What does android process media mean? Error in Android Process Media application: why it occurs and how to fix it

All companies that are at least somehow connected with the open Android operating system are constantly optimizing it and testing it. Unfortunately, from time to time errors creep in and users themselves are forced to deal with them. Especially in cases where their gadgets are no longer officially updated by device manufacturers - then there is simply no other choice left and people are forced to look for solutions to certain problems on their own. As you understand, today we will tell you about the solution to one of them. You've probably repeatedly encountered the android.process.media error that occurs when launching and installing applications. Well, let's figure out how to overcome it with little blood.

What to do if an android.process.media error occurs when launching the application

Despite the fact that many owners of devices running Android OS (up to 4.2) encounter this error quite often, it is easy to fix. Most often it occurs when you try to install or run an application that is incompatible with your device or has not been verified by Google Play. This mistake is very easy to avoid - just download applications only from the Market. It is also advisable to get an antivirus - for example, Dr.Web.

However, if you need to install an uncertified application, bypassing Google Play, which you are sure of, you will have to overcome the android.process.media error. To do this, you should do the following:
In most cases, after performing the above steps, the problem disappears. If nothing has changed for you at all, the error remains the same, we advise you to use another method - a more radical one. However, it is better not to use it on an ongoing basis - you risk the integrity of the slot where the memory card is inserted and the card itself.

A radical method of dealing with the android.process.media error

Before you proceed with this operation, we would like to advise you to save all important files: photos, videos and music on your computer. So, here's what this method is all about: You just need to remove the memory card before installing the app. Why is this method dangerous? The fact is that if you cannot get rid of the error, you will have to remove the memory card before installing any application. Of course, there is a risk that this will end disastrously either for the flash drive itself or for the slot.

Also, as an option, you can try to copy all the data from the card to a PC, and then format it using your smartphone - through the “Settings” -> “Memory” -> “Empty SD card” menu.

Finally, I would like to say that the 100% way to get rid of the android.process.media error once and for all is to update your device to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Newer versions are welcome. Google has put a lot of effort into optimizing the OS and most of the common errors in this and newer versions of the system do not bother ordinary users.

Despite the huge staff of developers and testers working on new versions of Android, defects are often discovered by users. And it’s good if the problem is related to a system failure and not a virus. I encountered a problem when an error occurred in the android.process.media application and I will share my experience on how to fix it.

What is android.process.media?

The android.process.media process is a standard service that monitors and classifies all media files on a device. For example, when you launch Gallery or QuickPic, you only see your photos and videos, not the entire contents of your device. It is this process that allows you to systematize data, making everyday use of your smartphone easier.

The cause of the error may be damage to the file system, incorrect deletion of standard protected applications, editing OS configuration files, and even the presence of two folders with the same name on the external drive and in the internal memory of the phone.

I’ll say right away that the occurrence of the android.process.media error is not associated with virus programs and does not pose a danger to the user’s personal data.

Solution

There's nothing complicated about it. Follow these steps:

After turning on the smartphone (tablet) and connecting to the Internet, the above applications will load the correct data, which will eliminate the appearance of the android.process.media application error.

Preventive measures

If after fixing the error it appears again after some time, you need to do the following:

Repeat the instructions from the “Solving the problem” section.
When installing applications from Google Play, you must remove the memory card, thereby saving them to the internal memory of your smartphone.
Update the firmware and software of the device.

Now you know what to do if an error occurs in the android.process.media application. For clarity, I suggest watching a video on this topic:

Android smartphones and tablets have evolved from primitive dialers into multifunctional devices. Launching a 3D game, video or viewing photos is not difficult for them. But errors may occur when launching pre-installed programs on your phone. The most common one is that “an error occurred in the android process media application.” What is the reason and how to fix the annoying problem we suggest to consider below in the text.

Before moving on to the main causes of the malfunction, it is necessary to understand its essence. Android process media is responsible for all media data on a mobile phone, including photos from the camera, downloaded pictures, videos, etc. For example, the built-in video player does not need to manually search for videos, but immediately collects suitable files and offers them to the user. Similarly, the system works in various audio players, image galleries, both “built into” the operating system, and in third-party photo viewing programs. Knowing the essence of the problem, we move on to the reasons for its occurrence.

File system problems

The first and most common reason for this error is problems with deleting files. Also, a large number of photos and downloaded images will eventually reboot the internal storage memory and the operating system. As a result, media content takes a long time to load, and this affects when launching applications on a mobile phone.

Error when starting the application

The Process Media error often occurs when videos are not expanded correctly. A regular .mp4 or .avi file is renamed into an inappropriate format, and this blocks the work of the gallery and video players that access it. Two folders with the same names in the internal memory and on the microSD card are the cause of this error.
Users of Android 4.3 and later smartphones encounter this problem much less frequently than owners of older phones. This is due largely to software improvements that make it possible to process large volumes of media data. However, problems with the file system of the internal memory of the mobile phone almost guarantee the appearance of such errors. For more information about Android Process Media when launching applications, see the training video.

Incorrect flashing of a mobile device

Quite often, when flashing a mobile phone, especially using custom firmware, smartphone owners encounter problems with stability. Process Media has become widespread, which occurs whenever an application, photo/video gallery or game is launched. When flashing, compatibility drivers are installed along with the operating system itself and related programs. If they are not provided for a specific smartphone model, or they are damaged, then the phone will not function normally. To avoid getting into a similar situation, you need to read the instructions about the selected firmware in detail and check its compatibility with the mobile device.
We recommend watching a training video in which you will find tips for choosing the optimal firmware for your mobile phone.

Remedies

If, when launching applications, your mobile phone displays an Android Process Media error on the screen, then we will use proven methods to eliminate it. The first and most universal is clearing the media cache, the second is to remove the microSD memory card. Let us describe both methods in more detail with a step-by-step algorithm of actions.

Clearing cache

If an error occurs when launching applications on the phone, clear the cache of multimedia applications. The fact is that the error is based on a mismatch between the cache of real media file data. Therefore, it is recommended to clear it, at least for those applications that the system accesses. For this:

Go to the main settings menu. Find it from the notification shade or by tapping on the icon in the application menu.
Click on the applications tab.
In the list presented, find and select the “Download Manager” application.
We delete all application data by clicking on the appropriate button.
We go back and do the same steps with the “Multimedia Storage” application.
We reboot the mobile device using any available method.

When you boot the mobile phone, both applications cleared from the cache will update the data, bringing it in accordance with the file system of the internal memory. To check that the error has been resolved, just launch the application; its normal launch indicates that the actions were performed correctly, and the Android process media error will disappear.

An error occurs due to the memory card

We have sorted out the occurrence of the Android process media error in the internal memory, but what to do if the reason is in the file system of the flash drive? We solve the problem by removing the microSD card from the mobile device connector and installing your favorite applications through the company's playmarket store. The main problems that arise in this case:

It can be inconvenient to remove the card from the slot. In most Samsung and LG smartphones, this requires turning off the mobile phone, removing the battery and protective case;
Constantly removing the card leads to wear on the connector and the card itself;
you will need to repeat the extraction every time you need to download or install an application from the play market;
programs and games will be installed in the phone’s internal storage, which will quickly fill it up.

It’s easy to format a flash drive without removing it from your smartphone. Just go to the settings menu of your Android mobile device, open the memory tab and click on the corresponding button. First move important files to a separate drive so that they can be copied back after completion. This process takes a long time, increasing with the volume of the microSD card, so it is better to use the first method.

How to avoid errors on your mobile device

If you are tired of clearing application data and removing the memory card from the phone slot every time, you can reduce the likelihood of an error occurring. To do this, check for mobile phone updates, and if there is one, update to the latest version. Preferably Android 4.3 Jelly bean and higher. In it, the developers have significantly reworked the optimization of internal memory and work with microSD cards.
Another way is to create an empty file called .nomedia and place it in all application folders that do not need to be monitored. This will avoid or at least reduce the risk of errors appearing when launching installed applications. The function of limiting media monitoring is implemented in many free utilities. It is turned on from the settings menu.

This material will describe the Android process acore error. Frequent causes and methods for solving this problem will be given below. Sometimes errors occur during application installation. Programs and games may not launch. The problem we are interested in today is often the cause of such failures.

Process

Many users are concerned about the question: “What to do if an Android process media error occurs on your device?” The reason and solutions will be described below, but first we will briefly talk about the purpose of this element. Processes are responsible for running services in the operating system. The element we are interested in is no exception.

So, there is an error in the Android process media application, hence it needs to be fixed as it is the component that controls all the media data of the smartphone. This process allows playback applications to communicate with existing images, music, and videos. The case we are talking about concerns the unsuccessful launch of the player. As a result, the program closes because the Android process media application encountered an error.

In certain cases, a similar failure may occur during the installation of components. The reason is that the process was terminated incorrectly. It can be caused by several factors. First of all, it may be an incorrect file system. This reason can be considered the main one. Less common conditions include the same names, number of images, incorrect video format, and incorrect data deletion.

We fix it

One of the reasons why the Android process media app has an error is because there are no updates. The fact is that, starting with operating system 4.3, such failures rarely occur, since the developers managed to eliminate almost all the shortcomings. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the updates.

The second reason why the Android process media app failed could be due to a mismatch between the cache and the media data. To fix the problem, you need to clear the first one. As a result, it will automatically update itself with the correct data.

So, there are a number of important steps that need to be followed. Go to “Settings”. Select "Applications". We are looking for “Task Manager”. After opening it, you should delete all data from the application that launched with an error. We leave this section and select the “Multimedia Storage” subsection. We also delete his data. After this, reboot the device.

The described steps will help both applications update the data and make it current. From this moment on, the correct operation of applications is guaranteed, and the error message will disappear.

If an external memory card is used to store information, you should remove it and then install the application using Google Play. This way, the required content will be placed on the internal storage of the device. You can also format the memory card, but you must first save the data and write it back, but in the correct file system. The latter approach can be considered quite labor-intensive. It can be time-consuming, but is very effective in some cases.

Prevention

To prevent the error we are interested in from occurring, it is recommended to create an empty file with a special .nomedia extension and place it in those directories that do not contain media files.

Today we told you how to return your device to working condition, as well as avoid this problem in the future. It should be noted that the described error can be eliminated using the methods presented above, regardless of which manufacturer created the device used.

It should also be noted that the failure in question may occur due to accidental deletion of system files that are necessary for the operation of the operating system. Disabling system applications also leads to similar errors.

Please remember that installation of several programs with similar functions may cause problems. This situation can cause software conflicts. For example, we can talk about email clients and synchronizing contact list data.

Today we will analyze the error android process media this errorappears when installing or launching applications. In the articleI will look at the reasons for the android.process.media error and how to solve them.

Actions that cause the android process media error to appear:

If you try to launch or install on the device an incompatible program that has not been tested on Google Play;

If files are deleted incorrectly;

When the memory contains a very large number of files;

Unsupported data format;

The presence of folders with the same name on the internal memory and on the card;

If there are viruses;

Other reasons.

File system corruption

Error android.process.media clear cache and data

Most often, Android displays the android.process.media error when it finds a discrepancy between real media files and the contents of the cache.In order to get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon, you need to clear the cache that is directly related to memory data. To do this, you need to clear the cache in the following applications Downloads, Media storage, Google Services Framework, Google Play Market, here is the procedure:

First you need to enter the system menu;

Click on the gear to go to settings;

Select by clicking “Applications”;

Find “All”, then “Downloads”;

Perform “Erase data” and “Clear cache”;

We also erase data and cache for the following applications: Media Storage, Google Services Framework, Google Play Store

Now you need to go back to the “Google Services Framework” and forcefully stop this application by clicking on the “Stop” button and repeat the procedure for deleting data and cache.

Now open Google Play and try to run the application that was throwing the “android.process.media” error. After a window with error information appears, simply click on the “Ok” button.

Reboot your device and after it turns on, go to the “Applications” menu item and restart the “Google Services Framework” service by clicking on the “Enable” button.

Media Storage and Google Sync

1. Go to the “Settings” - “Synchronization” menu and disable synchronization with your Google account (uncheck the boxes and save the data).

2. Find the “Gallery” application in the settings and select “Erase data”, and then disable the application.

3. Go back to the settings again and find the “Download Manager” menu item. Just as in the previous paragraph, we perform the steps to delete information and disable the service.

4. We completely reboot the device and after turning it on, the error should no longer bother you.

Another way to solve the problem is to disable “Auto-sync data”

1. Open your device's Settings menu.

2. Select “Accounts”

3. Call the drop-down menu.

4. Uncheck “Auto-sync data”

File system errors

For normal operation of the device, it is necessary to periodically clear the phone’s memory and organize existing files and folders; for these purposes, you can use the programClean Master and ES Explorer also follows:

Avoid identical names of folders and files;

Store media files not randomly, one file at a time, in different folders, but in specific ones specifically designed for this purpose;

Avoid duplicating files;

If you really have a lot of media files, then in the folders where there are none, place an empty “.nomedia” file, which will indicate this to the android.process.media procedure;

Use anti-virus programs and install mobile anti-viruses - neglecting this rule can lead to irreversible consequences;

Reformat the memory card and make a new recording of media files on it, which will lead to organizing your file system on it

Memory card error

If an error occurs in android.process.media due to the fault of the memory card, then you can remove it from the device to install the application. But there are negative aspects of such actions:

You will have to constantly remove and insert the card;

Constantly removing the card can lead to its failure, as well as to damage to the slot;

Installing applications on far from rubbery internal memory.

The problem may occur due to the same folder names in the phone's internal memory with folder names on the SD card. Manually check both memories and rename the same named folders.

You can make sure that the problem is in the SD card by removing it from the phone and trying to download something from the Play Market or launch an application that did not open before. If everything works, then there are two options: purchase a new memory card or format the problematic one. You can perform formatting by following the following steps, but first it is strongly recommended to copy all useful and necessary files to another medium, since they will all be permanently deleted:

1. Open the “Settings” application

2. Go to the “Memory” section

3. Scroll down and press the “Format: MicroSD” button.

4. Confirm the action by clicking the “Format” button.

5. Restart the device.

Factory reset

Use this method only as a last resort, and before performing a factory reset, save all data from your phone to your computer, as it will be completely deleted and will no longer be recoverable.

1. Go to the “Settings” menu and find the “Backup and reset” item.

2. Highlight the Reset settings submenu and select Reset phone settings. Click the "Erase everything" button.

3. Now reboot the phone and the error should disappear.

Some applications themselves can bypass unnecessary folders for analysis. In the settings of these applications, you need to exclude them from viewing.

Since the android.process.media error does not appear in Android versions starting from 4.3, a good method to prevent it is to update to the highest version.