com.android.providers.media

The original media database package, still kept on newer phones beside the MediaProvider module. Keep it: com.android.providers.media is needed for the phone, its updates or its security.

What it does

This package, labeled Media Storage on older phones and shown by its package name on many newer ones, is the media index Android used before version 11 to catalog photos, videos and music for apps. From Android 11 the work moved to the MediaProvider Mainline module, which phones with Google apps run as com.google.android.providers.media.module, and this package remains as a legacy component the module uses when moving data from the old database. On phones older than Android 11 it is still the main media index.

Also shown as Media Storage, MediaProvider (legacy).

If you disable it

On older phones, galleries, music players and file apps lose access to media; on newer phones the effect depends on how the maker uses the legacy package, so leave it enabled.

How to disable it

On most phones Settings greys out Disable for this package, so ADB is the way to turn it off. The commands below work without root and can be undone.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.providers.media

adb shell pm enable com.android.providers.media

The stronger option removes it for your user only; the original copy stays on the phone and a factory reset brings it back. Prefer disabling: it is easier to undo.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.providers.media

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.providers.media

New to ADB? Set it up in about ten minutes.

Data and battery

Indexes file names and media details on the device.

Where it appears

• Made by Android Open Source Project.