Trouble with downloaded images-- They disappear.

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Before I actually ask the question, I would like to point out that I already asked this once a few days ago, but the email that was sent to me (to tell me my question was approved) had a link that didn't work. It kept sending me to a blank page that said "Bad Request - Invalid URL". I'm hoping in asking it again would fix the link and that this issue was a one-time-thing. I'm not exactly sure how else to find my original question either, and after some extensive searching I just decided to try again. As I couldn't reply to the email to ask for a new link I figured this was the easiest solution.

Now for the question! For about a year now (it's never bothered me until recently, as I'm fed up with maneuvering around it) my Gallery in my Galaxy S5 has lost it's downloads folder.
Any IMAGE downloaded from the internet immediately disappears, while still accessible through the downloads history in the "My Files" app. Any other type of file downloaded still works completely fine (music, PDFs, etc) and they show up in the internal storage downloads folder in my phone. The thing is, images don't, for seemingly no reason.
Looking through my files, any other type of picture in the internal storage (I do use an SD card, but nothing is there either), such as photos from my camera or screenshots show up completely fine. So why has my download folder in my gallery disappeared? It's as if my phone thinks I have none downloaded while simultaneously saying (through the download history in my files -- not the internet) that I have them. I need the downloads folder to be able to move files around, and while I can access them through the history it's annoying how it becomes one big unorganized mess. Nor can I set any image downloaded as my background or something, because my phone can't find them in my gallery.
I can't go through the history to figure out where the images are stored as there's no option to find the location/move them. Selecting them in the history only gives the options of sharing or deleting the images (or the history of the images themselves, i'm not sure).
I have already tried searching for .nomedia files, renaming the current folder "downloads_old" and then creating a new one, and (back when this first happened last year) resetting my phone. I would prefer not to do that again, as I have a lot on my phone that would take ages to replace, however at this point I'm open to the possibility. Nothing has worked. This is so incredibly frustrating, please help me figure out what I can do to fix this.

Thanks for your help!
 

ManiacJoe

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Galaxy S5

Which version of android?
Which carrier?
Which "gallery" app?

Which app(s) are you doing the downloads with?
Is the app using the "downloads" folder, or is it using its own folder elsewhere?
 

B. Diddy

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Welcome to Android Central! Using the My Files app or any other 3rd party file manager app, look directly in the /Download directory (not the general category -- to look in an actual directory, you might have to first select "Local"). Do you see any of the downloaded image files there?
 

Starglade86

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Alright I created an account to continue the conversation... I probably should have done so beforehand, but I'm learning as I go here.
No, my phone is not synced to another device,.
I'm using android version 6.0.1, Telus is my carrier, the gallery app came with the phone, and is literally called "Gallery", I assume I'm just using chrome to download things and I'm not sure what other apps would control that (but i'll look into it and see if there are more).
And no, all download folders I can find lack any images. All the usual things are still there (music, pdf files) but images are still missing.
 

B. Diddy

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Can you check and see which browser you're using (i.e., Chrome vs the Samsung Internet browser)?

How are you downloading the image? Are you long-pressing it on the website, then tapping Download or Save? If you tap the Menu button while in the browser, is there an option for Downloads? If so, do you see the images there?
 

methodman89

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Are your photos set to private mode? Google is probably involved with your download, there is another folder called photos. Chrome is your browser, and you can save things to your downloads folder from that. Sounds like you should explore your settings, menus and a few you tube videos.