• How to hide files, folders and apps on android. How to hide a file folder in android

    If your Android smartphone or tablet stores data that is not desirable for everyone who picks up your device to see, then you have come to the right place. Perhaps the best solution to this issue is to hide files from the gallery, file manager and media player.

    This method is very simple and can be done on any device. not required.

    How to hide files from gallery or media player

    2. Create an empty text file called .nomedia inside the folder whose files you want to hide.

    3. Reboot your device.

    4. Go to the gallery or player and make sure the changes have taken effect.

    How to hide files or folder in file manager

    1. Open your file manager.

    2. Select the file or folder you want to hide.

    3. Go to options and click "Rename".

    4. Place a dot before the name of the file or folder. For example, if you want to hide Downloads, rename this folder to .Downloads, film.avi to .film.avi, etc.

    5. Now go to the settings of your file manager and uncheck the box next to "Show hidden files".

    After that, all files and folders whose names begin with a dot will no longer be displayed.

    Often a situation arises that it is necessary to hide files or a folder from prying eyes. In Android OS, hiding a folder with files is very simple. You don't need to download any third party apps for this. Let's see how to hide files on Android.

    In order to hide files on Android, you will need any file manager. For example, ES Explorer, which is available in the Play Market and can be downloaded for free.

    If you have already decided which files you want to hide, then go to the folder where the same file is located. This method will only work with files from the gallery or media player. In the folder, create a new empty file called .nomedia.

    Reboot your gadget.

    Hiding folders and files

    In order to hide other files or folders on Android, perform small manipulations:

    1. go to file manager
    2. in it look for the folder you want to hide
    3. open the context menu by holding your finger on the file
    4. click "Rename"
    5. put a dot before the folder name

    For the changes to take effect, turn off the “Show hidden files” item in the Explorer settings.

    For example, if you want to hide the Camera (or any other) folder, rename it by adding a single dot at the beginning of the name. It should look like this - .Camera. Just don't be afraid when this folder disappears immediately after renaming. She didn't disappear, she just disappeared.

    You can enable showing hidden folders in the settings of ES Explorer or in the settings of any other file manager that you use.

    If you want to return hidden files to Android again, then turn on the "Show hidden files" item and remove the dot in front of the file name.

    How to hide files and folders through Windows

    Hidden files on Android will only be hidden on Android. If you connect your smart device to a Windows-based PC after hiding files, the files you have hidden will be visible on your computer. But they will still remain hidden on Android.

    To hide folders/files in Windows:

    1. select folders/files that start with a dot
    2. call the context menu
    3. check the box next to "Hidden"
    4. click on the "Apply" button, and then - "OK"

    If there is a need to hide something on your device with the Android operating system, then there are many ways to do this. Let's consider each of them.

    How to hide files on Android

    You can hide files on Android with or without Root rights.

    If you have root rights, you can:

  • put a dot in front of the file name to hide it from view;
  • create a .nomedia file using "ES Explorer" and place it in the folder whose contents you want to hide;
  • install AppHider for apps or Hexlock for files, apps and other personal information.

    • If there is no root access, you can:

  • put a dot in front of the file name and make it hidden like that;
  • create a .nomedia file on a PC or laptop, connect the device to the PC and transfer the created file to the folder you want to hide;
  • hide application icons in Settings;
  • install Hide All Files for files, Hide Something for photos and videos, Apex to hide app icons.

    • How to find out if a device is rooted

    To find out if your phone is rooted, do the following:

  • Enter "download root checker" in the search bar.
  • Download and install Root Checker.
  • Click on the button with the appropriate name in the "Check Root" tab.

    Click on the "ROOT CHECK" button in the Root Checker app

  • After that, you will see information about the presence or absence of Root rights on the phone.

    • Video: how to use Root Checker

    If you have root rights

    With root rights, you can hide files by renaming them to "ES Explorer", creating a .nomedia file, or installing the Hexlock App Lock program.

    Renaming files in "ES File Explorer"

    To hide a file in ES File Explorer:

  • Download the application from the Play Market and install it.
  • Launch and swipe the main menu to the right or left. Select the desired folder and open it.
  • Long press to select a file and
  • Put a dot in front of the name and confirm your choice by clicking "OK".

    • If you want to hide a group of files:

  • Long press to highlight all the files you want to hide.
  • Click on the "Rename" button.
  • In the window that opens, select the second item, put a dot in the input field. This way you don't have to set a new name for each file: it will consist of a dot and the old name. You can't change the extension. Click OK.

    Select the second item in the list, enter a period in the name field, click "OK"

  • After that, the files will be hidden. To view them, expand the side menu of the application, and select "Show hidden files" from the list. Set the switch to the "On" position.

    Set the switch to "On" to view hidden files

    • Creating a .nomedia file in "ES File Explorer"

    To create a .nomedia file in ES Explorer, do the following:

  • Download, install and run the application.
  • In the list of folders, select the one whose contents will be hidden. Go into it.
  • From the menu at the bottom of the screen, select "Create" - "Create File". Type ".nomedia" in the name field. Confirm your choice by clicking OK.
  • You will see a notification that the .nomedia file has been created.

    • Video: How to hide files using .nomedia in ES File Explorer

    Hexlock installation

    Hexlock is a free application that allows you to hide all types of data, as well as the user's personal information (SMS and contact list). Downloaded from the official store.

    To hide files using Hexlock, do the following:

  • Open PlayMake. Find, download and install the app.
  • At startup, decide on the type of protection: pin code, graphic password or fingerprint scanner. Choose what suits you best. Repeat twice.
  • Select Media Vault from the side menu. Click on the button with the plus sign, select the folder and the files in it to add them to the repository. Click on the ADD TO VAULT button.
  • Files that you have hidden will not be viewable.

    • To restore hidden files:

  • Open the app. Depending on what you have set as security, enter your PIN, pattern, or scan your fingerprint.
  • Select Media Vault from the side menu. All previously hidden files will be displayed there.
  • Highlight what you want to restore with a long press, click on the restore button in the form of a crossed-out padlock icon at the bottom of the screen, and in the Restore From Vault selection confirmation box, select Restore.
  • The files will be restored.

    • Video: Hexlock app overview

    If there are no root rights

    If you are not rooted, you can hide files by putting a period in front of the name, creating a .nomedia file, or installing the Hide All Files application.

    Dot before file name

    To hide a file in this way, do the following:

  • Open File Manager. It can be standard, or it can be downloaded from the Play Market.
  • Navigate to the folder you need. Long press to select the files you want to hide.
  • Click on the "Rename" button.
  • Put a dot in front of the file name in the input field.
  • Confirm your choice by clicking OK/Finish. Close the application.
  • Go to your device's "Settings", select "Apps" and then "All". In the list of suggested ones, open the ones that you use to view audio / video / photos, and click on "Erase data".

    • When renaming an audio recording, its name must not be separated by a hyphen or dash. Otherwise, the file will not be hidden.

    Creating a .nomedia file on a PC and transferring it to the desired folder

    The .nomedia file will hide all files from the folder whose contents you don't want to reveal. To create it, do the following:

  • Connect your smartphone to a PC or laptop. On your desktop, create a new text document, leave it blank, and save it as .nomedia. Select "All Files" from the list of file types.
  • Move the .nomedia file to the correct location. If you need to hide a file from a folder placed in another, you can put it in the root directory. If you are afraid for the safety of files, then it is better to create a new folder, paste .nomedia into it and then transfer what needs to be hidden.
    Place the nomedia file in the folder you need
  • Clear the application data in Settings by going to: Settings - Applications - All - Gallery / Music / whatever program you used to show hidden files - "Erase data". More about this point is written above.
  • Your data that you have hidden will no longer be displayed, and the folder containing it will be marked as empty and will not be displayed either.

    • If you don't want to create the file from scratch each time, copy it to a previously created empty folder and then place it wherever you need.

    Installing Hide All Files

    Hide All Files allows you to hide absolutely any type of file, including Microsoft Office documents, PDF, EPUB, as well as images, videos and audio recordings.

    To hide files with Hide All Files:

  • Find the application in the Play Market, install and open it.
  • Create a strong login password and click OK.

    Enter your password and click "OK"

  • Examine the list of all folders with files in the Public tab. The application only displays what is stored on the memory card, so if you need to hide something, move it there. Select the desired folder by scrolling down the list if necessary.
  • Select the files you want to hide and click on the padlock button.

    Select the files you want to hide and click the padlock button

    • To view hidden files, go to the Private tab. To restore them, check the boxes next to them and click on the button with the image of the lock.

    Select files to restore and click on the lock button

    How to Hide Photos or Videos on Android

    You can hide photos or video files using any of the methods described above: rename them, place them in a folder with .nomedia, download an application to hide them.

    If you have root rights, then you can use Hexlock, an application that allows you to hide all types of files, not just photos and videos. It is described in more detail in the section "How to hide files on Android".

    If you are not rooted, then install the Hide Something app. It's free, but it does its job well.

    To hide photos and videos with Hide Something, do the following:

  • Log in to the Play Market, find the app, download it and open it.
  • Come up with a graphic password. At least 4 points.
  • Select the folder you are interested in from the list and open it. In the list of images, click on the ones you want to hide, and then click on the button with the ghost.

    Select the files you are interested in and click on the button with the image of a ghost

  • Click "OK" in the dialog box. The images along with the folder will be hidden.

    Click "OK" to hide files

  • To view and restore hidden images, go to the "Invisible" tab. Open the folder, select the images and click on the restore button with the image of the eye. Click "OK" in the dialog box.

    • How to hide apps

    If you have superuser rights, you can use Hide It Pro or Hexlock to hide certain applications. If there are no such rights, then only their icons can be hidden.

    If you have Root rights

    If you have root rights, then you can use the Hide It Pro and Hexlock App Lock programs.

    Installing Hide It Pro

    To hide apps with Hide It Pro, do the following:

  • Launch the application. When it loads, click on the logo image and hold it for a while. Thus, the application will be masked from prying eyes.

    Click on the logo image to launch all the features of the app

  • Enter your password and pin. This will open the main menu of the application.
  • Select Hide Apps.

    Select "Hide Apps"

  • Agree to install the plugin. On the warning about the need for superuser rights, click "OK".
  • Open the All Apps tab. Select the apps you would like to hide and click OK.

    • Install Hexlock App Lock

    To hide apps with Hexlock App Lock:

  • Launch the application. If you have already launched the application, then enter the old password / pin code, if not, come up with a new one.
  • Choose from three modes:
    • "Home" - a set of applications that you use while connected to your home network;
    • "Work" - similar to the network at work;
    • "School".
  • From the list of all applications, select those that you would like to hide, and put the switch in front of them in the "On" state.
  • Go to your profile. You can automate the connection by selecting the appropriate button in the menu and checking the box next to your home/work network.
  • After that, the applications will be protected by a password or pin code, and unauthorized access to them will be excluded.

    • In the absence of Root rights

    If you do not have Root rights, then try hiding application icons in the settings or use the Apex application.

    Hide app icons in settings

    If you have applications that you don’t use, you can’t delete them, and the icons get in the way, then you can hide them. To do this:

  • Go to "Settings" of the device and select "Applications".
  • Scroll down to the "All" tab.
  • Select the application whose icon you want to hide. Click on it.
  • Find the "Disable" button. If it is blocked, click on the "Stop" button. Then confirm your choice by clicking OK.

    Click on the "Stop" button and on "OK"

    • Install Apex Launcher

    A similar result can be achieved by installing a third-party launcher - an application that will automatically hide all unnecessary icons. For example, you can use Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher.

    Consider the algorithm of actions on the example of Apex:

  • Launch the launcher. Go to "Apex Settings" by double-clicking on an empty space.
  • In "Settings" select "Application menu settings".
  • Look for Hidden Apps. Open it and tick off those applications whose icons you would like to hide.
  • Click on Save.

    • Video: how to use Apex Launcher

    How to hide an individual folder

    A folder can be hidden in exactly the same way as a file:

  • rename it by putting a dot in front of the name;
  • put the .nomedia file in it. It will be considered empty and will not be displayed;
  • use apps. They will hide all the files that the folder contains, it will also be considered empty and will not be displayed.

    • How to set a password for a hidden element

    You can block the entire device. For these purposes, it is used:

  • standard pin. Go to "Settings" - "Location and Security". Select PIN;
  • graphic key;
  • password. A compromise between a PIN code and a graphic key.

    • You can block only a specific folder or file. For this:

  • Download from the Play Market and install any application that allows you to hide files.
  • Set a password or pattern.
  • Select files from the folder you want to hide. Confirm your choice.

    • You can use for this purpose both applications that require Root access, and applications that do not require any additional rights. All of them equally allow you to set a password and protect your data from unauthorized access.

    Video: how to put a password on files and folders in Applocker

    How to Find and Open Hidden Items in Android System

    Hidden items can be found using the built-in File Manager. To do this, just open it and see which file/folder names start with a dot.

    For the same purpose, you can use "ES Explorer":

  • Launch the application. Open the side menu, in it find the item "Show hidden files".

    Find the item "Show hidden files" and set the switch to the "On" position

  • Set the switch to the "On" position.
  • Scroll the menu to the list of all folders and files. Icons of hidden files and folders will be translucent.

    • In addition, you can connect your device to a laptop or PC and check for hidden files there. For this:

  • Connect your smartphone to your laptop/PC.
  • Open the folder in Explorer where you would like to find hidden files.
  • If you have not previously made them hidden in Windows, then they will be displayed.
  • If you did, then in this case, go to "Start" - "Control Panel" - "Appearance and Personalization". Select "Folder Options" and then the "View" tab. In the "Advanced Options" section, click "Show hidden files, folders..." and confirm your choice by clicking "OK". Hidden files will appear.

    • Video: how to open hidden files using "ES Explorer"

    How to open hidden items without a password if they are password protected

    This is only possible in 2 cases:

  • if the files were protected only by a graphical password for the entire device, and this password could be bypassed;
  • if the files are in a password-protected archive, but they cannot be opened, they can only be viewed.

    • To bypass the pattern password:

  • enter your Google account (keep your email address and password private);
  • delete the gesture.key file manually (do not download or install the Aroma file manager);
  • delete the gesture.key file through an additional user (do not create an additional account with SuperSu and multi-user mode if this is not necessary);
  • reset the settings to factory settings.

    • You can only view the names and types of files in a password-protected archive, but you will not be able to extract or open them.

    Enter the password to unpack the archive in the Easy Unrar, Unzip & Zip application

    Share with friends!

    In life, situations often arise when acquaintances or friends take your Android smartphone or tablet and you would not want them to see confidential information. How to hide files from the gallery or media player, as well as the file manager in Android, read this article!

    Are there photos or videos that you are embarrassed to show or is there “secret information”? If you need to hide these files, then you need to do the following:

    How to hide files on android: galleries and media player in android

    How it works?

    Android constantly scans for changes that occur on the memory card or internal memory. If the scanner finds a file during crawl .nomedia, it does not scan and display the contents of the folder.

    How to hide files and folders
    in Android and Windows file manager

    Android is built on the basis of the Linux kernel and, accordingly, has common features with similar operating systems based on this kernel. Unfortunately, Windows is not related to Linux in any way, and in order to carefully hide a file or folder, you need to try a little.

    Hide a folder or file on Android

    In order to hide a file or folder from the file manager (explorer), you need to rename the required file or folder by adding a dot before the name. That is, to hide the file xxxx.jpg you need to rename the file to . xxxx.jpg. In order to hide the AlenaNu folder, add a dot before the name.AlenaNu

    file is visible ———————> xxxx.jpg file not visible ———————> . xxxx.jpg

    folder visible ———————> AlenaNu Folder not visible ———————> .AlenaNu

    This is how you can hide photos on Android and not only - a folder and other files!

    After such a simple procedure, you will hide what you need in Android, but there is one problem, when you connect to a computer, you will see that everything that you hid in Windows is perfectly visible! Therefore, it is necessary to “finish” the invisibility.

    Hide a folder or file on a Windows computer

    Below is a screenshot that shows at the beginning of the folder that is no longer visible in Android, but visible in Windows:

    To hide folders or a file, you need to select all or select one by one -> press the right mouse button -> select properties - change the attributes of the file or folder to Hidden.

    Do you still have additional questions? Ask them in the comments, tell us what you did or vice versa!

    That's all! Stay with the site Android +1, it will be even more interesting! For more articles and tutorials, see Articles and Android Hacks.

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