Question Downloads/tmp/shared_prefs - what is this?

PancakesGO

Member
May 30, 2023
8
1
3
Visit site
Hello :)

This folder showed up a while ago, and I can't identify where it came from. If I delete it, it just shows up again. What is it?

I use Android 12 on a Skylight Elite C63. Attached are images of the folder in question and all the apps I have installed.

Thanks :)

Screenshot_20230530-093102.pngScreenshot_20230530-093112.png
 

B. Diddy

Senior Ambassador
Moderator
Mar 9, 2012
165,285
4,399
113
Visit site
Welcome to Android Central! It can be very difficult to know which app created that download subfolder, but something like this is almost certainly benign. You can try deleting the folder, then booting the phone into Safe Mode and seeing if it gets created again. If it comes back, then it's a system app, and there would definitely be nothing to worry about. If it doesn't come back, then it's from some 3rd party app you installed -- but there'd still be no reason to believe it's malicious.

You can check periodically to see if anything is in that folder, and if you find a file, show us what it is.
 

mustang7757

Super Moderator
Moderator
Feb 6, 2017
91,186
5,857
113
Visit site
In your screenshot Amaze is creating this folder

I circled your screenshot in red
de4c380e88450839c510cce25990065d.jpg
84393b1b5f6848e1b90cefcbaaba8333.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: BerryBubbles

PancakesGO

Member
May 30, 2023
8
1
3
Visit site
In that case, it's some system app that's creating it. Do you use multiple profiles on the device? Maybe it's related to that.
No, I don't use multiple profiles. I'm not as concerned about it based on your information that it can't be malicious if it reappears in safemode and is hence a system app - is this true even if I disabled airplane mode once in safe mode and poked around in Chrome for a bit?

@mustang7577

I considered that, but the folder reappears with Amaze uninstalled (I tried deleting various suspect apps one by one before learning about safe mode, mostly internet and file browsers) and browsing with the system Files app, and in safe mode, which, if I've learned correctly, would prevent Amaze from recreating the folder.
 

mustang7757

Super Moderator
Moderator
Feb 6, 2017
91,186
5,857
113
Visit site
No, I don't use multiple profiles. I'm not as concerned about it based on your information that it can't be malicious if it reappears in safemode and is hence a system app - is this true even if I disabled airplane mode once in safe mode and poked around in Chrome for a bit?

@mustang7577

I considered that, but the folder reappears with Amaze uninstalled (I tried deleting various suspect apps one by one before learning about safe mode, mostly internet and file browsers) and browsing with the system Files app, and in safe mode, which, if I've learned correctly, would prevent Amaze from recreating the folder.
What type of app is Amaze? Does it have plug-in?
 

PancakesGO

Member
May 30, 2023
8
1
3
Visit site
What type of app is Amaze? Does it have plug-in?
It's a file manager. I'm not sure what you mean by plug-in, but to clarify the folder in question gets recreated after deletion if Amaze is uninstalled, and does not get created on my other devices which have Amaze installed. Amaze can be safely ruled out as being responsible for creating the folder.
 

mustang7757

Super Moderator
Moderator
Feb 6, 2017
91,186
5,857
113
Visit site
It's a file manager. I'm not sure what you mean by plug-in, but to clarify the folder in question gets recreated after deletion if Amaze is uninstalled, and does not get created on my other devices which have Amaze installed. Amaze can be safely ruled out as being responsible for creating the folder.
To analyze storage it takes you to download another app Like a plugin, did you do that?

I left a screenshot what it ask to download
21dadcc38646fcb364b5841a50a475e6.jpg
 

B. Diddy

Senior Ambassador
Moderator
Mar 9, 2012
165,285
4,399
113
Visit site
No, I don't use multiple profiles. I'm not as concerned about it based on your information that it can't be malicious if it reappears in safemode and is hence a system app - is this true even if I disabled airplane mode once in safe mode and poked around in Chrome for a bit?

@mustang7577

I considered that, but the folder reappears with Amaze uninstalled (I tried deleting various suspect apps one by one before learning about safe mode, mostly internet and file browsers) and browsing with the system Files app, and in safe mode, which, if I've learned correctly, would prevent Amaze from recreating the folder.
Airplane Mode wouldn't have any bearing on Safe Mode. If something is happening in Safe Mode, then it's due to the system or apps that were preinstalled, not apps that you or someone else might have installed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PancakesGO

Latest posts

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,409
Messages
6,913,971
Members
3,158,403
Latest member
evinrude