Where apk files are stored. Where does Android store installed apps

File managers on Android can be a handy tool for organizing data storage on your smartphone, but the structure of Android itself (or its apparent absence) can seem a little confusing out of habit. Application data, pictures, music - and accessing it all from one root folder - is a slightly different approach to hierarchical structure than what PC and Mac users are used to, and this approach gives users a lot more options than iOS.

On Android, you won't be able to access deeply hidden system files through a regular file manager or by connecting to a PC. But this does not mean that you can delete any file you want at your whim. Let's take a look at how typical folders are organized in the device's memory, what they are for, and what you can delete and what not.

Android device memory hierarchy

Since Android is a Linux-based operating system, your phone also has a file system organized like Linux. In this system, each device has six main partitions: boot, system, recovery, data, cache, and misc. MicroSD cards also have their own memory hierarchy. Devices carrying Android 7.0 Nougat onboard received the ability to continuously update due to the fact that a second is created in a pair to the system partition and one of them is updated in the background, and upon reboot, a switch occurs, allowing the updated system to work.

Here is a short description of what each folder contains.

• boot- This folder contains the kernel, virtual disk, etc., that is, what is required to boot the phone when you turn it on.
• system- The system folder contains the operating system files (also known as the system image), which also includes the Android GUI and pre-installed applications.
• recovery- An alternative possibility to boot the OS, programs from the recovery folder allow the user to make backups of other folders and restore them.
• data- The data folder stores user information, from contacts and messages to applications and music, and here you have access to this section through a file browser. After a factory reset, this section is erased.
• cache- Android stores frequently used data and application components here. This section can be erased to correct specific problems and automatically restored and updated over time.
• misc- This section contains other important information about system settings, such as USB configuration, your carrier's network settings, and other hardware settings, which are displayed as on / off switches in the GUI.

Without root rights, Android users can only access the data section that opens to you when you connect the device to your PC or use a file browser. If your phone's memory can be expanded with a card, the card's memory is also included in this section with data accessible via a PC or file viewer.

Typically, you only have access to application data, which is stored in the user data section. You will need root privileges to access the rest of the memory

Applications and folders in the data section

So, taking a quick glance at the main folders, we noticed that we do not have access to the boot files, recovery files and or system files of Android when we just browse the files with the browser. From which follows a comforting conclusion: you cannot just take and cause the collapse of the system with your actions. A completely different situation arises when you have root rights. One way or another, with what is stored in this section, you need to be more careful: certain applications can use the data that is stored here, and moving or deleting them can lead to unstable operation of the system.

Now let's see what's in the data section on your device. To make this possible, phones with Android versions of Marshmallow or Nougat have their own file manager, which gives access to the entire section. This option can be found in the Settings-Memory-Storage-Other menu. A number of devices on older versions of Android may or may not have their own file manager, depending on the manufacturer.

Alternatively, there are many third-party apps available in the Play Store that fulfill the same role, such as FX File Explorer or Total Commander.

You can also manage your files from your PC using a USB connection. Just make sure your phone is in MTP (File Transfer) mode so you can see all your files.

You can access the memory of your device using a PC or directly through a file browser

If you have a feeling that the device memory looks full and there are too many folders, take a closer look at them. You will see numerous folders associated with applications, perhaps even the remnants of applications that you have already deleted. As a rule, it is better not to touch any application folders, but if you remember that the application was deleted, and the folder remained from it, its deletion will not cause harm. Most likely, it is empty or some useless log files remain in it.

Even if you have not installed a large number of applications, by default this section with user data may contain a number of folders - they store your contacts, music, pictures and everything else. Here are the most basic non-third-party folders you can find.

• Android Is the default location for storing your app cache and data. It is not recommended to delete this folder unless you want to lose application data. Deleting this folder may cause some of them to malfunction.
• Alarms, Ringtones, Notifications- as you can see from the names, these folders store audio files for alarms, ringtones and notifications, which can be used by both default and third-party applications.
• Cardboard- data for a number of VR applications is stored here, and if there are none, it remains empty.
• DCIM- here are the photos that you took with your main camera application. You can also see such a folder on the microSD card if you save photos to it.
• Downloads- everything that you downloaded in a web browser, for example, in Chrome or Firefox, is located here.
• Pictures, Music, Movies, Video- These are the default folders used by your media applications. Some applications allow you to assign different folders, but most media players will use these directories by default. Screenshots are most often saved in a folder with pictures.
• Podcasts- This folder is used by a number of applications to separate podcasts from other music files. If you don't use podcast apps, it will be empty.

So, which folders can (or should) I delete?

Not sure - don't delete. This is true for all application folders and should not be touched unless you know exactly what you want to do. It is absolutely safe to add and delete files from any media folders, but try not to demolish the folder itself in a fit of tidying up. If you see that the folder is empty, for example, there is nothing in the Alarms folder, you might think that it is not needed itself. But on the other hand, the folder doesn't take up much space. And maybe some application will need it later, so do you really need to delete it?

Over time, your device's built-in memory will contain many more folders than listed above. You will install and uninstall more and more applications. Therefore, it never hurts to clean up your device, well, except that you rarely move files on your phone, download and delete them. And yet, deleting an empty folder will not free up extra memory space for you. So, if you need to win a seat, you better see what you can remove unnecessary applications / films that you will not revisit, etc.

Now that you have a more complete picture of what kind of folders are stored in your device's memory, it will be easier for you to manage your files without fear of "doing something wrong."

• / - The root folder.
• / bin- a folder containing executable files and links to executable files. Executable files are programs that start at system startup, as well as the most necessary programs available to everyone. Example: ls, mount, pwd, unzip.
• / data- folder with data about synchronization and accounts, passwords for wifi access points and vpn settings, etc.
• / data / app- a folder containing installed programs and games.
• / data / data- a folder containing application data, their settings, game saves and other information.
• / data / dalvik-cache- the program area of ​​the cache memory for the Dalvik program. Dalvik is a Java virtual machine, which is the basis for the operation of programs with * .apk extension. In order to make the launch of programs faster, their cache is created.
• / dev- a folder containing files of various devices, both real and virtual, as well as those devices that do not exist, but which could be.
• / etc- a folder containing configuration files used when loading the operating system and during the operation of various programs.
• / lib- a folder containing libraries of functions required for various programs and the C language compiler, as well as modules (device drivers) connected to the kernel.
• / lib / modules /- folder containing modules (device drivers) of the kernel, which have the extension .ko... This folder contains subfolders that match the kernel versions (eg 2.6.32.9-default) that were installed on the system. That is, each kernel version has its own set of modules. This is very important and you need to pay attention to it. Often, when compiling the kernel, they forget to change the version, the new kernel uses the modules of the previous version when loading, and the system does not boot. The current version of the kernel can be found by the command uname -r, the returned version will necessarily match the name of one of the folders in / lib / modules /.
• / mnt- contains folders for temporarily mounted file systems.
• / proc- a virtual folder containing all the details of the Android system, including the kernel, processes, and configuration options. The / proc folder is described in more detail in a separate article.
• / sbin- a folder containing executable files of programs that are designed to manage the system itself. Example: ifconfig , man, mdev, vconfig .
• / sdcard- folder containing files and folders on the SD memory card (if installed).
• / sys folder containing the real system configuration at the current moment. / sys very closely related to udev if you connect (disconnect) devices, the contents of the directory / sys dynamically changes. You can see an example. Execute the command ls / sys / bus / usb / devices / to see the current usb devices on the system. Now plug in your flash drive and run the command ls / sys / bus / usb / devices / again. You will see that now there are more devices.
• / system- a folder (hidden by default) containing system files and folders with data and everything necessary for the Android OS to work.
  
• / system / app- a folder containing system applications (sms, phone, calendar, settings, etc.), as well as applications installed by the device manufacturer (branded widgets, live wallpapers, etc.).
• / system / fonts- folder with system fonts.
• / system / media- a folder containing standard ringtones, notifications, alarms and interface sounds, as well as boot animation (bootanimation).
• /system/build.prop- a file containing a huge number of settings such as screen density, proximity sensor delay time, wifi control, device name and manufacturer and many other parameters.

One of the most popular operating systems today is Android. It is installed on millions of mobile devices. The system is a collection of folders and files that make it work. But have you ever wondered what will hold in each folder? Some are quite heavy, so the hand is trying to remove them. Before doing this, you should definitely familiarize yourself with what each folder is responsible for, as well as how important it is for the operating system. We will also tell you what are the ways to delete an unnecessary folder.

Main key directories in the android operating system

The first task before deleting is to find out what the directory contains, because it depends on this whether you can delete it or not. If you mistakenly erase important files, you can not only disrupt the operation of any applications, but also lead to the complete inoperability of the entire operating system.

It is worth noting that the list of folders may differ depending on the device and android system version. Also, specific applications can create their own folders in the phone memory on Android. Let's consider what directories are available in Android.

Cache is a folder for storing temporary files. It may contain a system update. If you are not going to update to a more recent version of Android, then you do not need an update file. You can delete this folder, and in some cases even need to.

Data is one of the largest catalogs, which, as the name suggests, contains a variety of data. This includes account data, information about saved passwords, Wi-Fi hotspots, and more. Since this folder contains a lot of information, consider its subdirectories:

1. App is a directory that contains installation files for various applications. You can delete it if you do not need all the applications downloaded to your phone;
2. Data - includes settings, saving and other service information necessary for the operation of specific applications. If there is no data important for you in the applications, you can also delete it;
3. Clipboard is a dedicated clipboard that also contains the latest screenshots. You can delete this folder, but not recommended;
4. Dalvik-cache is a cache area for a program called Davlink. This application is a Java virtual machine that allows the phone to run application apk files. To speed up this process as much as possible, files are created in the cache memory. It is recommended to clean the contents regularly, but you should not delete dalvik-cache.

The efs folder contains information about the phone's serial number (IMEI), MAC address, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This directory cannot be deleted. Moreover, it is recommended to make a backup of this folder, as deleting it will lead to the loss of the unique number of your smartphone.

The etc directory - contains configuration files, mainly used during OS boot, processes of various programs, for example, to determine the location by GPS. This is one of the system directories and cannot be deleted.

The lib directory - it contains various libraries necessary for the correct operation of the functions of programs and modules. Also, this folder contains files that ensure the operation of the drivers. You cannot delete it.

Mnt directory - contains images of mounted systems. Partitions of an installed memory card, internal memory, or other virtual devices can be located here. Naturally, you cannot delete this directory either.

The proc folder - it contains all the key information regarding the installed Android OS: information about the kernel, configuration parameters and hardware. All existing files and folders are virtual and weigh zero bytes. The system automatically creates them when the user accesses them. This folder cannot be deleted as a standard user.

The sbin directory is one of the key folders required for the phone to work. It contains executable files of all programs designed to manage the system. Therefore, you cannot delete it.

The sys directory contains the current system configuration. This is a dynamic directory. The information in it is constantly changing. You cannot erase this folder.

The system section is the "backbone" of the entire operating system, since it is in it that all the files are located, without which android is impossible to work. The System directory (like any other internal directories) cannot be deleted. For acquaintance, let's take a closer look at the contents of this directory:

1. App - system wallpaper, standard applications (calendar, notebook, SMS) are in this folder.
2. Bin includes executables and links;
3. Build.prop contains a huge number of settings over the phone, for example, how long the sensor is delayed after pressing, what is the screen density, and more;
4. Fonts - Information about all stock fonts supported on the phone.
5. Framework - everything that is necessary for the interface, in particular icons, curtains and other graphic elements;
6. Lib - application library;
7. Media - all standard melodies and sounds (alarm clock, SMS notifications, call melodies);
8. Tts includes language packs.

Documents - a folder that can contain various documents, in particular .doc and .pdf files. If you are not interested in the contents of the folder, you can delete it.

Bluetooth - contains all files received by the device via Bluetooth. If there is no important data in it, it can be deleted without problems. It can be located not only in the internal memory, but also on the SD card.

DCIM is a special directory for saving photos taken with your smartphone's camera. As a rule, it includes a Camera section, which contains all the photos. If the photo you need is not on your phone, you can delete it. Sections such as Pictures, Images, Audio, Music (if there are no important files inside) can also be deleted.

Removal methods

How can you delete a specific folder? The first way is to use the standard functions. This requires:

Please note that standard tools do not display all available folders and files, as system files are often hidden. Any third-party file manager, for example, the "ES Explorer" program, will help you to see more. You can download it in the Google Play store. The application offers ample opportunities. With its help, you can inspect the existing folders, as well as delete some of them. This requires:

It should be noted that deleting system folders is impossible, since the user has limited access rights. You can delete them only by obtaining special superuser rights (analogous in Windows - Administrator).

In contact with

Introduction

Communicating on the forums and being the curator of several topics, I often come across a complete misunderstanding of beginners about the android device. "Well, why would an ordinary user know this?" - you say. And then I agree with you, asking a counter question: "Why then does an ordinary user climb into the jungle of firmware, root access and system tweaks, not understanding anything about it?" This is what prompted me to write this article, in which I will try, in an ordinary and understandable language, to convey complex things.

The material is aimed primarily at ordinary users. Therefore, here will be presented concise and superficial information without technical depressions and nuances.

1. Internal memory sections.
2. Bootloader, recovery, adb andfastboot
3. The insides of the system.
4. Root.

1. Internal memory sections

The internal memory of the device on an android is split into several logical disks (partitions).

I will give only the main ones:

Fig. 1

Bootloader- here is the firmware (bootloader) that allows you to start the operating system, recovery and other service modes.

Recovery- as the name implies, there is an engineering recovery menu or simply Recovery.

Boot- the heart of the Android OS, here is the kernel, drivers and settings for managing the processor and memory.

System- the system partition, which contains all the files necessary for the operation of the Android OS, it's like the Windows folder on your C: \ drive (hereinafter I will associate with the OSWindows)

Data- a section for installing applications and storing their data. (Program files)

User- this is the well-known sdcard or, more simply, a place for user files (My documents). Here I am forced to make a digression, tk. the placement of this section has several options:

• The partition is absent from the internal memory, and instead an external drive is used - the most popular option. (fig. 1)
• In devices with large built-in memory, this section is seen assdcard , and the external memory card is seen assdcard 2 orextsd (there may be other variants of the name). Usually found on devices withAndroid3.2. (Fig. 2 Option 1)
• This option replaced the previous option, along with Android 4.0. ChapterUser replaced with a foldermedia on sectionData , which allowed us to use all the memory available to the user for installing programs and storing data, and not the amount that the manufacturer allocated to us. In other wordssdcard anddata are one. (Fig. 2 Option 2)

Fig. 2

2. Bootloader, Recovery, adb and fastboot

Now that we know what and where is, let's figure out why it is there.

Let's start with Bootloader... This is the bootloader that launches Android, recovery, etc. When we press the power button, the bootloader starts and, if there are no additional commands (pressed keys), starts the download boot... If the key combination was pressed (each device has its own), then it starts, depending on the command, recovery, fastboot or apx. The figure below clearly shows what launches Bootloader and how the sections are interconnected.

Fig. 3

As can be seen from Figure 3, section Recovery does not affect the loading of the Android OS, but why is it needed then? Let's try to figure it out.

Recovery (recovery) in fact, it is a small utility on the Linux kernel and loads independently of Android. Its standard functionality is not rich: you can reset the device to factory settings or update the firmware (pre-downloaded onsdcard). But, thanks to folk craftsmen, we have modified recovery through which you can install modified (custom) firmware, customize android, create backups and more. The presence or absence of recovery, as well as its version, do not affect the performance of the Android OS (a very common question on the forums).

Particularly attentive readers may have noticed on Fig. 3 a certain Fastboot. This is an interface for working directly with partitions of internal memory using the command line. Through it, you can flash a recovery, a kernel or a new firmware version, or format (delete all information) this or that section.

Since we are talking about interfaces, I want to talk about one more, rather well-known, - adb (android debug bridge) ... This is the so-called debug mode and it is named for a reason - through it you can track the work of both the system as a whole and individual applications. But that's not all, with the help adb you can get full access to the file system of the device and change system files or extract important information when your device is frozen at boot. All functions debug mode I will not describe because my goal is to convey general information, and not about the functions of a particular mode.

3. Internals of the system

Having dealt with the theory, let's start the Android OS.

Press the power button - it starts Bootloader which loads Core(boot), it, in turn, launches the system(System), well, and it already loads programs(data) and user space (user). ( Fig. 3)

Now let's go to the root directory and look at the insides of the Android OS itself:

(Fig. 4)

In this diagram, I have given only the directories necessary for acquaintance. In fact, there are many more of them and for an overview of only one folder System a whole article will be needed.

And so, folder data... As you might guess from the name, it is somehow related to data, but with what data? Yes, with almost everyone, this is data about synchronization and accounts, passwords for wifi access points and vpn settings, and so on. Among other things, you can find folders here app, data and dalvik- cache- consider their purpose:

• app- programs and games are installed here.
• data- application data, their settings, game saves and other information are stored here.
• dalvik- cache- the program area of ​​the cache memory for the Dalvik program. Dalvik is a Java virtual machine, which is the basis for the operation of programs with * .apk extension. In order to make the launch of programs faster, their cache is created.

Folder System stores system data and everything necessary for the operation of the OS. Let's take a look at some of these folders:

• app- here are system applications (sms, phone, calendar, settings, etc.), as well as applications installed by the device manufacturer (branded widgets, live wallpapers, etc.).
• fonts- system fonts
• media- contains standard ringtones, notifications, alarms and interface sounds, as well as boot animation (bootanimation)
• build. prop- This file is mentioned, almost the first, in conversations and articles on fine-tuning the system. It contains a huge number of settings such as screen density, proximity sensor lag time, wifi control, device name and manufacturer, and many other parameters.

4. Root

- Knowing what is in which folder is good, but can you do something about it?

Yes! But you need rights superuser (root) or, to draw an analogy with Windows, Administrator rights. Initially, all Android devices come without root rights for the end user, i.e. buying a device, we are not full-fledged owners of it. This is done both to protect against malicious programs and from the user himself - after all, in inept hands, full access to the system can lead to the "death" of the operating system and the subsequent need to rewrite the device.

"Well, what is the use of such a dangerous thing?"- you ask.

Now I'll tell you:

• The ability to make backup copies of data and restore them after flashing or accidental deletion.
• Fine-tuning the system manually or using special programs.
• Removing system applications, ringtones, wallpapers, etc.
• Changing the OS appearance (for example, displaying the battery charge as a percentage)
• Adding functionality (supportad- hoc networks, for example)

This list can be continued for a long time, but I think these examples will be enough to understand the possibilities and breadth of using root privileges.

This is all great, but now any program can access the heart of the operating system and my data?

No. You decide whether to allow this or that application to get root access or not. For this, there is the Superuser program or its advanced sister SuperSU. It is not possible to use root without this or a similar program.

Epilogue

As you can see, Android is not that complicated. I hope, after reading the article, you learned something new or received an answer to a question of interest for a long time.

Then I take my leave, see you in the comments. 😉

Having downloaded the file for the first time to his smartphone or tablet, a novice user wonders where to find it now? After all, having just started using a mobile device, he still does not know where the files are downloaded to Android. In this article, we will try to find this place.

Where are the uploaded files located in Android

The Android operating system uses a folder named Download... The Download folder, as a rule, is located in the root directory of the internal memory available to the user. If it is installed in a smartphone (tablet), then the system can also be used for downloaded files. The path for it can be specified in the settings of the application that downloads the files.

To find the downloaded files, you need to install any file manager on your smartphone (tablet).

If you did not find an object downloaded from the network in the Download folder, then the application probably created its own folder and saved the file to it. For example, UC Browser uploads files to its own folder called UCDownloads.

You can change the location for downloaded files in your browser settings.

Open the application settings, select the item " »And specify the folder where the files downloaded by the browser will be placed.

If you have a smartphone for a long time, then you have probably installed and uninstalled many more applications than you can remember. Here's how to access a list of all the apps you've installed on your Android phones over time.

This feature is built into the Google Play Store, so you can see the entire list from any device that uses your Google account. Even the apps you installed on your first Android phone should show up here (assuming they're still available for download, of course). Plus, since it's part of the Google Play Store, the app browsing experience will be the same across all devices.

First, launch the Google Play Store and open the menu. To do this, either swipe to the right, or tap the three lines in the upper left corner.

Here click on "My Apps & Games".

There are three tabs in this menu (or four, depending on whether you are registered in any beta tests of the applications). The third option should be called "Library". Click on it.

By default, this list shows all applications that you have installed in the past, but which are not currently installed on the device you are using. This makes sense because there is an Installed tab to the left of the Library tab that will show you everything that is currently installed on the device.

There are a few different options to notice here: first, you can choose to sort the list by recent, which will show you the apps that were recently added to your account or in alphabetical order. Take your pick.

You can also remove any application from this list. It's also worth noting that if this is a paid app, then you don't have to re-purchase it if you ever want to reinstall it. It is still associated with your Google account.

Modern mobile devices have a fairly large amount of both internal memory and SD cards, which allows you to store a fair amount of a wide variety of information. Actively using this function, users often have difficulty finding the materials they need, not knowing how to find a file or folder on Android. This is what we'll talk about today.

The search for the required photo, thanks to the standard "Gallery" application, is not difficult. But finding a file or folder by name will be much more difficult, especially if there are quite a lot of them stored in the smartphone. In such cases, we can use any of the programs under the general name "File Manager".

Such utilities are usually pre-installed by the gadget manufacturer on any Android device. Alternatively, you can use an app from the Google Play store or another trusted source. Let's take a look at how each of these options work.

With built-in tools

As mentioned above, almost all Android devices have file managers as standard software. It should be borne in mind that on different devices such applications may have slightly different names: "Files", "File manager", "Dispatcher", etc.

To find the file / folder you need, find the file manager on your smartphone (“files” in the screenshot), open it, select the search area (phone memory or SD card), and then the category (for example, “documents”), a folder with files will open , where you can select the one you want, or click on the lower panel the icon with the image of a magnifying glass. After that, a keyboard will appear, with which you need to enter the file name:

After that, the search results will appear, and we will see the desired file.

Using third-party software

If your smartphone did not initially have a standard file manager, then you can use the free one from any trustworthy source or from the official Google Play store. Let's see how such a tool will work on the example of the rather popular ES Explorer application.

After installation, launch the program, in the main window, if the ES card is not inserted, the sdcard section will be indicated - this is the internal memory of your Android device. If there is a memory card, then it will be designated as sdcard0, and the smartphone's memory as sdcard1.

Now we select the section in which we will look for a file or folder (sdcard1 in the screenshot), open it, and here we will see all the contents. For further search, click the magnifying glass icon located on the top panel and, using the keyboard, enter the name of the file / folder you are looking for:

After that, the program will find and display the search results. If you decide to use another file manager, the search algorithm will be exactly the same. And I have nothing more to add, we will assume that the question of how to find a folder or file on Android is closed.

There are a lot of smartphones. That is why we decided to show you how to find downloaded files on your smartphone. You will need a file manager to view them. As a rule, shells from different manufacturers already include built-in solutions, but in my case I still have to install it. So, we'll start by finding the best file manager. I prefer Cabinet Beta - comfortable and stylish. After installing the application, you will be able to view any files on your smartphone.

After that, download the file you are interested in from the Internet. As a rule, you can open it by simply clicking on the notification, but if for any reason it is minimized and you still need to open the file, the file manager will come to the rescue. It will also help simply if one of your friends has transferred a document to your smartphone using a USB cable. Then the question "Where is he located?" will become the most relevant.

All files downloaded from the Internet are stored in the Download folder. To open it, you need to open the file manager, then find this folder in the directories. After that, you can open any previously downloaded file, including the installation * .apk, * .zip and so on.

In case you do not know where exactly your file was saved, you can search by clicking on the magnifying glass icon in the application, we are not talking about Cabinet. You can just as well use ES Explorer, for example.

We want to protect users from accidental actions. Since the memory of smartphones is divided into two sections: system and internal, there are risks of deleting system files, which will lead to incorrect operation of the smartphone. To remove them, you will need Root rights, but there are also cases when Root access is available, and the user himself has no idea about it.

Thus, we have learned how to find files downloaded from the Internet. We invite you to support inexperienced users and comment on the article by adding your own additions.