Renaming albums on Android is a task faced by every user who strives for order in the gallery. But it’s not always obvious where to look for this function: in the standard Gallery application it can be hidden in the depths of the menu, and in Google Photos it can work differently than in Samsung Gallery or Xiaomi Gallery. In addition, smartphone manufacturers often modify the interface, adding their own “tricks” or, conversely, removing familiar options.

In this article we will look at all the current ways to rename an album on Android - from built-in tools to third-party applications. You will learn how to change the name of the folder from photo to any device (including Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei i Pixel), what to do if the function is not available, and how to automate the sorting of pictures. And also - why some albums cannot be renamed directly and how to bypass this limitation without losing data.

Most smartphones on "pure" Android (for example, Google Pixel, Motorola, Nokia) use the application "Google Photos" as the main gallery. However, even here, the process of renaming albums is not always intuitive. Here's how to do it:

  • 📱 Open the application Google Photos tab and go to the Library → Albums.
  • 🔍 Find the album you want to rename and tap on it to open it.
  • ✏️ In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (⋮) and select Edit album.
  • 📝 field Album name enter a new name and save the changes.

Important: in Google Photos you can only rename user albumscreated manually. Automatically generated folders (for example Screenshots, Downloads or WhatsApp Images) cannot be changed - they are synchronized with real folders on the device.

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If the album does not appear in the list, check if it is hidden. In Google Photos hidden albums can be found in Library → Utilities → Archive.

On smartphones with shells (MIUI, One UI, EMUI), the standard gallery can differ. For example, in Samsung Gallery the path will be like this:

  1. Open Gallery tab and go to the Albums.
  2. Tap on the desired album and press to the current album name and enter a new one.
  3. Select Edit (or Control in older versions One UI).
  4. Click on the current album name and enter a new one.
Why can’t all albums be renamed?

In Android, albums are divided into two types:

1. Physical folders - correspond to real directories on the device (for example, DCIM/CameraThey can only be renamed through the file directory). manager.

2. Virtual albums - are created manually in the gallery application (for example, "Vacation 2026" in Google Photo). Their name changes directly in the application interface.

2. How to rename a folder with a photo through the file manager

If the album in the gallery is linked to a physical folder on the device (for example, Camera, Screenshots or Telegram), you will not be able to rename it through the gallery itself. In this case, you need to work directly with the file system. built-in file manager (for example, Files by Google, Mi File Manager or Samsung My Files):

  • 📁 Open the file manager and go to the section Internal memory → DCIM (or Picturesif the album is there).
  • 🔍 Find the folder corresponding to the album and press and hold on it.
  • ✏️ In the menu that appears, select Rename (or Rename in the English version).
  • 📝 Enter a new name Latin (Cyrillic may cause errors in some applications).

⚠️ Attention: When renaming folders DCIM or Pictures some applications (for example, a camera or instant messengers) may stop saving files in them. If, after renaming, new photos do not appear in the gallery, return the old name or create a new folder.

Use only Latin alphabet and numbers|Do not use symbols!@#$%^&*|Check if the folder is not being used by system applications|Make a backup copy of the photo before changing

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Album type Can you rename it in the gallery? Yes rename through the file manager? Notes
Custom album in Google Photos ✅ Yes ❌ No (virtual) Only the display name is changed
Folder Camera in DCIM ❌ No ✅ Yes May break saving photos from the camera
Album WhatsApp Images ❌ No ✅ Yes WhatsApp will create a new folder the next time you save
Album in Samsung Gallery (manual) ✅ Yes ❌ No Only if the album was created manually

3. Renaming albums in Google Photos: nuances and limitations

Google Photos is the most popular application for managing photos on Android, but its logic for working with albums often raise questions. Here are the key points:

  • 🔄 Automatic albums (for example, People, Places, Things) cannot be renamed. They are formed based on tags and geodata.
  • 📁 Folders with devices (displayed in the section Device) are physical directories. Their names are changed only through the file manager.
  • 🖼️ Custom albums (manually created) can be renamed, but they are not synced with folders on the device.
  • 🔗 If you delete an album in Google Photos function is enabled, the photos will remain on the device, but will disappear from the cloud (unless the Backup).

To rename a custom album:

  1. Open the album and click ⋮ → Edit album.
  2. Tap on the current name and enter a new one.
  3. Click Done (or the checkmark in the upper right corner).

⚠️ Attention: If you use Google. Photo in Memory optimization (storing photos in the cloud while deleting originals from the device), renaming albums will not affect physical files. They will only be accessible through the app.

📊 Which gallery do you use more often?
Google Photos
Standard gallery (Samsung/Xiaomi/Huawei)
Application side (QuickPic, Gallery Go, etc.)
I don’t know which one I have

4. Specifics of renaming on smartphones of different brands

Manufacturers of Android devices often modify standard applications, including the gallery. Let's look at the features of popular ones. brands:

Samsung Galaxy (One UI)

In Samsung Gallery you can only rename an album if it was created manually. To do this:

  1. Open the album and click ⋮ → Edit.
  2. Tap on the name and change him.
  3. Save changes with the button Done.

Folders Camera, Screenshots and other system folders are renamed only through My Files.

Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco (MIUI)

B MIUI Gallery the algorithm is similar, but there is a nuance: some albums (for example Photo from screen) may be blocked from editing. To rename them:

  • Use File Manager (built-in file manager).
  • Folders MIUI (for example, MIUI/Camera) it is better not to touch - this may break the operation of system applications.

Huawei/Honor (EMUI/Magic UI)

In the gallery Huawei you can rename an album by long pressing on it and selecting Edit. However, here there is often a problem with displaying Cyrillic names - it is better to use the Latin alphabet.

Google Pixel and other smartphones with pure Android

On Pixel is used by default Google Photos, so the algorithm renaming is the same as described in section 3. Physical folders are edited through Files by Google.

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On smartphones with custom skins (MIUI, One UI, EMUI), always check whether the album is a system one before renaming it through the file manager.

5. Third-party applications for managing albums

If the built-in tools are not satisfactory, you can use third-party galleries with advanced functions. The best options:

  • 📸 QuickPic —supports renaming folders and albums, quick search, hidden folders.
  • 🗃️ Gallery Go (from Google)—a lightweight alternative Google Photos with the ability to edit metadata.
  • 🔧 Simple Gallery Pro — paid application with open source code, supports album encryption and renaming without restrictions.
  • 🌐 F-Stop Gallery — for advanced users, allows you to manage tags and geodata.

An example of renaming in Simple Gallery Pro:

  1. Open the album and click ⋮ → Rename.
  2. Enter a new name (Cyrillic is supported).
  3. Confirm changes.

⚠️ Attention: When using third-party galleries, make sure that the application has access to the storage (Settings → Applications → Permissions). Some applications (for example QuickPic) may request additional permissions to work with cloud services.

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If you often work with photos, set up automatic backup in Google Photos or Yandex Disk before experiments with renaming folders.

6. What to do if the album is not renamed?

Sometimes users are faced with the fact that the renaming option is not available. Considerable reasons and solutions:

  • 🔒 The album is protected by the system —this applies to folders DCIM, Pictures or albums created by applications (for example, Instagram, VK). Solution: rename the folder through the file manager or create a new album manually and transfer the files there.
  • 📱 Shell limitations —some manufacturers (for example, Xiaomi) block editing of system albums. Solution: use a third-party gallery.
  • ☁️ The album is synchronized with the cloud — If photos are stored only in Google Photos or iCloud, renaming may not affect the device. Solution: download the photo back to your phone and create a local album.
  • 🔧 Application error —sometimes the gallery is glitchy. Solution: clear the application cache (Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage → Clear cache) or restart the device.

If none of the methods did not work, try the following algorithm:

  1. Create a new folder with the desired name through the file manager.
  2. Move all the photos from the old album there.
  3. Delete the old folder (make sure all files are copied first).
  4. Update the data in the gallery (pull the screen down to refresh).

7. Automating photo sorting: how to avoid manual renaming

To avoid manually renaming albums, you can set up automatic photo sorting. Here are several ways:

  • 📅 By date — Google Photos albums are automatically grouped by year and event. For this to work, do not disable geotags and shooting dates.
  • 🏷️ By tags — in Google Photos you can add tags (People, Places, Things). Albums based on them are created automatically.
  • 📁 Via Tasker or Automate — advanced users can configure automatic movement of photos into folders according to the rules (for example, all pictures with the geotag "Moscow" - into the album Moscow 2026).
  • ☁️ Cloud services — Yandex Disk and Dropbox allow you to create sorting rules for downloaded photo.

Example of setting up automatic albums in Google Photos:

  1. Open the photo and tap on the icon i (information).
  2. Add tags: People (face recognition), Places (geodata), Things (objects in the photo).
  3. Go to Library → Albums —automatically generated collections will appear here.

For automation via Tasker you will need:

  1. Install Tasker and plugin AutoTools.
  2. Create a task with a condition (for example, If a new photo in the DCIM folder).
  3. Add action Move file to the desired folder.
  4. Run task.
How to return old album names?

If, after renaming, you want to roll back the changes, but do not remember the old name:

1. Check Trash in the gallery - metadata may be saved there.

2. Use a file manager with a history of actions. (for example Solid Explorer).

3. Restore your photo backup from the cloud (if you have one).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about renaming albums

Is it possible to rename the album "Camera" or "Screenshots"?

Yes, but only through the file manager. However, this may lead to the fact that new photos will no longer be saved to this folder. It is better to create a new folder with the desired name and configure the camera to save there (if your model supports choosing a save path).

Why did the album disappear from the gallery after renaming?

This happens if:

  • You renamed physical folder, but the gallery has not yet updated the data. Pull the screen down to update.
  • The new name contains invalid characters (for example, / \: *?" < > |). data-i="316">The folder has become hidden (the name begins with a dot, for example
  • The folder has become hidden (the name begins with a dot, for example .MyPhotos). Remove the dot.
How to rename an album in Google Photos if there is no "Edit" button?

Most likely this is automatically generated album (for example, Video, Collages or Animations). Such albums cannot be renamed. Create a new album manually and add the necessary photos there.

Is it possible to rename an album on an SD card?

Yes, the algorithm is the same as for internal memory:

  1. Use a file manager with access to SD card.
  2. Rename the folder (make sure the card is not connected to the PC in data transfer mode).
  3. Update the data in the gallery.

⚠️ On some devices, to work with the SD card you need to format it as internal memory (in Settings → Storage).

How to mass rename albums?

For mass renaming:

  • Use a file manager with a batch renaming function (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
  • Connect your phone to the PC and use Total Commander or Far Manager.
  • Install the application Batch Rename from Google Play.

Important: when mass renaming, avoid duplicating folder names - this may lead to data loss.