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How to make a secret folder on Android. Hiding folders with a ".nomedia" file. Renaming files in ES Explorer

In this article we will figure out how to hide a folder on Android, how to hide files on Android so that they are not visible on a mobile device. Hidden files and folders of the Android device will allow you to protect from strangers private information that is not intended for other users who can access the smartphone or tablet, for example, family members.

A modern mobile device running on the Android operating system usually stores a large number of various information: videos, photographs, documents, etc. Among these data there may be personal information that should be hidden from prying eyes. Negligent handling of data stored on your phone can lead to problems, including in your personal life.

To protect confidential data, you need to hide files and folders on Android. A hidden folder on Android will help protect personal private information; an outsider will not see on the smartphone, if it falls into his hands, anything that was hidden by the user mobile device.

For greater reliability, all private data can be collected in one folder, and then hidden from prying eyes. You don't have to hide it at all separate folders, but hide only some files located in different folders.

In the article you will find instructions on how to create invisible folder or hide the file on mobile device, governed by operating system Android. We will create a new hidden folder, hide an existing folder, hide a file, view a hidden folder or file, remove a hidden folder or file: make it visible again.

To create a hidden folder or hidden file we need file manager(Conductor). If your device comes with a file manager pre-installed, use this application. If you don’t have Explorer on your smartphone or tablet, or you are not satisfied with its capabilities, check out the article about to choose the appropriate application for your device.

The method of creating a hidden folder involves disguising a folder or file as a system directory or application. In the operating system Android system directories are not shown by default.

Using the example in the article, I will show work in the powerful file manager ES Explorer (ES File Manager), due to the fact that it is the most popular program of this type. In other applications, program menu items may have different names, but all actions performed will be identical.

How to create a hidden folder on Android

First, let's create a new folder in ES Explorer. To do this, you need to enable the display of hidden files using the program.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open your file manager.
  2. Go to “Settings” (on the left top menu), and then go to the “Display Settings” option.
  3. Check the box "Show hidden files» (Show files starting with a dot).

Create a new hidden folder:

  1. In the main window of the file manager, select internal or external memory(SD card if the system allows recording to external media without root rights), where the hidden folder should be located.
  2. Click on the right drop-down menu, in the “Create” window that opens, select “Folder”.
  3. Create a folder, give it a name, put a dot in front of the folder name, for example, “.Folder” or something similar, as you like. I advise you to write the folder name with Latin letters, in this case, the folder name will not be obvious.

  1. Click on the "OK" button.
  2. Move to this folder necessary files from your device (smartphone or tablet).
  3. Enter the file manager settings, uncheck the box next to the settings item showing system directories.

After this, the hidden folder will not appear among other folders on the mobile device.

How to make a hidden folder on Android

In a similar way, you can make an existing folder hidden on mobile phone, under Android control. We don't need to enable the image of hidden folders in the settings.

Let's say we need to hide private videos. Using the file manager, select the folder on your device that you want to hide. In our case, this is the “Video” folder located in internal memory mobile device.

  1. Click on the folder, select "Rename".
  2. Before the folder name, put a dot “.Video” and click on the “OK” button.
  3. The hidden folder will disappear from view when you enter the gallery again, you will not find the video files folder there because this folder is hidden in the system.

In a similar way, you can hide the folders: “Audio”, “Video”, Pictures”, “Camera” (located in the “DCIM” folder), “Download”, “Document”, etc., other folders with multimedia files that are located in application folders, for example, in the WhatsApp folder.

How to hide the contents of a gallery folder

Let's look at another method that hides the content existing folder for the gallery. This method does not hide the folder itself, but the contents of the folder are not displayed in the gallery.

Now I will show you how to hide a folder on Android in the gallery where multimedia files are displayed: photos, videos, etc.

  1. In the file manager, enter the folder whose contents you want to hide in the gallery.
  2. From the file manager menu, select New and then File.
  3. Name the file ".nomedia", with a period at the beginning of the file name, click "OK".
  4. Reboot your device.

After starting the smartphone, the contents of the folder will not be displayed in the phone's gallery. In the file manager, the folder and its contents will be visible.

How to view hidden folders on Android

To open hidden folders on Android, you need to enable the display of hidden folders on your mobile device.

  1. Go to the file manager settings, turn on the display hidden directories.
  2. Hidden data will remain visible on your phone until you turn off showing hidden files again.

How to make a hidden folder visible on Android

Now let's see how to make a folder a visible folder again at all times, regardless of whether showing hidden folders is enabled or disabled on the device.

  1. Go to the file manager settings, check the box to show hidden directories.
  2. Find the hidden folder, click on the folder.
  3. Select "Rename" and remove the period before the folder name.
  4. Uncheck the box next to the option to show hidden files in the file manager settings.

This folder has become a visible, regular folder again.

How to make the contents of a gallery folder visible

If you no longer need to hide media files in the gallery, delete the “.nomedia” file from the media folder.

  1. Enable showing hidden files in the file manager.
  2. Enter the folder from which the files were hidden in the gallery.
  3. Delete the previously created file named “.nomedia” from there.
  4. Reboot your smartphone.
  5. Disable showing hidden directories on your phone.

All files will again be visible in the “Gallery”: videos, photos, images, screenshots, etc.

How to hide a file on Android

In some cases it is necessary to hide separate file without hiding everything else. If you have read the article up to this point, you probably already guessed how this can be done.

  1. Enter the folder where you want to hide the file.
  2. Click on the file, select "Rename".
  3. Place a period in front of the file name “.filename”, and then click on the “OK” button.
  4. The hidden file will become invisible.

Using this method, you can hide several files in one folder, the remaining files from this folder will be visible.

How to open hidden files on Android

To view a hidden file, you must enable the display of hidden files in your file manager.

How to make a hidden file visible on Android

When there is no longer a need to hide something, the hidden file must be made visible again.

  1. In the file manager settings, check the box to show hidden files.
  2. Enter the folder with the hidden file, select the “Rename” option.
  3. Remove the period from the file name, click on the "OK" button.
  4. In the file manager settings, uncheck the box next to “Show hidden files.”

The hidden file will become a normal visible file again.

Conclusions of the article

Using the file manager, you can create a hidden folder or hide a file if the user needs to protect private information stored on a mobile device. There are several ways in which you can hide a folder or file completely, or hide multimedia files in a folder from viewing in the smartphone gallery.

Unlike Windows, Android does not have the ability to hide files and folders. However, we should not forget that this operating system is distinguished by its openness and the ability to make various changes to its operation. Therefore, when performing certain manipulations, you can still safely hide important documents from third parties. Let's look at how to hide files and folders on Android.

Ways to hide data on Android

Hide personal information(photos, videos, text documents etc.) located on external or internal memory mobile device, in several ways:

  • Through the file manager installed on the device;
  • Via the “.nomedia” file;
  • Using a computer;
  • Through special software.

Using a File Manager

You can reliably hide any file or an entire folder from prying eyes using any explorer available on the gadget. This is the simplest hiding method, so this is where we should start our review. The procedure will be as follows:

Restart Android and check the results of your actions. Now when displaying the storage contents specified object will be missing. If you need to return everything to its place, just activate the “Show hidden files and folders” item in the settings of the same Explorer, and then remove the previously placed dot from the name.

Hiding folders with a ".nomedia" file

Android OS periodically scans the device's integrated and built-in memory to look for changes in the storage structure. If during the next examination the system detects a “.nomedia” file, it will skip the folder in which it is located. this element, and will no longer display its contents.

This phenomenon can be used to hide photos, videos or other types of information:

Folder with yours the data will be lost. It will only be available on PC. To remove hidden mode you will need to delete the ".nomedia" document.

How to hide a folder on Android via computer?

The methods of hiding described above lose their effectiveness when you connect a mobile device to a PC, since objects hidden using “.nomedia” or a file manager will still be displayed on the computer.

If you want to be absolutely sure that no one will get to your confidential data, you need to use combined hiding, which consists of the following:


Once you have successfully hidden the folder, it will be absent not only on the smartphone screen, but also on the computer. To access it you will need to do the following:


Now through your computer you will have access to previously hidden information. Depending on which masking method was used, all you have to do is delete the “.nomedia” file or enable the display of hidden data in Explorer.

Application of additional software

You can hide not only files and folders on Android, but also installed programs. This is done using the Hide It Pro utility. It works like this:

The selected shortcuts will be located in the ProgramData/Android/Language/.fr folder. To make them visible, you will need to enter the file manager and check the box next to the “Show hidden files and folders” item.

Portable devices on Android based do not always imply their use by one person. Of course, a smartphone is a personal device that we very rarely transfer into other hands. But the tablet can be used by family members and even friends. And there are all sorts of mini-computers in the form of a flash drive that connect to the TV. In short, some gadgets can be used by several people. But certain personal files contained on them should not be seen by strangers! In this case, the thought of hiding a file or folder may well appear in your head. How to do this - read below.

Most often, you want to make a hidden folder on Android if other people have access to your device. Such a folder may contain intimate photos, copies of some important documents or something else, the existence of which another person should not suspect.

Another reason for hiding files is for ease of use." Galleries" The fact is that by default it displays absolutely all media files stored on the smartphone. And if the display of videos can most often be turned off, then this trick will not work with album covers. Such graphic files you will have to hide it manually.

The third reason is to send the device to a service center for repair. Such establishments sometimes employ people who like to look at other people's photographs. Usually they do this out of boredom, when the gadget has already been repaired and there is absolutely nothing to do. Or this happens during testing of the device for its performance. In short, it is enough to create hidden folders so that the service center employee does not see anything.

It should be noted that an experienced specialist will still be able to find hidden files if he wants to. But for this you will have to tinker. Same employees service centers They definitely won’t do this, not wanting to spend such a long time. So we can say that the function of creating hidden files and folders is made more for the sake of user convenience than to ensure complete privacy.

The easiest way

The Android operating system has inherited a lot from Linux. There is also a very simple way to hide folders and files. It consists of changing the name. Just put a period at the very beginning. For example, you have a file "Photo.jpg"- change the name to ".Photo.jpg". Or are you dealing with a folder "Essays"- change the name to ".Works". You can do this using any file manager or using a PC.

Please note that the "Explorer" of the operating room itself Windows systems sees the renamed file perfectly. If you want to ensure that the computer does not display it either, you will have to additionally perform the following steps:

Step 1. Right-click on the file or folder.

Step 2. IN context menu select " Properties».

Step 3. Check the box next to " Hidden" and click the " OK».

Unfortunately, not all smartphones provide the computer with the ability to change the properties of files stored in their memory.

Creating a .nomedia file

This one is also enough easy way will not allow you to hide files and folders on Android. Instead, your simple actions will lead to the fact that album covers and some other media files you don’t need will no longer be shown in the gallery. At the same time, they themselves will remain on the device - the cover will continue to be displayed in the media player while the corresponding song is playing.

The essence of this method is to create a file with the extension " .nomedia" It tells other applications that pictures in the same folder as this file do not need to be displayed. Again, you can create such a file directly on your smartphone using a file manager. Or, as in our case, use a computer.

Step 1. Connect your device to your PC using a USB cable.

Step 2. Go to the menu " Start" and left-click on the item " Computer" That is, in this way you will enter the standard “ Conductor».

Step 3. Go to the library " Documentation"or any other section file system your computer.

Step 4. Here, right-click and hover over “ Create" Then click on " Text Document».

Step 5. Click on the created file once with the left mouse button. Rename it to " .nomedia", erasing, of course, the extension " .txt».

Note: « Conductor» does not always allow you to change the extension, so you may need a more powerful file manager - for example, the well-known Total Commander.

Step 6 Now right-click on the file and click on “ Cut».

Step 7 Everything is the same " Conductor» go to the memory of the connected device. Go to the folder from which images should not be displayed. Here, right-click and select “ Insert" Or press the key combination instead Ctrl+V.

That's all. File posted here ".nomedia" will prevent album covers from appearing in " Gallery" Of course, this rule does not apply to subfolders - the file must be copied there again.

Behavior of different Android versions

In fact, it is not recommended for novice users to use the " .nomedia" This is explained by the fact that some versions of the operating system Android systems can simply delete all media data contained in the same folder as this file.

It should also be noted that new versions of mobile operating systems are most often equipped with smart “ Gallery». Preset program understands that the picture entitled “ Folder.jpg" And " Albumart.jpg» does not need to be displayed. This is what scanned music album covers are usually called. However, you will be able to view these files in third-party applications.

Returning visibility

If files and folders whose names begin with a dot are not visible to the system, then how can they be restored to visibility? This is very good question. As you understand, you can hide a folder on Android either using a smartphone or using a computer. The same words apply to the reverse process.

On a computer, making files visible is not difficult, because in “ Conductor"all of them are displayed - just rename them again, getting rid of the dot at the beginning. On a smartphone and tablet, everything is a little more complicated. Here you will have to use third party file manager. Almost any program of this type will do. In our case we use ES Explorer .

Step 1. Go to the downloaded and installed file manager.

Step 2. Click on the three bars located in the upper left part of the screen. Or simply pull out the curtain with the main menu from the left edge with your finger.

Step 3. Click on the item " Settings».

Step 4. Go to " Display Settings».

Step 5. Check the box " Show hidden files».

That's all! Now you can freely view hidden folders and files. If you need to make them visible in other applications, just rename them.

Many users sometimes have a question about how to hide files on Android that you want to keep inaccessible to others. By default, all folders and photographs are displayed in the gallery, and using standard features the system will not be able to hide them. But there is a solution - this third party software, you can install a new gallery on your phone, such as Quick P. This is a program with good functionality and capabilities, which provides excellent photo management capabilities. Quick Pic has user-friendly interface with good optimization for any display and has support for multi-touch gestures.

You can hide files on Android this program, in which in just a couple of clicks you can hide individual or all files from the gallery. In addition to the main function, it can sort photos, create new folders, rename them and much more. And using the built-in graphic editor You can edit your photos and give them various effects.


How to hide apps on your phone using a computer?

We connect the phone to the PC, where you will need to select the “Hidden” attribute. To do this, open the folder with photos on the computer, right-click on the file of interest, and then select “Properties” and check the box next to “Hidden”.

After simple actions You can make a hidden Android file that will no longer be displayed. To be able to view hidden photos, you need to uncheck the box and return the ability to view them. But this method can only hide files from your computer; they will still be displayed on your phone.


Hiding files using a file manager

It seems to us that this is the most convenient way how to hide files on Android in the gallery. To do this, you just need to download a third-party file manager, for example, ES Explorer. It is optimal in terms of stability and capabilities. But you can use any other one if it seems more convenient to you. This way you can hide individual photos, and the entire folder.

To hide files, follow these instructions:

Turn on ES Explorer, where we find the folder or individual file of interest;

Click on the name until a menu appears where you can select additional options;

Click “Rename” and put a dot in front of the name.

After that, go to the gallery and check whether this folder is no longer displayed in the gallery. To be able to view hidden apps, you need to return to Explorer, after which you can open the display by swiping from the left edge of the screen hidden objects. All that remains is to remove the dot and hidden files will become accessible again.


Using designated applications

Deciding how to hide files on an Android 6.0 phone, you can download special application, of which there are quite a few on the Internet. They work approximately the same way, but for the purposes of this article we will describe KeepSafe. The program will securely hide photos and videos by setting a password to access it. Having set it, the content is moved to a separate storage, to which only you will have access. To access the files, you only need to provide a password.

Today, most of your emails are on your smartphone. These include SMS messages and correspondence in in social networks, and dialogues in Viber applications, Whats App, and much more. In addition, we store personal photos, videos and other information on our smartphones. Personal information. Therefore, getting into someone else’s phone means getting into someone else’s life.

1. Enable Protected Mode on Samsung Galaxy S5

There are two ways to activate the “Protected Mode” function: through the icon in the “ Quick Settings" and through the "Settings" menu. If you choose the second method, then in the “Settings” window scroll the list to the very bottom. There you will find the “Personal Mode” subsection. It should be activated.

2. Confirm your intention

After you have activated personal mode, the system will prompt you to enter a security password and confirm your identity. You can also set up a fingerprint scanner. But it also happens that the system crashes and fingerprints are not scanned, so it’s better to use a password. In addition, on Samsung Galaxy S5 you can add a password as a picture or use your own PIN.

3. Selecting files to hide

Let's say you want to hide some photos from your gallery. To do this, enter the gallery, click the “Menu” button, after which you should select the very photos that you want to hide from extra eyes. Then press the “Menu” button again and select “move to private”.

You will notice that the gallery has new folder. It is no different from the others, except for the fact that a castle is drawn on it. This means that to enter this folder you need to use a password.

If you mistakenly transferred a photo to “personal”, you can return it to the general album reverse method using the "Menu" button.

You should know that after turning on the “private” mode, no one, and not even you yourself, will see hidden folders. The ones with the padlock on the icon. Therefore, in order to see hidden folders and files again, you need to disable the “private” mode.

Find out if your samsung smartphone The original Galaxy S5 you are using. In case of loss or theft, please report it to