Why does VLC show deleted files? I have the VLC app in my ASUS phone and when I search via the subtitles-option in the downloads section, it shows files that have been deleted.

I downloaded apps to see if they exist and searched the phone files via PC also.

These files are deleted, so how can it still keep them or track them?

I deleted and reinstalled vlc and problem persists
Actually what you see is "Downloads History", not "Downloads Directory".

So the item will remains even though the actual file has been moved/deleted. 

Same concept like web browser downloads history, the history item will not remove even though the actual file has been deleted in file explorer. For example, Firefox Downloads history, you need to explicitly click "Remove From History":



The difference of Android is it's system wide and cross apps. New to users who come from PC background.

[UPDATE WARNING] The 2nd difference of Android from PC is it will delete the actual file if you delete it in "Download history". This different make user confuse and make me confident to said it's really an android design bug.

Now you get the idea, you can remove this download history with the following steps:


Go to App drawer icon (bottom six dots) -> Downloads icon:




1.2 Or if you can't find Downloads icon, you can go to Settings -> Device -> Storage -> Downloads:




Then you will see the Downloads History page:





Long press one item, then you can highlight more items, and click trash icon to delete:




The users(I'm one of them) who have the same question like you is because they always click "File Manager" icon as file explorer(Or plug USB to open the file in PC) and unrealized the Downloads icon is Downloads History, not sync from "File Manager". I personally think this is a design bug because of easy to confuse.

p/s: Not only vlc, if you visits Settings -> Wi-Fi -> upper right option menu -> Advanced -> Install certificates -> left side navigation drawer -> Downloads, you will see the same thing.