Media storage on Android: Can you disable data in media storage?

"What is Media Storage in Android?"

Media Storage is a system process that you need when you view, download, play, and stream images, videos, audio files, and other media files. As a system service, you can't access it from your phone's home screen. So, where is Media Storage on Android? You can access it on your phone by:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps.

Step 2: Tap on “More” (the three dots) and select “Show system processes” (the option may vary depending on the phone model).

Step 3: Once you have the Media Storage open, you will see options like Disable and Force Stop (you can try the latter when you get the "Unfortunately, App has stopped" error). Tap on Storage and you will see two more options: Clear Data and Clear Cache.

Without knowing the specifics of these options, some users try to disable Media Storage or clear its data to free up space on their Android device or save battery, only to find that their device no longer works as intended or some files are missing. Can you disable Media Storage? Does clearing data delete photos, videos, or audio files? Read on for the answers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Android Media Storage

There is often confusion among users about the options for media storage, so we will explain some of them here in detail.

1. Can media storage be disabled?

No, you cannot do that. As mentioned earlier, this system process is necessary for downloading, playing, or streaming media files such as videos and audio. If you disable these options, you won't be able to perform actions like viewing photos/videos, playing videos/music, or taking pictures. Hence, disabling Media Storage is not an option to extend your device's battery life.

How do I enable media storage on Android?

If you disabled Media Storage on your Android, you should re-enable it to ensure the device functions properly.

Enable Media Storage on Android:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps (&> Apps).

Step 2: Click on the three dots in the top right corner, and then select "Show system processes."

Step 3: Search for “Media Storage” and tap on it.

Step 4: Click on “Enable” to reactivate the service.

3. Will erasing data delete your media files?

No, it will not. When you tap on "Clear Data," all data related to the app, including files created while using the service, settings, accounts, and databases, will be permanently deleted (you can try using an Android data recovery software like MobiSaver if you wish to restore the deleted files). It does not remove media files stored on your device, such as photos, videos, or audio files. If you've lost or are missing your media files after clearing the data, it might be because you accidentally disabled "Media Storage." Please check the option to ensure that "Media Storage" is enabled.

How can I recover deleted media storage data on Android?

If you accidentally deleted media files from Media Storage, don't worry. You still have chances to get them back. Here are 4 methods. Try them one by one to recover deleted Android data.

Method 1: Restart Your Android Device

If you want all the sounds back, simply restart the phone; this will restore all ringtones and gallery images. This is an issue with Android where metadata is restored on a reboot.

Method 2: Sync Lost Data from Your Google Account

Go to “Settings” > “Apps” > “Accounts” > “Google Account,” uncheck the Sync option, and then check it again. This will resync the cleared data and bring it back to the media storage.

Method 3: Search for deleted data in the lost.dir folder

If you still can't find the lost data after restarting your Android device, try looking for the lost.dir folder and search for your missing files there.

Method 4: Download an Android Data Recovery tool

Still can't find your lost media files? It's time to use the best Android data recovery software to retrieve deleted files from media storage.

Option 1: Recover Lost Files from Android SD Card

If the lost files are saved on Android SD card, you can use tool Data Recovery Wizard – Tool Data Recovery Wizard to get them back.

Step 1. Connect your SD card, memory card, or CF card to the computer and launch the Memory Card Recovery software on PC. The SD card will be listed under “Devices”. Select it and click “Scan” to start searching for lost data.

Step 2: The software will automatically start scanning. The scan is powerful enough to find all your lost files, even those that have lost their file names. Once the scan is complete, you can find your deleted items in the tree-view panel on the left. If you're looking for a specific type of file such as photos, documents, videos, or emails, click the "Filter" button.

Step 3. You can preview the contents of the files by double-clicking them. Then, select the files you need and hit “Recover” to restore them to a secure location on your computer or another external storage device.

Option 2: Recover Lost Files from Android Internal Storage

To recover lost photos, videos, or songs from the internal storage of your Android phone, you'll need to use an Android data recovery software like MobiSaver. (Jailbreaking your Android device is a prerequisite for retrieving data from it.)

Step 1. Connect your Android phone to the computer

Install and run the Android version of MobiSaver on your computer, and connect your Android phone to it via USB. Click on the “Start” button to let the software detect and connect to your device.

Step 2: Scan your Android phone to find the lost data

Once it's connected, the software will scan your device quickly for all existing and lost data. You can easily find the lost files you want by selecting the correct file type.

Step 3: Preview and recover data from Android phone

Preview all the recoverable files and quickly select the items you want to restore. Then, click the "Recover" button to get your chosen files back all at once.

Bottom line

Now that you know the importance of Media Storage, you'll think twice before closing this system process when cleaning up your Android phone or saving battery life. To prevent accidentally closing important system processes, you can hide them from Settings. We hope this article has been helpful!