appear on the screen).
What to do if the application does not see the photo?

If the gallery does not display files, check:

1. Access rights (storage permission must be enabled).

2. The presence of the file .nomedia in the folder (delete it if it exists).

3. Application cache (clear it in Android settings). data-i="172">5. Automation of merging using scripts (for advanced)

5. Automation of merging using scripts (for advanced)

If you need to combine albums regularly (for example, for backups or professional work with photos), you can automate the process using scripts. This method requires skills in working with ADB or Termux.

Example script for moving photos from a folder A to a folder B:

#!/bin/bash

SOURCE="/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera"


TARGET="/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Combined"


mkdir -p "$TARGET"


mv "$SOURCE"/*.jpg "$TARGET"/


mv "$SOURCE"/*.png "$TARGET"/

How to run:

  1. Install Termux from F-Droid (not from the Play Market!).
  2. Enter the commands: 
    pkg update && pkg install termux-api

    termux-setup-storage

  3. Create a file move_photos.sh, paste the script above and save.
  4. Run with command bash move_photos.sh.

Warnings:

  • 🛑 An error in the script may lead to loss of files.
  • 🔒 root access may be required to work with system folders.
  • 📱 On some devices (Huawei, Xiaomi), access to /storage/emulated/0/ is limited.
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Scripts are convenient for bulk operations, but require caution. Always test them on copies of files before the main launch.

6. Solving problems when merging albums

Sometimes the process of merging albums is accompanied by errors. Let's look at typical problems and their solutions:

Problem 1: Photos do not move, the "File in use" error appears.

  • 🔄 Close all applications that can block files (gallery, instant messengers, cloud services).
  • 📵 Reboot the device and try again.
  • 🔧 Check the file system for errors (via Settings → Storage → Scan).

Problem 2: After merging, the photos disappeared from the gallery.

  • 🔍 Use the file manager to find the files manually (they might have moved to another folder).
  • 📲 Update the Android media database with the command: 
    adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///storage/emulated/0/DCIM/
  • 🔄 Install an alternative gallery (for example, Simple Gallery) - it can show "hidden" files.

Problem 3: There is not enough space to combine albums.

  • 🗑️ Clear the cache of the gallery and other applications in Settings → Applications.
  • ☁️ Temporarily upload photos to the cloud (Google Photos, Yandex Drive), free up space, then download them back to the desired folder.
  • 📁 Transfer some of the files to an SD card (if supported).
⚠️ Attention: If you use SD card as internal memory (function Adoptable Storage), do not remove it while moving files - this may lead to data corruption.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about merging albums

Is it possible to combine albums without losing photo quality?

Yes, all the described methods (except for uploading to the cloud in compression mode) maintain the original quality. Moving files between folders on the device does not affect the resolution or resolution. EXIF data.

Why do duplicates appear in the gallery after merging?

This happens if you copied the photo instead of moving it. Remove duplicates manually or use utilities like Duplicate Files FixerAlso check whether the photos are synchronized with the cloud again.

How. merge albums on Android if they are stored on an SD card?

The process is similar, but keep in mind:

  • The speed of moving files may be lower.
  • Some applications (for example, Google Photos) do not support backup from SD cards.
  • If the card is connected as portable storage, use the file manager to move it manually.

Is it possible to cancel merging albums?

If you moved files rather than copied them, you can only cancel the action manually - by undoing photos to the original folders. To do this:

  1. Check Trash in the gallery (files are stored there for 30 days).
  2. Use the file manager to find files by modification date.
  3. Restore your backup (if you had one before merging).

Why doesn't Google Photos have a "Merge Albums" option?

Google Photos Doesn't support merging albums directly, but you can:

  • Create a new one album and manually add photos to it from different sources.
  • Use the function Assistant → Create a movie or Animationto automatically group similar pictures.
  • On a PC, go to photos.google.com, where it is more convenient to manage large collections.