APK files from SD card have no thumbnail on My Files app

[Denjo18]

I was cleaning my phone and moved a bunch of .apk files from my internal storage to the SD card and noticed that all the thumbnail icons are gone when viewed in Samsung's My Files explorer. When they were in Internal Storage, they all had their respective individual app icons next to the .apk file.

I can't remember if this was always the case, or if I messed something up somehow. Does anyone else have the same issue of missing .apk icons in SD card?

[TeamGalaxyRene]

Hello Denjo18,

Thanks for your inquiry, here.

Really understand your situation right now, don't know what to do next after transferring your saved Android Application Package (APK) files from your device internal storage location to the SD card, that resulted to missing thumbnail icons when viewed in Samsung's My Files explorer. But don't you worry, we are here to assist, provide quick fixes, and offer solutions to restore your device to working properly.

Before you try out the recommendations below, be sure to check if your device's software and related apps are updated to the latest version. To update your mobile device's software, follow these steps: 

Step 1. Go to Settings > Software update.

Step 2. Tap on Download and install.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 4. Restart your device and see if its working now.

Missing thumbnail icons in the new folder after the transferring process has something to do with file association. When you download and install apps, i.e. apk files, all its related records and files are saved in your device internal storage & files registry. So, when you clean, and transfer the same .apk files from internal storage to the SD card, it will not be able to view the associated icons and when launched, it will not work properly.

The My Files app stores every file you have on your phone or tablet. It's like the File Explorer on a PC or Finder on Mac, where you can easily view and move photos, videos, music, documents, and more. You can also remove files from the My Files app if you no longer need them. The Trash feature in My Files should be on by default, but you should make sure it's turned on just in case.

Therefore, we recommend the below steps.

Step 1. Move at least one apk file from the SD card to the internal storage and see what happens, if you are able to view the icon now.

Step 2. If its working, then you need to transfer all back the apk files that you have transferred from SD card to internal storage in order to view their icons.

Step 3. If it doesn't work, then your files may be corrupted.

Moreover, in order to better manage your device storage space, you can also store your files using a cloud service i.e. One Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Samsung Cloud. These have the benefit of being accessible on a variety of devices, making it easy to access and use your data where you need it.

For more assistance, you may contact us on our online Samsung support channels below.

https://samsung-livechat.sprinklr.com/seao/ph/index.html 

https://www.samsung.com/ph/support/contact/#onlinesupport  

Or contact our Samsung direct hotline numbers below.

#GALAXY or #425299 [Mobile Phones & Tablets]

Available 24/7

1-800-10-7267864 [All Product, Toll Free, PLDT]

1-800-8-7267864 [All Product, Toll Free, Globe]

842 221 11 [All Product, Landline]

Daily (8:00am to 8:00pm)

Be sure to click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" when you find our answers helpful to you. 

[Denjo18]

but in the google files app, thumbnail icon appears in intallation files from my sd card

The first image taken from Samsung My Files app and the second one is from google files app

[TeamGalaxyRene]

Hello Denjo18,

Let us try below.

An icon badge displays as a small circle or a number on the corner of an app's icon. If an app has one or more notifications, it will have a badge. Some apps will combine multiple notifications into one and may only show the number 1. Other times, the badge may go away if you clear your notifications. If the badges are not displaying, you'll need to enable the notifications for that app and then turn on the app icon badges.

Step 1. Open app notification settings.

Navigate to and open Settings, and then tap Apps. Select your desired app, and then tap Notifications.

Step 2. Turn on App icon badges for the individual app.

Set the different switches to your preferences for the app's available notifications, at least one must be enabled. Next, tap the switch next to App icon badges at the bottom of the screen. This will ensure they are turned on for the specific app.

Step 3.  Turn on App icon badges from Settings.

Navigate back to the main Settings screen, tap Notifications, and then tap Advanced settings. Tap the switch next to App icon badges to turn them on.

Hope this resolves your device's issue.

[Denjo18]

APK media thumbnail appears in Internal Storage of My Files app

[TeamGalaxyRene]

Hello Denjo18,

Then, you need to download the apk files once again, but now in SD Card.

For more assistance, you may contact us on our online Samsung support channels below.

https://samsung-livechat.sprinklr.com/seao/ph/index.html 

https://www.samsung.com/ph/support/contact/#onlinesupport  

Or contact our Samsung direct hotline numbers below.

#GALAXY or #425299 [Mobile Phones & Tablets]

Available 24/7

1-800-10-7267864 [All Product, Toll Free, PLDT]

1-800-8-7267864 [All Product, Toll Free, Globe]

842 221 11 [All Product, Landline]

Daily (8:00am to 8:00pm)

[Denjo18]

ok thanks...I will try all your suggestions.