Unknown photos in DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions...

[Sprinkles8]

Hello,

For the past few weeks, I have been experiencing a strange issue where a random folder titled DCIM appears in my Gallery. It contains 5 stock photos titled demo_prj_01.jpg (and 02, 03, etc). I delete them and they eventually come back, usually days later. I have emptied my trash, and they still come back. I put my phone in airplane mode, thinking the photos were somehow internet-related, but the DCIM folder still returns. I hard reset, and it comes back.

I cannot replicate whatever is causing the folder to appear. Sometimes after I delete it, it will be gone for up to a week. Other times, it will come back several times throughout the day.

The folder appears in my internal storage, not microSD card.

I searched the photos with Bixby and found some matches on Pinterest. So they seem to really just be stock photos. I just don't know why they keep popping back up in my gallery and most importantly, I don't know how to keep them from coming back. I could easily hide or ignore the folder, sure, but how did the folder get there in the first place?

My phone is the Note 20 Ultra 5G running Android 11 with One UI version 3.1. The last software update was June 13 (it was labeled "security patch level: June 1, 2021"). I have not installed any suspicious apps or visited any shady sites to my knowledge, so I have no idea what's going on. The issue began in mid-July. About a week after it started, I installed AVG Antivirus because I thought maybe the pics were somehow virus-related and AVG would block them from reappearing. No such luck.

I'm attaching pics of the gallery showing the DCIM folder, the contents of the folder, and my trash showing how many times I've deleted these pictures in the past 2 or so weeks.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

[monsieurms]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Hello,

For the past few weeks, I have been experiencing a strange issue where a random folder titled DCIM appears in my Gallery. It contains 5 stock photos titled demo_prj_01.jpg (and 02, 03, etc). I delete them and they eventually come back, usually days later. I have emptied my trash, and they still come back. I put my phone in airplane mode, thinking the photos were somehow internet-related, but the DCIM folder still returns. I hard reset, and it comes back.

I cannot replicate whatever is causing the folder to appear. Sometimes after I delete it, it will be gone for up to a week. Other times, it will come back several times throughout the day.

The folder appears in my internal storage, not microSD card.

I searched the photos with Bixby and found some matches on Pinterest. So they seem to really just be stock photos. I just don't know why they keep popping back up in my gallery and most importantly, I don't know how to keep them from coming back. I could easily hide or ignore the folder, sure, but how did the folder get there in the first place?

it must be associated with some
pre-installed program and as such its files are protected. That's all I can think of. If that's the case there may be no way to delete it without deleting the program, if you can find which one it is associated with. If it is in fact a pre-installed program, that may also be difficult to do. But perhaps you can disable the program and that would do it.

 

[D.P.G.]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Using the camera creates it's that is where photo's you take are stored.

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

it must be associated with some
pre-installed program and as such its files are protected. That's all I can think of. If that's the case there may be no way to delete it without deleting the program, if you can find which one it is associated with. If it is in fact a pre-installed program, that may also be difficult to do. But perhaps you can disable the program and that would do it.

Thanks for your advice. But I think if it was a pre-installed program, more people would be experiencing the issue. I also don't get why it just started a few weeks ago when I've had the phone for months.

My biggest concern is whether there's any potential for real harm. Can the photos/folder act as some kind of "gateway" into my phone? Is this just the first step in something more malicious?

I suppose my only step is to do a factory reset and see what happens. Ugh!

 

[jimd1050]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Thanks for your advice. But I think if it was a pre-installed program, more people would be experiencing the issue. I also don't get why it just started a few weeks ago when I've had the phone for months.

My biggest concern is whether there's any potential for real harm. Can the photos/folder act as some kind of "gateway" into my phone? Is this just the first step in something more malicious?

I suppose my only step is to do a factory reset and see what happens. Ugh!

DCIM is exactly what D.P.G. stated - it's a Camera folder, NOT something malicious, I don't care if you didn't notice it before, don't waste your time or ruin a bunch of perfectly good files by doing a Factory Reset for this! Trust me... I've been doing this with Samsung phones for a long time!!!

From Google "Every camera — whether it's a dedicated digital camera or the Camera app on Android or iPhone — places the photos you take in a DCIM folder. DCIM stands for “Digital Camera Images.” The DCIM folder and its layout come from DCF, a standard created back in 2003. DCF is so valuable because it provides a standard layout."

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

DCIM is exactly what D.P.G. stated - it's a Camera folder, NOT something malicious, I don't care if you didn't notice it before, don't waste your time or ruin a bunch of perfectly good files by doing a Factory Reset for this! Trust me... I've been doing this with Samsung phones for a long time!!!

From Google "Every camera — whether it's a dedicated digital camera or the Camera app on Android or iPhone — places the photos you take in a DCIM folder. DCIM stands for “Digital Camera Images.” The DCIM folder and its layout come from DCF, a standard created back in 2003. DCF is so valuable because it provides a standard layout."

Sorry if I was unclear (just edited my thread title for less confusion). It's not the DCIM folder per se that concerns me. It's the 5 stock photos that appear in it (and also cause the DCIM folder itself to appear in my gallery). I know that my internal storage and microSD card both have DCIM folders automatically created by the camera; the photos I take appear in a "Camera" folder, which is located in DCIM.

My concern about malice is specifically about the 5 stock photos that I repeatedly delete and that repeatedly reappear.

 

[mustang7757]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Sorry if I was unclear. It's not the DCIM folder per se that concerns me. It's the 5 stock photos that appear in it (and also cause the DCIM folder itself to appear in my gallery). I know that my internal storage and microSD card both have DCIM folders automatically created by the camera; the photos I take appear in a "Camera" folder, which is located in DCIM.

My concern about malice is specifically about the 5 stock photos that I repeatedly delete and that repeatedly reappear.

Hi, welcome to Ac!

First check in settings>apps>3 dots upper right corner tap>special acces tap>scroll until you see installed unknown apps , anything allowed there ?

2nd erase the picture and put the phone in safe mode do they reappear ? (How long does it take to reappear?)

3rd each picture look at details where it's coming from in gallery ?

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Hi, welcome to Ac!

First check in settings>apps>3 dots upper right corner tap>special acces tap>scroll until you see installed unknown apps , anything allowed there ?

2nd erase the picture and put the phone in safe mode do they reappear ? (How long does it take to reappear?)

3rd each picture look at details where it's coming from in gallery ?

Thank you for the welcome and advice.

1. No, nothing allowed there.

2. The photos seem to reappear at random times. Once, it reappeared several times throughout the day after deleting each occurrence. But usually it takes a few days. The last time the photos appeared was 2 days ago, so I feel like they're "due" soon.

3. The photos are stored in Internal Storage/DCIM. They are the only photos that cause an actual folder called DCIM to appear in the gallery. Otherwise, any folders in DCIM appear in my gallery as their own folders (such as VivaVideo and XiaoYing in my screenshot - both of those folders are located in Internal Storage/DCIM too. When the strange photos appear, they are "loose" in DCIM and again, they create a DCIM folder in my gallery).


Every time I open my gallery now, I brace myself to see the folder again. Sometimes the time/date stamp is incorrect by a day or several hours too. Like I've literally seen the folder pop-up while I was in the gallery, but when I check the photo details, the time stamp shows the previous night.

The time date/stamp is always different, depending on when the photos appear in my gallery. So it's like they're being spontaneously added to my gallery.

 

[mustang7757]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Thank you for the welcome and advice.

1. No, nothing allowed there.

2. The photos seem to reappear at random times. Once, it reappeared several times throughout the day after deleting each occurrence. But usually it takes a few days. The last time the photos appeared was 2 days ago, so I feel like they're "due" soon.

3. The photos are stored in Internal Storage/DCIM. They are the only photos that cause an actual folder called DCIM to appear in the gallery. Otherwise, any folders in DCIM appear in my gallery as their own folders (such as VivaVideo and XiaoYing in my screenshot - both of those folders are located in Internal Storage/DCIM too. When the strange photos appear, they are "loose" in DCIM and again, they create a DCIM folder in my gallery).


Every time I open my gallery now, I brace myself to see the folder again. Sometimes the time/date stamp is incorrect by a day or several hours too. Like I've literally seen the folder pop-up while I was in the gallery, but when I check the photo details, the time stamp shows the previous night.

The time date/stamp is always different, depending on when the photos appear in my gallery. So it's like they're being spontaneously added to my gallery.

Your welcome!

Under details it says internal/dcim/camera ?
That usually indicates camera had to take them , anyone else has access to your phone or can prank you , reason i say because you can double press the power button to take a picture even if phone locked or icon on locked screen , but you can disable both those .

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Your welcome!

Under details it says internal/dcim/camera ?
That usually indicates camera had to take them , anyone else has access to your phone or can prank you , reason i say because you can double press the power button to take a picture even if phone locked or icon on locked screen , but you can disable both those .

No, it's just Internal Storage/DCIM

 

[mustang7757]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

No, it's just Internal Storage/DCIM

Ok so not the camera , what about in "My Files App " is network storage on or anything there?
Do you back up your pictures and if so , where?

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Ok so not the camera , what about in "My Files App " is network storage on or anything there?
Do you back up your pictures and if so , where?

Nope. I'm not signed into Samsung Cloud Drive, OneDrive, or Google Drive. Never used network storage.

I only backup photos to an external drive through my computer. I haven't connected my phone to my computer since these strange photos started appearing (just in case doing so somehow allows whatever is putting stuff on the phone to suddenly have access to my computer too - no idea if that's even possible but wanted to be safe just in case).

Thanks so much for helping me troubleshoot. I really appreciate it.

 

[mustang7757]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Nope. I'm not signed into Samsung Cloud Drive, OneDrive, or Google Drive. Never used network storage.

I only backup photos to an external drive through my computer. I haven't connected my phone to my computer since these strange photos started appearing (just in case doing so somehow allows whatever is putting stuff on the phone to suddenly have access to my computer too - no idea if that's even possible but wanted to be safe just in case).

Thanks so much for helping me troubleshoot. I really appreciate it.

You definitely welcome
Would you be up for testing your phone in safe mode for couple days , this will eliminate any 3rd parts apps or application, you still can get calls and texts just want rule out anything 3rd party doing this ? I'm leaning more and more to a factory reset and you changing passwords and also seting 2 step authentication where you can .

 

[Javier P]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Nope. I'm not signed into Samsung Cloud Drive, OneDrive, or Google Drive. Never used network storage.

I only backup photos to an external drive through my computer. I haven't connected my phone to my computer since these strange photos started appearing (just in case doing so somehow allows whatever is putting stuff on the phone to suddenly have access to my computer too - no idea if that's even possible but wanted to be safe just in case).

Thanks so much for helping me troubleshoot. I really appreciate it.

Welcome to the forums. They definitely sound like cache files from a third party app. Do you use Viva Video or any other similar editor?

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

You definitely welcome
Would you be up for testing your phone in safe mode for couple days , this will eliminate any 3rd parts apps or application, you still can get calls and texts just want rule out anything 3rd party doing this ? I'm leaning more and more to a factory reset and you changing passwords and also seting 2 step authentication where you can .

I'd prefer not to be in safe mode for that long, especially since the photos don't have a real pattern of when they reappear, but I am willing to do it as a last resort before a factory reset. If the photos STILL re-appeared in safe mode, would that be better or worse than if a 3rd party app was the cause?

Welcome to the forums. They definitely sound like cache files from a third party app. Do you use Viva Video or any other similar editor?

Thank you! Hmm. I do use Viva Video and several other video/photo editors. But I've had them installed for years and I haven't used them in many months (before the photos started appearing). If they were cache files from one of those apps, is it "normal" for them to appear in their own DCIM folder rather than some folder belong to the app?

 

[mustang7757]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

I'd prefer not to be in safe mode for that long, especially since the photos don't have a real pattern of when they reappear, but I am willing to do it as a last resort before a factory reset. If the photos STILL re-appeared in safe mode, would that be better or worse than if a 3rd party app was the cause?




Thank you! Hmm. I do use Viva Video and several other video/photo editors. But I've had them installed for years and I haven't used them in many months (before the photos started appearing). If they were cache files from one of those apps, is it "normal" for them to appear in their own DCIM folder rather than some folder belong to the app?

If they reappear in safe mode then definitely factory reset and change passwords, that wouldn't be good . For vivo video check permissions of that app for storage and deny it for a few days see if those photos come back .


Edit:
Deny permission on each video app for storage but do it one by one for few days to isolate which is the cause .

 

[Javier P]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Thank you! Hmm. I do use Viva Video and several other video/photo editors. But I've had them installed for years and I haven't used them in many months (before the photos started appearing). If they were cache files from one of those apps, is it "normal" for them to appear in their own DCIM folder rather than some folder belong to the app?

There's an easy way to find out if any of these apps is the culprit. Open your file explorer to show those files and then go to settings - apps - select Viva Video (or any other app) - force stop - storage and clear storage. Now open the file explorer again, refresh and see if the files are still there.

Also, if you don't use those apps anymore I'd recommend you to uninstall them. Just remember to force stop + clear storage before hitting the uninstall button.

 

[monsieurms]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

Thanks for your advice. But I think if it was a pre-installed program, more people would be experiencing the issue. I also don't get why it just started a few weeks ago when I've had the phone for months.

My biggest concern is whether there's any potential for real harm. Can the photos/folder act as some kind of "gateway" into my phone? Is this just the first step in something more malicious?

h!

I have in fact had something similar occur where I found these stock photos appeared from some program. I forget what it was, but they came with the program. Now, I could delete them...

But it wasn't a big deal. I personally would not do a reset for this.

 

[Sprinkles8]

Re: Unknown DCIM folder randomly appearing after multiple deletions

If they reappear in safe mode then definitely factory reset and change passwords, that wouldn't be good . For vivo video check permissions of that app for storage and deny it for a few days see if those photos come back .

Edit:
Deny permission on each video app for storage but do it one by one for few days to isolate which is the cause .

There's an easy way to find out if any of these apps is the culprit. Open your file explorer to show those files and then go to settings - apps - select Viva Video (or any other app) - force stop - storage and clear storage. Now open the file explorer again, refresh and see if the files are still there.

Also, if you don't use those apps anymore I'd recommend you to uninstall them. Just remember to force stop + clear storage before hitting the uninstall button.

This is great advice. Thank you! I will definitely try this when the photos reappear.

I have in fact had something similar occur where I found these stock photos appeared from some program. I forget what it was, but they came with the program. Now, I could delete them...

But it wasn't a big deal. I personally would not do a reset for this.

When you deleted them, did they ever come back? I now have six sets of the photos in my trash that I deleted just in the past 2 weeks. The photos have reappeared more times than that, but I emptied the trash hoping that it would somehow prevent the pics from coming back.

 

[Sprinkles8]

I restarted my phone today and the photos (and folder) reappeared.

I did as Javier P suggested and began force stopping apps, clearing their cache/data, and checking file explorer to see if the photos were still there. No matter which app I tried, including Viva Video, the photos were still there.

Then I noticed that a brand new folder called VivaCamera was in my DCIM folder. It was the first time I had ever seen it and wouldn't you know it, its creation date was identical to the photos (as you can see in the screenshot).

I deleted the VivaCamera folder and the photos and restarted my phone, assuming they'd reappear again but they haven't so far.

I have since uninstalled Viva Video and hope to never see these pics again.

Thank you so much for all of your help!