How to permanently delete the "Popular" folder on Android: from manual methods to ADB

Folder "Popular" (or «Popular», «Trending») is an automatically created system directory on many smartphones Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei and other brands. It appears in the gallery or file manager and contains media files that the system considers “relevant”: screenshots, downloads from instant messengers, frequently viewed images. For some users this is convenient, for others it is annoying garbage that takes up space and duplicates files.

The problem is that this folder cannot be deleted using standard means - it is restored after a reboot or synchronization. In this article we will look at 5 working methodsincluding hidden settings, ADB commands and even modification of system files (for advanced ones). Important: Some methods require root access or may affect the stability of the device. We will indicate the risks in advance.

Why does the “Popular” folder appear again and again

The folder "Popular" is not a virus or a system error. It is created Google services (for example, Google Photos or Google Drive) or smartphone manufacturer (in firmware MIUI, One UI, EMUI). Its tasks:

• 📌 Quick access to frequently used files (the algorithm analyzes your activity).
• 🔄 Synchronization with cloud services (for example, Google Photos automatically adds screenshots there).
• 📱 Advertising content (on some devices, the folder contains promotional materials from the manufacturer).

The system restores the folder after deletion, because:

1. It is registered in /system/media or /data/data as “system”.
2. Google services or firmware periodically scan the storage and restore the “needed” directories.
3. On some devices (Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi Redmi) the folder is linked to brand cloud storage (Mi Cloud, Samsung Cloud).

⚠️ Attention: If you use Google Photos with the function "Backup", the folder can be created even after a complete reset. More about this in the section about cloud services.

Method 1: Disabling through gallery settings (without root)

The safest method — hide folder in the settings of the standard gallery. This will not physically remove it, but it will no longer appear in the interface. Suitable for most smartphones Android 10+.

Instructions:

1. Open the application "Gallery" (or "Photo"if you have Google Photos).
2. Tap on three dots (⋮) → "Settings" → "Folders".
3. Find the folder "Popular" (or «Popular») and uncheck next to it.
4. Confirm the action - the folder will disappear from the list, but the files will remain on the device.

Open gallery

Find the "Folders" section in the settings

Uncheck "Popular"

Reboot the device (optional)

-->

🔹 Method limitations:

• ❌ The folder remains in the file manager (for example, in Files by Google).
• ❌ After updating the firmware, the settings may be reset.
• ✅ Works on Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme without root.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (Huawei, Honor) this method does not work due to firmware features. EMUIIn this case, proceed to the next method.

Method 2: Deleting through a file manager (with root access)

If you have root access, you can physically delete the folder. This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires working with system directories.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Install a file manager with root support (for example, Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the root directory (/) and find the folder:
   • /storage/emulated/0/Popular (on most devices),
   • /sdcard/Popular (on older versions of Android),
   • /data/media/0/Popular (if the folder is hidden).

🔹 What to do if the folder appears again?

• 🛠️ Change access rights to the parent directory (for example, /storage/emulated/0/) through the command:

  chmod 755 /storage/emulated/0/

  This will limit the possibility of creating new folders without your knowledge.

• 📛 Rename the folder to something like Popular_old —the system will not be able to restore it.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 12+ and One UI 4+ the folder can be protected SELinux. In this case, you will need to temporarily switch the system to the Permissive command:

su
setenforce 0

But this increases the risk vulnerabilities!

Method 3: Disabling via ADB (without root)

If you do not have root access, but have a computer, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB)This method works on most devices, but requires enabling "USB debugging".

Instructions:

1. Download ADB Tools on a PC and unpack it into a folder.
2. On your smartphone, enable:
   • «Developer options" (tap 7 times on the build number in “About phone”).
   • «USB debugging" in the developer menu.

adb devices
adb shell
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.gallery3d

🔹 What it does this command?

• ✅ Removes updates to the standard gallery, resetting it to the factory version (the "Popular" folder may disappear).
• ⚠️ Does not delete user data, but can reset the gallery settings.

📌 Alternative command (if the first did not work):

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.photos

Method 4: Cleaning through cloud services

If the folder "Popular" is synchronized with Google Photos, Mi Cloud or Samsung Cloud, delete it on the device will not help - it will return with the next cloud update. In this case, you need disable synchronization.

Instructions for different services:

⚠️ Attention: Disable synchronization will stop automatic photo backup. If this is critical, use alternative services (for example, Yandex Disk or Dropbox) without automatic file sorting.

Method 5: Modifying system files (for experienced ones)

If none of the methods helped, it remains editing system configs. This is an extreme measure that requires root and knowledge of working with Android. We will consider two options:

1. Deleting via build.prop:
   • Open the file /system/build.prop in a text editor (for example, BuildProp Editor).
   • Add the line:

     ro.config.nocreate_popular_folder=true

   • Save the file and reboot the device.

adb shell ln -s /storage/EXTERNAL_SD/Popular /storage/emulated/0/Popular