Modern mobile games have become incredibly demanding on smartphone resources. Console-level graphics, open worlds and complex physics engines take up gigabytes of space. Often, users are faced with a situation where, after installing an APK file from a third-party source, the game requires additional data that is not downloaded automatically or the download is interrupted due to poor Internet.
In such cases, manual installation comes to the rescue. cache files. This is a folder with resources (textures, models, sounds), which must be placed in a strictly defined directory of internal memory. ES Explorer (ES File Explorer) has long remained one of the most powerful tools for working with the file system, allowing you not only to move data, but also unpack archives directly on the device without connecting to a PC.
The process seems complicated only at first glance. In fact, if you understand the logic behind Android's folder structure, the entire operation will take no more than a couple of minutes. The main thing is to know where exactly to put the files and how to correctly extract them from the archive format .zip or .obbso that the game sees them when starting.
Preparing files and choosing the version of the explorer
Before starting manipulations, make sure that you have two key elements: the game installation file (.apk) and an archive with a cache. The cache is usually distributed in compressed form to reduce download size. It is important to check the version of your file manager. Older versions ES File Explorer had more open access to system folders, while new versions on Android 11 and higher may restrict access to the directory Android/obb due to Google's security policies (Scoped Storage).
If you are using a modern version of File Explorer, the system may ask for special permission when trying to enter system folders. You will need to confirm access by clicking the "Allow" button in the system dialog. Without this step, you simply will not be able to copy the files to the desired location, and the game will throw an error at startup. Make sure that the option is enabled on your device "Unknown sources" in the security settings if you are installing the game itself manually.
⚠️ Attention: If you downloaded the cache from an untrusted source, be sure to scan the file with an antivirus before unpacking it. Archives with modified games often hide malicious scripts that can steal personal data.
It is also worth paying attention to the amount of free memory. The cache of heavy games like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact can occupy from 2 to 10 GB. Insufficient space will result in an unpacking error halfway through, and you will have to start the process all over again, deleting damaged files.
Searching and moving an archive with a cache
After downloading the archive, it usually ends up in the folder Download or Downloads. Open ES Explorer and go to the root of the internal storage. Find a file with the extension .zip, .rar or sometimes .obb (if it is a ready-made file and not an archive). The file name often contains the game name or version code, for example com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftA8HM.zip.
Do not try to immediately move the compressed file to the system folder. First you need to unpack it. Find the archive, hold your finger on it until the selection checkmark appears, then select More in the lower menu and find the option "Unpack here" or Extract here. The process may take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the speed of your smartphone’s flash memory and the size of the archive.
As a result, a new directory with a name corresponding to the game will appear in the same folder. It is this folder that contains the data files. Now it needs to be moved. Select the newly created folder, click Cut (or Copy, if you are afraid of losing the original before checking). Do not delete the original right away until you are sure that the game works correctly.
- 📂 Always check that there are no extra subfolders with the name of the game inside the unpacked folder, otherwise the path will become incorrect.
- 💾 Use the "Cut" function to avoid duplicating files and taking up extra disk space.
- 🔍 Make sure that the name of the cache folder exactly matches the name of the game package (for example,
com.rockstargames.gtasa).
Android folder structure: where exactly to put the cache
The most The critical step is choosing the right directory to insert files in. In the Android ecosystem, there is a strict hierarchy. For most modern games, the cache should be located in the Android/obbfolder. Previously, on older versions of the system (before Android 10), the Android/datafolder was often used, but now the standard has shifted towards obb for resource files. data-i="83">Go to the root of the internal storage, open the folder
Go to the root of the internal storage, open the folder Android, and then obb. If you simply paste the files into Android or into the root of the memory, the game will not find them and will require you to reload the data, or will display a black screen Inside the folder. obb There should be a folder with the name of the game package, and inside it there should be cache files.
Sometimes users confuse the concepts and try to throw files into Android/data. Although some older engines may work this way, the correct tone is to place it in obb. This separates the application's executable data and temporary cache files. If you are not sure, read the instructions for the specific game on the forum where you downloaded the files.
| File type | Destination folder | Example path | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| APK | Root or any folder | /storage/emulated/0/Download/ | Application installer |
| OBB (Cache) | Android/obb | /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/com.game.name/ | Heavy resources (graphics, sound) |
| Data | Android/data | /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.game.name/ | Saves and configs (rarely) |
| Root cache | Memory root | /storage/emulated/0/Gameloft/Games/ | Outdated format for old games |
What to do if the Android/obb folder is not visible?
In new versions of ES Explorer and on Android 11+, access to this folder may be hidden. Tap the folder icon at the top of the screen, select Internal Storage, then allow access through the system prompt. If this does not help, use the system's built-in file manager for copying, and ES only for unpacking.
The process of unpacking and pasting data
When you are in the folder obb, press the button Paste at the bottom of the screen ES Explorer. The file copying process will begin. The speed depends on the class of your memory card (if you are using an external one) or the type of built-in storage (UFS 2.1, UFS 3.1, etc.). Do not interrupt the process and do not lock the screen if the phone tends to “fall asleep” when writing to the disk is active.
After the operation is completed, go inside the created folder. You should see files with the extension .obb (for example, main.123.com.game.obb). If you see another folder there with the name of the game, it means the nesting structure is broken. In this case, you need to go deeper, cut out the cache files and move them up a level, into the folder itself with the package name.
Correct structure looks like this: Internal memory → Android → obb → com.name.game → .obb files. There should not be any extra subfolders between the package name and the files. This is a common mistake made by beginners, which leads to the game starting, but immediately crashing or writing “Loading resources.”
☑️ Installation checklist
Typical errors and methods for solving them
Even if you follow all the instructions, problems may arise. One of the most common is the “Not enough space” error, although there seems to be space. This happens due to the file system: to unpack an archive, you need space for both the archive itself and the unpacked files at the same time. If you have 5 GB of cache and 5.1 GB of free space, unpacking will fail. Free up at least 1-2 GB above the cache size.
Another problem is version mismatch. The cache from game version 1.5 will not work for version 1.6. Developers often change the file structure between updates. If the game crashes after installing the cache, check whether the version of the downloaded cache matches the version of the installed APK. The name of the cache file often indicates the version number (for example, main.150... where 150 is the version code).
⚠️ Attention: The interface and access paths in file managers may change with Android updates. If the standard path does not work, check the official documentation of the game developer or the latest topics on relevant forums.
Also worth mentioning is the issue of access rights. On some Xiaomi, Huawei or Samsung smartphones with proprietary skins, aggressive memory optimization may delete cache files immediately after installation. Go to the battery settings and disable optimization for the file manager and the game itself so that the system does not “kill” recording processes.
If the game still does not see the cache, try clearing the data of the application itself (Settings → Applications → Game → Memory → Clear data) and start it again. This will force the game to rescan the obb folder.
Features of working on different versions of Android
Starting with Android 11, Google has introduced strict restrictions on access to the folder Android. Third-party applications, including ES Explorermay not display the contents of this directory or prohibit writing to it. In this case, when you try to insert files, you will receive an access error.
The solution may be to use the built-in system explorer (for example, “Files” from Google) for the final move, while ES is used only for unpacking into a neutral folder (for example, the root of memory). There are also special plugins or developer modes that allow you to return the old access type, but this requires deeper knowledge of the system.
On older devices (Android 6-9) there are no such problems. You can freely move files anywhere. However, older smartphones often experience the problem of slow writing speeds, which causes the phone to freeze when unpacking large archives. In such cases, it is better to distribute the files via a computer by connecting the phone via USB in storage mode.
The main rule of success is an exact match of the name of the cache folder with the name of the APK package and the absence of unnecessary levels of nesting inside the obb directory.
Is it possible to store the cache on a memory card (SD card)?
On modern versions of Android (10 and higher), applications are prohibited from reading cache from external SD cards for security and performance reasons. The cache must be located strictly in internal storage. Trying to move a folder Android/obb to a flash drive will result in the game not starting.
What to do if ES Explorer asks you to buy premium for unpacking?
In some regions or versions of the application, the RAR/ZIP unpacking function may be limited. In this case, use alternative free archivers, such as ZArchiver or RAR, which do an excellent job of this task and do not have such limitations.
Why does the game require you to download data again after manual installation?
Most likely, you have violated the folder structure (extra nesting) or the name folder does not match the game package name. It is also possible that the cache version does not match the APK version. Check the paths again by referring to the table above.
Is it safe to use ES File Explorer in 2026-2026?
The classic version of ES File Explorer was not updated for a long time and contained advertising modules. It is recommended to use version ES File Explorer Pro or alternatives like Solid Explorer or CX File Explorerwhich are more secure and support new Android standards.
Do I need to restart the phone after installing the cache?
Usually this is not necessary. You just need to start the game. However, if the game crashes immediately after the logo appears, one reboot can help the system correctly index new files in memory.