The Ultimate Fix: 5 Steps To Find Your 'Missing' DraStic Folder On Modern Android (11, 12, 13, & 14)

Are you one of the countless Nintendo DS emulation enthusiasts who recently updated their phone to Android 11, 12, 13, or 14 and suddenly found the DraStic DS Emulator folder—and all your precious save files—has vanished? You are not alone. As of December 11, 2025, this is one of the most common and frustrating issues facing the DraStic community, but rest assured, your folder isn't gone; it's just hidden behind a new, strict security feature called Scoped Storage.

This comprehensive guide will explain exactly why you can no longer see the familiar /DraStic folder in your internal storage and, more importantly, provide the ultimate, up-to-date solution to relocate your save files, cheat codes, and BIOS files to an easily accessible location, ensuring seamless gaming on the latest Android operating systems.

Understanding the Android Scoped Storage Problem

The main reason you can't find the DraStic folder is a fundamental change in how the Android operating system manages file access for third-party applications. Starting prominently with Android 11, Google introduced a security measure called Scoped Storage.

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This policy dictates that most apps, including the DraStic DS Emulator, can only access their own files within a restricted, private directory. This directory is typically hidden from standard file managers, which is why your old /DraStic folder seems to have disappeared from the root of your internal storage.

The Default, Hidden DraStic Folder Location

If you are using a rooted device or a specialized file explorer that can view private app data, your DraStic files (including save states and backups) are likely stored in a path similar to this, depending on your Android version:

• Android 12/13/14 (Most Common): /data/user/0/com.dsemu.drastic/files/DraStic
• Older Android 10/11: /Android/data/com.dsemu.drastic/files/DraStic

Since most users cannot easily access these private directories, the only reliable, long-term solution is to use DraStic's built-in feature to change the System Directory to a location you control.

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The 5-Step Solution: Relocating Your DraStic System Directory

Fortunately, the DraStic developers anticipated this change and added a crucial setting that allows users to bypass the Scoped Storage restrictions by manually selecting a new, accessible folder. This process is the definitive fix for modern Android devices (Android 11, Android 12, Android 13, and Android 14).

Step 1: Access DraStic's General Settings

Open the DraStic DS Emulator application. From the main menu, select Change Options. This will take you into the main configuration settings of the emulator.

Step 2: Locate the System Directory Option

In the settings menu, navigate to the General section. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the General settings. You will find an option labeled System Directory. This is the key setting that controls where DraStic reads and writes its crucial support files.

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Step 3: Select 'Scoped Storage Folder'

Tap on System Directory. A new menu will appear. You will see several options, including the default (which is the hidden private folder). Select the option labeled Scoped Storage Folder.

This action signals to the emulator that you intend to use a publicly accessible folder, which will then trigger Android's built-in file picker to grant DraStic the necessary permissions for that specific location.

Step 4: Choose a New, Accessible Location

After selecting 'Scoped Storage Folder,' Android's file manager will open. You now need to choose a new location for the DraStic folder. The best practice is to select a simple, easy-to-remember location, such as:

• The root of your Internal Storage (e.g., /storage/emulated/0/).
• A dedicated Emulators folder (e.g., /storage/emulated/0/Emulators/DraStic).

Crucial Tip: When you select the location, you will be prompted to either select an existing folder or create a new one. It is often easiest to create a new folder named DraStic directly in the root of your internal storage. Once you select this new folder, DraStic will automatically create all the necessary sub-folders (like backup, cheats, and states) within it.

Step 5: Transfer Your Old Save Files (If Applicable)

If you had existing save files (.dsv or .sav files) or save states (.dss files) from your previous installation, you will need to manually move them to the new location. Since the old folder is hidden, this step can be tricky:

1. If you can access the old folder: Use a file explorer with root access (or a desktop connection) to copy the contents of the hidden folder (see the path in the previous section).
2. If you cannot access the old folder (Most Common): If you have a recent backup, or if you can still load the game and manually save it, DraStic may automatically copy the necessary .dsv save file to the new location when you load the game.
3. The Easiest Method: In DraStic, use the Backup feature. The emulator is often able to access and back up the files from the hidden location. Once backed up, the new System Directory will be used for future saves and the backup file will be accessible.

Troubleshooting & LSI Entity Reference

This issue is entirely related to file management and permissions on modern Android devices. Here are a few key entities and related solutions:

Android 13 / Android 14 Specific Issues

Users on the very latest operating systems (Android 13 and Android 14) may find that even the /Android/data folder is completely inaccessible via standard file explorers. The Scoped Storage Folder method described above is the only reliable way to manage your files without rooting your device. Always ensure your DraStic DS Emulator app is updated to the latest version to ensure full compatibility with the newest Android APIs.

Using an External SD Card

If you prefer to use an external SD card for your storage, you can select a folder on the SD card in Step 4. However, be aware that Android's permissions for SD cards can be even stricter and sometimes revert after a device restart. Using a folder on your internal storage is generally the more stable and recommended option for the System Directory.

The Role of the ROMs Folder

It's important to distinguish between the DraStic System Directory (for saves, states, and cheats) and your ROMs Folder (for the actual .nds game files). While the System Directory is the one that disappears, you can and should keep your ROMs in an easily accessible location, such as the /Roms/NDS folder on your internal storage. The emulator will ask you to select this folder separately when you first load a game or change the ROM path.

By implementing the Scoped Storage Folder fix, you regain full control over your emulator files, allowing you to easily manage your save files, transfer cheat codes, and back up your save states without encountering the frustrating "can't find DraStic folder" error again. Happy emulating!