Users of the Android operating system are often faced with a situation where they need to find saved links, favorite contacts or media files, but the standard interface does not directly answer the question of the location of this data. Favorites folder is not always a specific directory in the file manager, but rather a logical structure that depends on a specific application. Understanding how the system organizes user preferences is critical to restoring access to information or transferring data to a new device.
In most cases, what we call “favorites” are stored in secure internal application memory, rather than in the public domain. However, there are several ways to extract this information. We will look at paths to browser database files, features of working with contacts, and navigation methods in a standard Explorer. If you were looking for a universal directory, it does not exist, but knowing the specific paths for Google Chrome or Samsung Internet will solve your problem.
Before embarking on complex manipulations with the file system, it is worth checking the synchronization settings. Often the data is not lost, but simply hidden from local viewing due to the operation of cloud services. Let's take a look at exactly where to look for these files and how to access them without superuser rights.
Data storage structure in Android
The Android file system is based on Linux, which implies a strict directory hierarchy. Application data, including favorites lists, is usually located in the directory /data/data/. This area is not accessible to general users by default for security reasons. This means that a standard file manager will not show you database files without granting additional permissions or using a computer with USB debugging.
However, some applications, especially browsers and media players, can duplicate information in public folders. For example, downloads are often saved in /storage/emulated/0/Download, and cached images can be stored in /Android/media. Storage logic depending on the developer: some prefer to encrypt SQLite databases, others use simple text files or JSON structures in open directories.
Important distinguish between system “Favorites” (browser bookmarks) and user folders in the gallery. If you favorite a photo in the Gallery app, this is just metadata in the media scanner database, not moving the file to a new folder. Physically, the file remains in the same place where it was saved by the camera or messenger.
⚠️ Attention: Direct editing of database files in the folder
/data/data/without creating a backup copy may lead to complete inoperability of the application. The system may consider the file damaged and clear all data the next time it starts.
To access hidden sections, you often need to connect the smartphone to the PC in debugging mode. The command adb shell allows you to navigate through protected directories if the corresponding option in the developer menu is enabled on the device. This is a professional method that requires caution.
Before any manipulations with system files, be sure to make a full backup of your data via Google Account or local saving to a memory card.
Searching for browser bookmarks in the file system
The most common request concerns where the file with browser bookmarks is located. In modern versions of Android, especially starting from version 11, access to the folder Android/data is significantly limited. However, the physical location of the files remains the same. For a popular browser Google Chrome the bookmarks database is located at the path:
/data/data/com.android.chrome/app_chrome/Default/BookmarksThis file has no extension and is a JSON structure. To open it, you will need root privileges or use command adb pull to copy the file to your computer. An alternative way is to use the built-in export feature if available in the browser settings, which is much safer.
Other browsers, such as Firefox or Operause their own directory structures. For example, Firefox stores data in the org.mozilla.firefox/files/mozilla/[profile].default/places.sqlitefolder. The file places.sqlite contains history and bookmarks. Working with it requires special SQLite editors.
- 📂 Path to Chrome:
/data/data/com.android.chrome/... - 🦊 Path to Firefox:
/data/data/org.mozilla.firefox/... - 🌐 Path to Samsung Internet:
/data/data/com.sec.android.app.sbrowser/... - 💾 Data format: most often SQLite or JSON without extension.
If you do not have root access, the only legal way to see the content is to synchronize with the desktop version of the browser. On a computer, bookmark files are much easier to view and export to HTML format. This is a workaround that saves time and nerves.
Favorites in the gallery and media files
When the user clicks the icon “heart” on a photo in a standard gallery, the file does not move anywhere. The system simply assigns a special tag to this file in the media database. Therefore, searching for the physical Favorites folder in File Explorer will be unsuccessful. Instead, you should search for an album with the appropriate name in the application interface.
However, some third-party galleries, for example Google Photos, create special albums that can sync with the cloud. In the file system, such data can be reflected in hidden application cache directories, for example /Android/data/com.google.android.apps.photos/cache. But these are only temporary copies, not originals.
If you want to create an actual folder for your favorites, it's better to do it manually. Create a directory /DCIM/Favorites and move the necessary files there. This ensures that the files will be visible in all applications and accessible when connected to a PC without unnecessary utilities.
| Data type | Storage location | Access without Root | File format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookmarks Chrome | /data/data/com.android.chrome | No (export only) | JSON |
| Photo Favorites | Database metadata | Yes (via application) | JPG/PNG |
| Contact | /data/data/com.android.contacts | No (vCard only) | SQLite |
| Music (playlist) | /storage/emulated/0/Music | Yes | M3U/MP3 |
Remember that deleting a file from the “physical” folder will also delete it from the “virtual” favorites album. The connection between them is direct: an album is only a viewing window, not storage.
Favorites in the gallery are a virtual album (tag), and not a separate folder on the disk. The files remain in their original location.
Access to favorite contacts and messages
The contact database is stored in the system partition and is protected by the Android permissions model. The file contacts2.db lies in the deep depths of the system. Direct access to it is possible only with superuser rights. For the average user, the only way to work with favorite contacts is through the phone book interface or export to file .vcf.
When you export contacts, you receive a text file that can be opened on any device. This file will contain numbers, names and links to groups, including the Starred group. This is a reliable way to transfer data between smartphones from different manufacturers, for example, from Xiaomi to Samsung.
In instant messengers the situation is similar. Pinned chats or favorite messages are stored in the application's encrypted databases. In Telegram, for example, there is a “Favorites” function, which is essentially a cloud chat with yourself. Files from this chat are cached in the folder /Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files, but finding a specific message among the gigabytes of cache manually is almost impossible.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces and file paths may change after major Android updates (for example, the transition to Android 14 or 15). Always check the relevance of the paths in the official documentation of the developer or on specialized forums.
Using third-party contact managers can simplify the task. Some apps allow you to filter contacts by favorites and export them in bulk. This is more convenient than digging through system files.
Using a file manager to search
Advanced file managers such as Solid Explorer, CX File Explorer or Files by Googleare best suited for navigating through user-accessible sections. They allow you to see the directory structure in a clear way. Enter keywords in the file search, such as bookmark, favorite or starred.
The search may take several minutes depending on the amount of memory. The system will scan file names and their contents. If you are looking for a text file with a list of links that you created yourself, this method will work perfectly. For system databases, searching by file name is ineffective, since they are often named simply db or have a hash in the name.
Enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings (usually the “Show hidden files” checkbox). Many configuration files starting with a dot (for example, .config) are hidden from the user's view by default.
☑️ Preparing to search for files
Some manufacturers create their own add-ons to the file system. Shells MIUI or One UI can have preset categories “Documents” or “Downloads”, which aggregate files from different folders. These are virtual representations that simplify search, but do not reflect the real structure of the disk.
Access problems and superuser rights
Obtaining root access (superuser rights) removes all restrictions on reading and writing to system folders. Utilities like Root Explorer or MT Manager give access to /data/data. However, this action will void the device's warranty and may interfere with banking applications and highly secure services (SafetyNet/Play Integrity).
If your goal is simply to find a file, hacking the system for this is not worth it. It is enough to use the export functions within applications or synchronization with a PC. Root access is justified only for deep modification of the system or data recovery after a failure, when standard methods do not work.
If you have root access, be extremely careful with the command rm (delete). An error in one letter of the path can turn a smartphone into a “brick”. Always dump the partition before making changes.
Risks of obtaining root access
Obtaining superuser rights allows access to all files, but also makes the device vulnerable to malware. Many banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) refuse to work on rooted devices for security reasons. Restoring the original state (unroot) does not always guarantee the return of full functionality.
⚠️ Attention: Modifying system files requires high qualifications. Incorrectly changing access rights (chmod) to a folder
/datacan lead to a cyclic reboot of the device (bootloop).
Restoring deleted favorites
If you accidentally cleared a folder or deleted bookmarks, the chances of recovery depend on the availability of backups. Android automatically creates backups of settings and application data in Google Drive if this feature is enabled. When resetting the settings or on a new device, you can restore data from the cloud.
To restore deleted files without backup, you will need specialized data recovery utilities, such as DiskDigger. They scan the free space on the drive looking for traces of deleted files. The effectiveness of the method decreases if, after deletion, new data was written to the phone, since it could overwrite old sectors.
In the case of browser bookmarks, check the synchronization history in your Google account. Often, the deleted bookmark is still stored in the cloud profile and can be returned through the web interface of the browser on the computer.
Regular synchronization with Google Account is the best way to protect your favorites data from accidental deletion or device failure.
Where exactly is the Chrome bookmarks file without root access?
Without root access, you cannot directly access the file Bookmarks in the system folder. The only way to see its contents is to use the address chrome://bookmarks inside the browser itself or synchronize the data with the computer where the file is in the user profile.
Is it possible to transfer the Favorites folder to a memory card?
System databases (contacts, bookmarks) cannot be transferred to a memory card, they are strictly tied to the internal storage However, you can manually create a folder on the SD card and configure an application (for example, gallery or music) to save new favorite files there, if such an option is provided by the developer.
Why don’t I see the Android/data folder in the file manager?
Starting with Android 11, access to the folder Android/data for Third-party file managers are closed by the Scoped Storage security policy. To see its contents, you need to use the system's built-in file manager or connect the phone to a PC in file transfer mode (MTP).
How to export favorites from contacts?
Open the Contacts application, go to Settings → Manage contacts → Import/export contacts. Select Export to .vcf file. The resulting file will contain all contacts, including those marked as favorites (with an asterisk).
Deleting the Bookmarks file will reset your browser settings?
Yes, deleting or damaging the file Bookmarks will lead to the loss of all saved bookmarks. The next time you launch the browser, it will create a new empty file. You can restore data only from a backup copy or through synchronization with a Google account.