can't empty my downloads folder

[Owen Ray]

I was losing space on my Samsung S5 and my downloads folder was about 3 GB so I deleted all of the contents as I didn't need them. However >settings>storage still reports that my downloads folder is taking up 3 GB. If I look at my downloads history it reports and I quote "No downloads." I've rebooted the device and I've wiped the cache partition for kicks and giggles but nothing has helped. I am out of space. Any ideas?

 

[N4Newbie]

How, exactly, did you delete them?

If you used a file manager and/or connected to your desktop and did it through Windows Explorer, that may be your problem.

I have noticed that the OS seems to maintain an index of some sort of the contents of the Downloads folder and that manipulating the contents of that folder outside of the Downloads app leaves the index corrupt.

Using the reverse example, if you manually drop files into the Downloads folder (using a file manager or Windows Explorer) and then open the Downloads app (app drawer - > Downloads in stock Android OS), the files you just added to the folder are not listed.

 

[Owen Ray]

I deleted them from the phones "my files" interface.

 

[TitoRoE]

My Files>Device Storage...scroll down to Download. Is one way I delete downloads or I use ES File Explorer...or move to SD Card if I still need them...