Where Does Poweramp Store Its Library and Settings?
Where Poweramp keeps its library database on Android, and how settings exports actually migrate.
Last updated
Poweramp keeps its live library in Android app private storage: unreachable, uncopyable, and wiped on reinstall. Everything portable goes through Settings exports to .poweramp-settings files plus playlist files.
That export habit is the whole migration story. Music files themselves sit in normal folders and rescan by path, while ratings, playlists, and layouts travel only inside exports. Export before wiping, not after. Full rescan rebuilds from current folders. Playlist files export separately.
Where Poweramp stores this, by platform
App-private storage (exports are user-chosen)
Live database in private internal storage (root only). Settings and playlist exports go wherever you save them; keep copies off device. Music folders rescan by path, so stable paths matter more than backups.
Frequently asked questions
how do i move poweramp to a new phone
Use Settings > Export Settings/Data to a .poweramp-settings file (plus separate playlist exports), then import on the new install. The live database in app private storage never transfers directly. Keep the export off device; on phone copies die with it.
why is poweramp missing music after moving files
In the app private database with file paths as keys, which is why moved music shows as missing until a rescan. Full Rescan in Library settings rebuilds from the current folders. Ratings and play counts survive rescans but not folder renames without it.
where are poweramp skins and layouts stored
In the same private database, backed by the settings export. Skins (.apk) install separately and survive nothing automatically. Export after theming or the look resets on reinstall.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.