A .NOMEDIA file is a special file used on Android devices (and sometimes on devices connected to them) to tell media indexing services (like Gallery apps, music players, etc.) to ignore the folder that contains it. Think of it as a “do not scan” sign for media files.

What do .NOMEDIA files do?

.NOMEDIA files hide media files (pictures, videos, audio) from appearing in media apps. This is useful for:

• Privacy: Hiding personal or sensitive media from being displayed in your gallery.
• Organization: Preventing unwanted files (like app resources or downloaded data) from cluttering your media libraries.
• Performance: Excluding folders with many files can speed up media indexing and improve the performance of media apps.

Where do .NOMEDIA files come from?

• Created manually: You can create an empty file named “.nomedia” (without any extension) in a folder using a file manager app.
• Created by apps: Some apps automatically create .NOMEDIA files in their data folders to hide resources.
• Transferred from other devices: You might transfer folders containing .NOMEDIA files from other Android devices or computers.

Are .NOMEDIA files safe?

Yes, .NOMEDIA files are safe. They are simply empty text files that don’t contain any code or executable instructions.

How to use a .NOMEDIA file:

1. Create a .NOMEDIA file: Use a file manager app to create an empty file named “.nomedia” in the folder you want to hide.
2. Refresh media scan: After creating or deleting a .NOMEDIA file, you might need to refresh your device’s media scan so that the changes take effect. You can usually do this in your device’s settings (look for “Media Storage” or similar).