On Android, screenshots live in a dedicated folder: Internal storage > Pictures > Screenshots (some phones use DCIM/Screenshots). Open Files by Google or your Gallery app, navigate there, and you'll see every screenshot your phone has saved. From there you can review and delete them in bulk.
TL;DR
- Folder path: Internal storage > Pictures > Screenshots (or DCIM/Screenshots).
- Files by Google > Browse, or Gallery > Albums > Screenshots, both open it.
- Android auto-saves each screenshot to this folder with no setup.
- Long-press to multi-select, then delete a whole batch at once.
- Deleted files go to Trash for ~30 days (Files by Google) before permanent removal.
Where does Android store screenshots?
When you press power + volume down, Android writes a PNG to a fixed folder. The exact location depends on the manufacturer:
- Pixel / stock Android: Internal storage > Pictures > Screenshots
- Samsung: DCIM > Screenshots
- Many others: Pictures > Screenshots
The Gallery and Photos apps read from these folders automatically and usually surface a Screenshots album so you don't have to memorize the path.
How do I find the folder in Files by Google?
- Open Files by Google (preinstalled on most phones, free on the Play Store).
- Tap Browse at the bottom.
- Under Storage devices, tap Internal storage.
- Open Pictures, then Screenshots (on Samsung, open DCIM > Screenshots).
- Tap the sort icon and choose Largest or Newest to put the obvious junk on top.
If you prefer your gallery: open Gallery (or Google Photos), go to Albums, and tap Screenshots. Same files, friendlier thumbnails.
How do I clear them in bulk?
In Files by Google or Gallery:
- Long-press the first screenshot to enter selection mode.
- Tap each one you want, or use Select all at the top to grab the lot.
- Tap Delete (or Move to Trash).
- Confirm.
Screenshots are typically 150 KB–2 MB each. Clearing a year of captures often reclaims 1–3 GB.
What does Android do natively, and where does it stop?
Natively, Android keeps screenshots tidily in one folder and your Gallery mirrors that as an album — so finding them is easy. Files by Google even has a Clean tab that suggests "large files" and "old screenshots."
Where it stops: those suggestions are rough. Android won't tell receipts and QR codes apart from disposable shots, and the Clean tab's screenshot detection is conservative — it misses plenty. You still review by eye to avoid deleting something you needed.
What this cannot do (and how recovery works)
Clearing the Screenshots folder only addresses screenshots. If your storage is still tight, the bigger drains on most phones are videos, app caches, and downloads — those live elsewhere and need a separate pass.
On recoverability: in Files by Google, deleted items go to Trash and stay for about 30 days before they're erased, so you have a window to undo. In a stock Gallery, deleted items sit in Trash / Recently deleted for around 30 days too. To reclaim space immediately, open Trash and empty it. If you back up to Google Photos, deleting a synced screenshot can remove it from the cloud as well — check whether it's backed up before you empty the bin.
Note: this article is Android-focused. The Cleanor app is built for iPhone, so the links below are most useful if you also carry an iOS device.
FAQ
My screenshots aren't in the Pictures folder — where are they?
Manufacturer skins vary. Samsung uses DCIM/Screenshots; some OnePlus and Xiaomi builds use their own paths. The fastest fix is to open Gallery, find the Screenshots album, tap a screenshot, and check Details / Info for its file path.
Does emptying the Trash free space right away?
Yes. Once you empty Trash in Files by Google or Gallery, the space is reclaimed immediately — but the files are then unrecoverable.
Will deleting screenshots remove them from Google Photos?
If a screenshot was already backed up and you delete it inside the Google Photos app, it's removed from the cloud and other devices. Deleting only the local file in Files by Google leaves the backed-up copy intact.
On an iPhone too? Cleanor for iPhone does the screenshot-and-duplicate review automatically, and our guide to free up iPhone space walks through the rest.