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I'm trying to create a folder shortcut inside another folder. I tried ES File Explorer, but it shows an option to add a shortcut to the home screen only.

How to create a folder shortcut inside another folder in Android?

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  • Create a folder having other folders, zip it and create a shortcut to zip file of course you will have to unzip every time you access- this is the closest I can think of
    – beeshyams
    Commented Mar 24, 2017 at 11:29
  • @beeshyams . Ya I tried it but there is no option to add shortcut inside another folder.. There is only add shortcut to homescreen option.
    – Udhayakumar
    Commented Mar 24, 2017 at 13:00
  • How to create a shortcut to some file in another folder?
    – Irfan Latif
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 16:38

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To create a "shortcut" to a folder on a file system, you can use symlinks(symbolic links) or bind mounts. You can use an app(e.g. Apps2SD) to do that, or run the command through adb or terminal emulator.

1. Using Apps2SD

You can use an app like Apps2SD to create symlinks(symbolic links) or bind mounts.

You can download Apps2SD from xda or google play(here it's renamed as "App2SD", but the package name is the same).

You can go to its official site to look for some more help. But according to my experience, you need to be careful about the SD card partition whose underlying filesystem format is vfat / FAT32 / extFat(Type 1), in contrast with the internal storage or the 2nd partition on the SD card created by Apps2SD, whose filesystem could be ext4 / ext3 / ... (Type 2).

You can freely create symlinks from a place in Type 2 to another place in Type 2.

But when it comes to file system Type 1, you might have to use bind mounts, which is not exactly a shortcut. For example, using rm -r on a parent folder may have different consequences, as mentioned here:

I should warn against rm -r on a mount --bind. With a ln, it removes the link, whereas for a --bind, it has the same effect as running the rm -r on the target. Not good, as I found shortly before rebuilding one of my servers...

You can, however, create a mount bind using Apps2SD, with the source being in the internal storage(Type 2) and the destination(where the data really is) being in the 1st partition of the SD card(file system of Type 1), in order to save space in the internal storage.

The usages of Apps2SD mentioned above are my personal experiences. You will have to try it yourself if you want to use it differently.

2. Using shell command or shell script

You can do it yourself using commands like ln or mount --bind to create symlinks or bind mounts, respectively.

Check out the command manuals: mount, ln

Other info that might help(provided by Irfan Latif):

  1. How can I make a symlink (or equivalent) inside /storage/emulated/0? - Android Enthusiasts Stack Exchange
    This is about how to make a "shortcut" in the SD card. Note that /storage/emulated/0 is the SD card.

  2. sd card - How to create a shortcut to some file in another folder? - Android Enthusiasts Stack Exchange

PS: Below is my previous answer to this question. I misunderstood this question as the OP was trying to create a folder shortcut inside another folder on the desktop.

You can use an APP like Folder Organizer or Glextor Manager.

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  • They create shortcuts in Launcher app (desktop), not other folders/directories.
    – Irfan Latif
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 16:37
  • @Irfan Latif You can create a widget on the desktop, and that widget contains apps or folders(called label or group in the app). And those each of those folders contains apps or folders, etc. It works just like folders indisde folders.
    – huhiha
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 16:59
  • You are correct. But those widgets (or labels or groups or folders; whatever you name them) are not actual directories or folders by definition, which is a filesystem feature. Directories/folders/files/symlinks live on a filesystem as long as you don't erase or re-create the filesystem by formatting. They are not even dependent on the operating system. But the folders created on launcher app are dependent on both apps; the launcher and the one creating them. They are no more available if any of the two apps is uninstalled.
    – Irfan Latif
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 17:30
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    @Irfan Latif Yeah it seems I misunderstood the question. Answer updated.
    – huhiha
    Commented Feb 6, 2020 at 9:44

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