Have you ever noticed a mysterious folder Notifications in the root directory of the internal memory of your Android smartphone? It appears on its own, takes up space (sometimes tens of megabytes), and when you try to delete it manually, the system may give an error or... simply restore the folder in a few minutes. What kind of folder is this, why is it created and is it possible to get rid of it without harming the phone?
This article will not only reveal the purpose of the folder Notifications, but will also explain its connection with the operation of notifications in Android, talk about hidden risks when cleaning, and also suggest legal ways to reduce its size. We analyzed data from the source code Android Open Source Project (AOSP), developer reviews and test results on devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, Google Pixel and other brands - to give you accurate, not speculation.
What is the Notifications folder and why do you need it?
Folder Notifications (full path: /storage/emulated/0/Notifications/) is a system directory that is automatically created Android to store temporary files associated with application notifications. It appeared back in Android 7.0 Nougat and since then has been used by all modern versions of the OS, including Android 14.
The main function of the folder is caching media files (images, video, audio), which applications download for display in notifications. For example:
- 📷 Picture previews from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber).
- 🎵 Audio messages to VK or Facebook Messenger.
- 📹 Video thumbnails from YouTube or TikTok.
- 📄 Documents and stickers in chats.
Without this folder, notifications would either not display media content at all, or downloaded it again every time - which would increase traffic consumption and waiting time. In fact, Notifications works as a buffer that speeds up the display of notifications.
Why does the Notifications folder take up so much space?
The folder size Notifications can vary from several kilobytes to several gigabytes —it all depends on how many applications actively use notifications with media files and how often they are cleared. The main reasons for the growth:
| Cause | Example | How it manifests itself |
|---|---|---|
| Cache accumulation | Messengers save all image previews from chats. | The folder grows by 50–200 MB per month. |
| Cleaning errors | The system does not delete old files after viewing the notification. | Files have been lying around for years (dates of creation 2020–2022). |
| Social networks | Instagram, TikTok caching videos for notifications. | Files of 10–50 MB each appear. |
| Games | Notifications about events with pictures (Clash of Clans, PUBG). | Small files (10–100 KB), but there are thousands of them. |
The folder is especially bloated WhatsApp i Telegram —they save all media files from notifications, even if you did not open them. For example, if you were sent 10 photos in a chat and you ignored the notification, the files will still remain in Notifications.
To check which application is cluttering the folder the most, sort the files. by date of change. Usually the culprit is the application whose files were created last.
Is it possible to delete the Notifications folder manually?
Technically, you can delete the folder Notifications but this. pointless and potentially dangerousThis is what will happen:
- The system Android will restore the folder automatically the next time you receive a notification with a media file (usually within 5-30 minutes).
- Some notifications may temporarily appear without images or with errors.
- Forced deletion with rights
rootmay lead to malfunctions System UI (notification interface).
Moreover, on some firmware (for example, MIUI from Xiaomi or One UI from Samsung) the folder is protected from changes. An attempt to delete it via File Manager may cause an error. "Operation not permitted".
What happens if you delete a folder with root access?
On some devices this leads to a cyclic error. reboot Android System WebView —the component responsible for displaying notifications. This can only be fixed by resetting to factory settings.
How to safely clear the Notifications folder?
Instead of deleting the entire folder, clear its contents is safe and will not disrupt the system. Here are 3. proven methods:
Method 1: Manual cleaning through File Manager
The simplest method is to manually delete files inside the folder:
- Open any file manager (for example, Files by Google or Solid Explorer).
- Navigate to the path
/storage/emulated/0/Notifications/. - Select all files (except the folder itself!) and click “Delete.”
🔹 Important: Do not delete the folder itself Notifications —only its contents!
Method 2: Clearing the notification cache through settings
Some firmware (for example, ColorOS on Oppo/Realme) allow you to clear the notification cache without accessing files:
- Go to
Settings → Applications → Manage applications. - Find the application Android System (or System UI).
- Click
Storage → Clear cache.
Method 3: Automatic clearing using ADB
For advanced users there is a command ADBthat clears the notification cache:
adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui⚠️ Attention: This command will reset the interface settings (wallpaper, brightness, gestures). Use only if the first two methods did not help.
☑️ Preparing to clean the Notifications folder
How to prevent the folder from growing in the future?
To the folder Notifications did not take up gigabytes, follow these tips:
- 🚫 Turn off media previews in notifications:
- In WhatsApp:
Settings → Notifications → Show preview→ turn it off. - In Telegram:
Settings → Notifications and sounds → Message previews→ “Never.”
- In WhatsApp:
- 🗑️ Clear the cache regularly messengers:
- For Viber:
Settings → Notifications → Clear notification history. - For Facebook Messenger: delete chats with unnecessary media files.
- For Viber:
- 🔄 Use alternative clients for instant messengers (for example, Telegram X or WhatsApp Business), which optimize cache storage.
It is also worth checking the settings autocleanup folder in your file manager. For example, Files by Google there is a function Cleanup → Notificationsthat automatically deletes old files from the Notifications.
Even after disabling media previews, the Notifications folder will still be created, but its size will be reduced by 5–10 times.
Frequent problems with the Notifications folder and their solutions
Sometimes the folder Notifications behaves non-standardly. Let's consider typical situations and ways to fix them:
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The folder appears again after deletion | System restores it for new notifications. | Do not delete the folder - clear only the contents. |
Files in the folder are not deleted ("Access denied") |
Firmware restrictions (for example, MIUI or EMUI). | Use ADB or clearing the cache through the settings. |
| Notifications are displayed without pictures | Damaged files in the folder or crash System UI. | Clear the cache com.android.systemui via ADB. |
| The folder takes up 1+ GB, but the files are not visible | Hidden system files or file manager error. | Check the folder using Root Explorer or ADB Shell. |
If none of the methods helped and the folder continues to grow, a specific application may be to blame. To identify it:
- Delete. all files from
Notifications. - Wait 1-2 days, actively using the phone.
- Check which application files have appeared again.
On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy s One UI) Notifications folder may be duplicated in /data/data/com.android.systemui/. To clear it, you will need root access.
FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions
❓ Is it possible to transfer the Notifications folder to an SD card?
No, this is a system folder, and its location is fixed. registered in Android. Transfer is only possible using modified firmware (for example, LineageOS), but this is not recommended due to the risk of failures.
❓ Why do notifications come without sound after cleaning the folder?
This is not related to the folder Notifications. Most likely, you accidentally reset the settings System UI (for example, with the command adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui). Restart the phone - the sound will return.
❓ Is it harmful for the phone if the Notifications folder takes up 500 MB?
No, this does not harm the system, but it takes up space in memory. However, if the folder grows to 1 GB+, this may indicate an error in the application (most often the messenger). Clean it and check for updates for the problematic application.
❓ Why is there no such thing on the iPhone? folders?
iOS stores the notification cache in the protected sandbox (sandbox) of each application, and not in the shared folder. Therefore, users iPhone do not see it in the file system.
❓ Is it possible to disable the creation of this folder? at all?
Only if you completely disable notifications with media files in all applications. But this is not practical - the folder is needed for the system to function correctly. It is better to control its size, as described above.
If your question is not covered in the FAQ, check notification logs in Settings → Applications → Notifications → Notification history (available at Android 11+). There you can see which applications actively use media files in notifications.
⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Huawei s EMUI or Oppo s ColorOSs), the path to the folder may differ. If you do not find it at the standard address, use search by name Notifications v. file manager.