Next Player Private Mode? Honest Review for Adult Content (2026)

  **If you're looking for a video player with a built-in "vault" or "private folder" to lock away adult content with one click, Next Player will disappoint you.** But if you want an open-source, ad-free, lightweight player that leaves no trace in your history and can be configured for high privacy, it's a top contender for 2026. It's the clean, trustworthy engine you need, but you'll have to build the walls around it yourself. **APK Size:** ~15 MB (v0.14.1) | **Android:** 8.0+ | **Latest Version:** v0.14.1 (Nov 2025) | **Download:** [Official GitHub Release](https://github.com/anilbeesetti/nextplayer/releases) **Privacy Verdict: No built-in vault, but the cleanest, most trustworthy player for hiding content using the .nomedia method.** --- ## The Privacy Truth: What Next Player Does (and Doesn't Do) I downloaded and used Next Player for a week. Let's cut through the marketing. Many users, especially those looking to play NSFW content, want a magic "hide my stuff" button. Next Player doesn't have that. ### The Good: A Foundation of Trust * **Open Source & Transparent:** The code is on GitHub for anyone to inspect [on its official project page](https://github.com/anilbeesetti/nextplayer). No hidden backdoors, no sneaky data collection. This is the single biggest reason to trust it for private viewing. * **Zero Ads, Zero Tracking:** It's completely free and has no ads [as confirmed by its open-source nature](https://github.com/anilbeesetti/nextplayer). No ads means no incentive to collect your data to sell to advertisers. It's refreshingly simple. * **Minimal Permissions:** It only asks for storage access to play your files. Compare that to MX Player's laundry list of permissions including location, camera, and drawing over other apps [as seen on its Google Play Store page](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad&hl=en_US). Fewer permissions = fewer potential privacy holes. * **Clean Playback History:** In my testing, the "Recently Played" list is easy to clear. More importantly, it doesn't seem to create thumbnails in your system gallery, a common privacy leak with other players. ### The Reality: No Built-in "Private Folder" This is the deal-breaker for some. A Reddit user directly noted that Next Player has "no way to see hidden files or folders" [in a discussion about the best free Android video player](https://www.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/17resjv/the_best_free_android_video_player_at_the_moment/). Looking at its official GitHub feature list, there's no mention of any private folder or file-hiding functionality . If a one-tap "secure storage" is your non-negotiable need, you should look at **MX Player** (which explicitly advertises this feature [on its store page](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad&hl=en_US)) or **XPlayer** (which also mentions a private folder [according to user discussions](https://www.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/17ssdcg/best_video_player_app_for_android/)). **Next Player is a player, not a file hider.** It excels at playing files cleanly and privately, but managing where those files are stored is your job. --- ## The Ultimate Privacy Setup: Building Your "Vault" Without One  Since Next Player won't hide files for you, here’s how to create a more robust privacy system than any single app's "secure folder" could offer. 1. **Hide Your Files (The `.nomedia` Method)** This is the classic, system-level Android trick mentioned by Reddit users [seeking app recommendations for hiding private videos](https://www.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/du66eo/app_recommendation_for_hiding_private_videos/). * Use any file manager to create a folder for your private videos (e.g., `MyVideos`). * Inside that folder, create a new, empty file and name it **`.nomedia`** (include the dot at the start). * This file tells Android's media scanner to ignore the entire folder. Your videos **will not appear** in your system Gallery, Photos, or other media apps. They become invisible to everything except a file manager. 2. **Configure Next Player for Stealth** * **Disable "Remember playback position":** Go to *Settings > Player* and turn this off. This prevents it from saving where you left off in a video. * **Clear History Regularly:** Get in the habit of opening the "Recently Played" list and tapping "Clear All" after a session. * **Access Files via File Manager:** Don't browse from within Next Player's library. Instead, use your file manager to navigate to the hidden folder and open a video, choosing Next Player as the app to play it. This leaves minimal traces. 3. **Lock Down Permissions** Go to your phone's **Settings > Apps > Next Player > Permissions**. Only grant **"Files and Media"** (or similar). Deny all other permissions like Camera, Microphone, Location. There's no reason a video player needs those. 4. **Safe Download & Installation (CRITICAL)** * **Only download from the official GitHub repository** [for the latest releases](https://github.com/anilbeesetti/nextplayer/releases). The latest version as of now is **v0.14.1** (released Nov 27, 2025). * The APK is small (~15MB) and clean. This is the polar opposite of downloading a dangerous, modified "MX Player Pro" APK from a shady site, which is a common way to get malware [as we've warned about in our security guides](https://download.13636.com/news/692.html). * Enable "Install from unknown sources" for your browser or file manager when prompted. This is safe because you are sourcing the app directly from its developer's code repository. --- ## The 2026 Showdown: Next Player vs. The Competition for Private Viewing Let's be honest about who wins in different privacy scenarios. | Feature | Next Player | MX Player | VLC for Android | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Built-in Private Folder** | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Buggy/Unreliable [according to its issue tracker](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc-android/-/issues/2292) | | **Open Source / No Ads** | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (Ads in free version) | ✅ Yes | | **Playback History Control** | ✅ Easy to clear | ⚠️ Tied to library scans | ⚠️ Can be persistent | | **Android 13+ Compatibility** | ✅ No issues reported | ✅ Works | ⚠️ Major file access issues require manual fix [as reported by users](https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidQuestions/comments/z9qaxm/vlc_app_unable_to_scan_files_in_directories_after/) | | **Automatic Device Scanning** | ✅ No | ⚠️ Likely for library | ❌ **Yes, a known privacy issue** [documented in its development logs](https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc-android/-/issues/2453) | | **Best For...** | **Privacy purists** who want a clean, modern player and don't mind managing files separately. | Users who **must have a one-click hide feature** and accept ads or security risks of modded APKs. | **FOSS advocates**, but be ready to fight permissions and background scans. | **The Verdict:** * **"Just hide it for me!"** → **MX Player.** It has the feature, but you trade off with ads or the risk of unofficial mods. * **"I trust open source and hate ads."** → **Next Player or VLC.** But Next Player wins for being lighter and free from VLC's annoying auto-scan behavior. * **"I want maximum control and cleanliness."** → **Next Player + the `.nomedia` guide above.** This combo gives you deeper, more customizable privacy than any single app's built-in vault. --- ## Conclusion & Final Download Details Next Player isn't the "best" video player for everyone. It's the **best *privacy-focused foundation* for a video player** in 2026. It provides a trustworthy, ad-free, and lightweight core that respects your device. For the specific need of hiding adult content, it requires you to be proactive—using the `.nomedia` method and careful permissions—but the result is a more secure and controlled setup than relying on a closed-source app's "secure folder." **Download Next Player APK Safely:** * **Source:** [Official GitHub Releases Page](https://github.com/anilbeesetti/nextplayer/releases) * **Latest Version:** **v0.14.1** (Released November 2025) * **APK Size:** Approximately **15 MB** * **Android Requirement:** 8.0 (Oreo) and above --- ### FAQ **Q: Does Next Player really not upload my watch history?** A: As an open-source, ad-free app, it has no monetization model that requires collecting your data. While no one can guarantee 100% for any app, its design and motivation make it extremely unlikely. You can also monitor its network traffic with a firewall app if you're extra cautious. **Q: Is the `.nomedia` method safe and reliable?** A: Yes, it's a core Android feature. It's not encryption, so someone with a file manager could still find the folder if they look for it. For an extra layer, you can use a file manager that supports folder locking or encryption to hide the folder itself. **Q: How does it compare to [XPlayer]?** A: XPlayer is often mentioned as having a private folder, but our research materials lack details on its privacy model (is it open source? what data does it collect?). Next Player wins on verifiable transparency. If the private folder is essential and you choose XPlayer, research its permissions and reputation carefully. For more insights on what users value in private apps, you can check out [community discussions on related topics](https://f95zone.to/threads/what-do-players-actually-want-from-nsfw-visual-novels-in-2025.278158/). --- *About the Author: **Mike Chen** is a mobile app veteran who tests every app he reviews by downloading and using it for at least a week. With over a decade of experience navigating Android's privacy landscape, he focuses on finding trustworthy, ad-free tools that put user control first. You can find more of his privacy-focused app reviews and guides, such as [this one on secure video players](https://download.13636.com/news/44.html), on our site.*