Where are my photos going?

[iFlYSoLo]

Ok can someone help me please? 2 parts: TIA

I am new to Samsung.. if that helps..

1. so I download a pic from Google..disappears.. like in a black hole. not in the downloads folder, not in gallery. no where. it just evaporates.

2. I delete some photos from the gallery. but I back then up in Google photos. works, no issues! however, if I need one of those photos again I have to go to Google and then download to device which then goes into the my files folder as a zipped folder. is that normal? when I unzip the folder sometimes they show up back in the gallery and sometimes they evaporate again?!

WTH... Someone please help.. I never saw that in my previous Android.

[CHMultimedia]

Maybe you have some kind of auto upload and liberate function enabled. I know OneDrive allows you to auto-upload all your pics and then erases on-device copies to free space.

[iFlYSoLo]

I doubt it but will check but what about the ones I download from the net? they never show... it says downloaded.. I swipe down from the notification panel and open it using gallery...but no options to do anything with it and it's nowhere else. for e.g. found a cool pic and wanted to use as a wallpaper... back hole.. where is it... ??

[RichMan1]

Interesting.. let's try solving it. Do you see only the downloaded pictures disappearing automatically or do you see the pictures you take with the Camera also disappear too??

[iFlYSoLo]

just the downloaded ones..

[RichMan1]

Ohkay, follow these steps:
Open 'My Files' app, click on 'Internal Storage', try to find a folder named 'Download'. Do you see any files inside? If you see files number but can't see the files, tell me.
Open the browser, click 3 dot on top right, click Settings. Then click Advanced. You'll see a option that says 'Save Content To', does it say device or SD card? If you have SD card, switch it to SD card. Download and see if it shows up in Download folder in SD card.
Do these steps and follow up with me..hopefully we can detect the problem.

[iFlYSoLo]

so I just tried again .. downloaded a pic from Google images.. shows its downloaded but it's nowhere .. I mean nowhere at all.

not in downloads like you said. no file number either.. it just evaporates?

[Shaggyskunk1BLM]

If download images from Google - You MAY have to go to Files & Move them from there to your Gallery app - Downloads from Chrome will automatically automatically appear in the Gallery app.

[Shaggyskunk1BLM]

Long Press on an Image - Three Dot Menu Top Right & Select "move" 🐧

[iFlYSoLo]

images from Google are not showing up in files.. that is the issue. they are disappearing..no matter what I download. Chrome or Google.. poof...gone..black hole.. nowhere..