diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 563ed9555d..5164432321 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -438,6 +438,12 @@ static bool menu_swap_ok_cancel_buttons = false;
 
 static bool quit_press_twice = false;
 
+#if defined(ANDROID)
+static bool default_log_to_file = true;
+#else
+static bool default_log_to_file = false;
+#endif
+
 /* Crop overscanned frames. */
 static const bool crop_overscan = true;
 
@@ -915,4 +921,6 @@ static char buildbot_assets_server_url[] = "http://buildbot.libretro.com/assets/
 
 static char default_discord_app_id[] = "475456035851599874";
 
+static char default_log_file[] = "retroarch.log";
+
 #endif
diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 8aecd689c3..e779600a69 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -1310,6 +1310,9 @@ static struct config_path_setting *populate_settings_path(settings_t *settings,
             global->record.config_dir, false, NULL, true);
    }
 
+   SETTING_ARRAY("log_file", settings->paths.log_file, true, default_log_file, true);
+   SETTING_ARRAY("log_dir", settings->paths.log_dir, true, "", true);
+
    *size = count;
 
    return tmp;
@@ -1592,6 +1595,7 @@ static struct config_bool_setting *populate_settings_bool(settings_t *settings,
 #ifdef HAVE_OZONE
    SETTING_BOOL("ozone_collapse_sidebar",       &settings->bools.ozone_collapse_sidebar, true, ozone_collapse_sidebar, false);
 #endif
+   SETTING_BOOL("log_to_file", &settings->bools.log_to_file, true, default_log_to_file, false);
 
    *size = count;
 
@@ -1956,6 +1960,12 @@ void config_set_defaults(void)
    strlcpy(settings->arrays.discord_app_id,
       default_discord_app_id,  sizeof(settings->arrays.discord_app_id));
 
+   strlcpy(settings->paths.log_file,
+      default_log_file,  sizeof(settings->paths.log_file));
+
+   strlcpy(settings->paths.log_dir,
+      g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],  sizeof(settings->paths.log_dir));
+
 #ifdef HAVE_MATERIALUI
    if (g_defaults.menu.materialui.menu_color_theme_enable)
       settings->uints.menu_materialui_color_theme = g_defaults.menu.materialui.menu_color_theme;
@@ -2253,6 +2263,11 @@ void config_set_defaults(void)
             g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_CONTENT_HISTORY],
             sizeof(settings->paths.directory_content_history));
 
+   if (!string_is_empty(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS]))
+      strlcpy(settings->paths.log_dir,
+            g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],
+            sizeof(settings->paths.log_dir));
+
    if (!string_is_empty(g_defaults.path.config))
    {
       char *temp_str = (char*)malloc(PATH_MAX_LENGTH * sizeof(char));
@@ -2832,7 +2847,9 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults,
    if (config_get_bool(conf, "log_verbosity", &tmp_bool))
    {
       if (tmp_bool)
+      {
          verbosity_enable();
+      }
       else
          verbosity_disable();
    }
@@ -3244,7 +3261,6 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults,
    recording_driver_update_streaming_url();
 
    ret = true;
-
 end:
    if (conf)
       config_file_free(conf);
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index f1ea2f6b3b..6e8cd1ad2c 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -320,6 +320,8 @@ typedef struct settings
 #ifdef HAVE_OZONE
       bool ozone_collapse_sidebar;
 #endif
+
+      bool log_to_file;
    } bools;
 
    struct
@@ -589,6 +591,9 @@ typedef struct settings
       char directory_menu_config[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
       char directory_menu_content[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
       char streaming_title[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+
+      char log_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+      char log_file[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
    } paths;
 
    bool modified;
diff --git a/defaults.h b/defaults.h
index 117e14a39a..6ffd885498 100644
--- a/defaults.h
+++ b/defaults.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ enum default_dirs
    DEFAULT_DIR_CHEATS,
    DEFAULT_DIR_RECORD_CONFIG,
    DEFAULT_DIR_RECORD_OUTPUT,
+   DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS,
    DEFAULT_DIR_LAST
 };
 
diff --git a/dirs.c b/dirs.c
index aa253ceb8e..ee2c980861 100644
--- a/dirs.c
+++ b/dirs.c
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ void dir_check_defaults(void)
     */
 #ifdef ORBIS
    if (filestream_exists("host0:app/custom.ini"))
+#elif defined(ANDROID)
+   if (filestream_exists("host0:app/custom.ini"))
 #else
    if (filestream_exists("custom.ini"))
 #endif
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_unix.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_unix.c
index 2f9e41e6b2..2fd9914449 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_unix.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_unix.c
@@ -1660,6 +1660,10 @@ static void frontend_unix_get_env(int *argc,
                            sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_CORE_ASSETS]));
                   }
 
+                  fill_pathname_join(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],
+                        internal_storage_app_path, "logs",
+                        sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS]));
+
                   break;
 
                /* only the internal app dir is writable, this should never happen*/
@@ -1722,6 +1726,10 @@ static void frontend_unix_get_env(int *argc,
                            sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_CORE_ASSETS]));
                   }
 
+                  fill_pathname_join(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],
+                        app_dir, "logs",
+                        sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS]));
+
                   break;
                /* sdcard is writable, this should be the case most of the time*/
                case INTERNAL_STORAGE_WRITABLE:
@@ -1742,6 +1750,10 @@ static void frontend_unix_get_env(int *argc,
                         internal_storage_path, "RetroArch/downloads",
                         sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_CORE_ASSETS]));
 
+                  fill_pathname_join(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],
+                        internal_storage_path, "RetroArch/logs",
+                        sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS]));
+
                   fill_pathname_join(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_MENU_CONFIG],
                         internal_storage_path, "RetroArch/config",
                         sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_MENU_CONFIG]));
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c
index da5142956d..35bd1f0a2e 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_win32.c
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ static void frontend_win32_environment_get(int *argc, char *argv[],
       ":\\states", sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_SAVESTATE]));
    fill_pathname_expand_special(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_SYSTEM],
       ":\\system", sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_SYSTEM]));
-
+   fill_pathname_expand_special(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS],
+      ":\\logs", sizeof(g_defaults.dirs[DEFAULT_DIR_LOGS]));
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
 #if defined(HAVE_OPENGL) || defined(HAVE_OPENGLES)
    snprintf(g_defaults.settings.menu,
diff --git a/intl/msg_hash_us.h b/intl/msg_hash_us.h
index 7bb269143e..ec89eef333 100644
--- a/intl/msg_hash_us.h
+++ b/intl/msg_hash_us.h
@@ -3976,7 +3976,7 @@ MSG_HASH(
     )
 MSG_HASH(
     MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_LOG_VERBOSITY,
-    "Log events to the terminal."
+    "Log events to a terminal or file."
     )
 MSG_HASH(
     MENU_ENUM_SUBLABEL_NETPLAY,
diff --git a/pkg/android/phoenix/jni/Android.mk b/pkg/android/phoenix/jni/Android.mk
index 0c63486e0e..542acad1a6 100644
--- a/pkg/android/phoenix/jni/Android.mk
+++ b/pkg/android/phoenix/jni/Android.mk
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ HAVE_NEON   := 1
 HAVE_LOGGER := 0
 HAVE_VULKAN := 1
 HAVE_CHEEVOS := 1
+HAVE_FILE_LOGGER := 1
 
 INCFLAGS    :=
 DEFINES     :=
diff --git a/pkg/android/phoenix/src/com/retroarch/browser/preferences/util/UserPreferences.java b/pkg/android/phoenix/src/com/retroarch/browser/preferences/util/UserPreferences.java
index 2e1ec9ed61..d19cef2643 100644
--- a/pkg/android/phoenix/src/com/retroarch/browser/preferences/util/UserPreferences.java
+++ b/pkg/android/phoenix/src/com/retroarch/browser/preferences/util/UserPreferences.java
@@ -140,7 +140,6 @@ public final class UserPreferences
          Log.i(TAG, "dst dir is: " + dst_path);
          Log.i(TAG, "dst subdir is: " + dst_path_subdir);
 
-         config.setBoolean("log_verbosity", true);
          config.setString("bundle_assets_src_path", ctx.getApplicationInfo().sourceDir);
          config.setString("bundle_assets_dst_path", dst_path);
          config.setString("bundle_assets_dst_path_subdir", dst_path_subdir);
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index e7afc9bfff..5b882e08d3 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1759,6 +1759,20 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input_and_config(int argc, char *argv[])
       }
    }
 
+
+   if (verbosity_is_enabled())
+   {
+      settings_t *settings  = config_get_ptr();
+      if (settings->bools.log_to_file && 
+         !string_is_empty(settings->paths.log_dir) && !string_is_empty(settings->paths.log_file))
+      {
+         char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+         fill_pathname_join(buf, settings->paths.log_dir, settings->paths.log_file, sizeof(buf));
+         RARCH_LOG("Logging to file: %s\n", buf);
+         retro_main_log_file_init(buf);
+      }
+   }
+
 #ifdef HAVE_GIT_VERSION
    RARCH_LOG("RetroArch %s (Git %s)\n",
          PACKAGE_VERSION, retroarch_git_version);
diff --git a/runtime_file.c b/runtime_file.c
index 7139b56c38..b2125a1bbb 100644
--- a/runtime_file.c
+++ b/runtime_file.c
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ runtime_log_t *runtime_log_init(const char *content_path, const char *core_path,
       
       if(!path_is_directory(log_file_dir))
       {
-         RARCH_ERR("Failed to create directory for runtime log: %s.\n", log_file_dir);
+         RARCH_ERR("[runtime] failed to create directory for runtime log: %s.\n", log_file_dir);
          return NULL;
       }
    }
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ runtime_log_t *runtime_log_init(const char *content_path, const char *core_path,
    
    if (string_is_empty(log_file_path))
       return NULL;
-   
+
    /* Phew... If we get this far then all is well.
     * > Create 'runtime_log' object */
    runtime_log = (runtime_log_t*)calloc(1, sizeof(*runtime_log));
diff --git a/verbosity.c b/verbosity.c
index 55a155a34c..662198dee0 100644
--- a/verbosity.c
+++ b/verbosity.c
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ bool verbosity_is_enabled(void)
    return main_verbosity;
 }
 
+bool is_logging_to_file(void)
+{
+   return log_file_initialized;
+}
+
 bool *verbosity_get_ptr(void)
 {
    return &main_verbosity;
@@ -190,10 +195,14 @@ void RARCH_LOG_V(const char *tag, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
          else if (string_is_equal(file_path_str(FILE_PATH_LOG_ERROR), tag))
             prio = ANDROID_LOG_ERROR;
       }
-      __android_log_vprint(prio,
-            file_path_str(FILE_PATH_PROGRAM_NAME),
-            fmt,
-            ap);
+
+      if (log_file_initialized)
+         vfprintf(log_file_fp, fmt, ap);
+      else
+         __android_log_vprint(prio,
+               file_path_str(FILE_PATH_PROGRAM_NAME),
+               fmt,
+               ap);
    }
 #else
 
diff --git a/verbosity.h b/verbosity.h
index 42ae964f58..546066af61 100644
--- a/verbosity.h
+++ b/verbosity.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ void retro_main_log_file_deinit(void);
 
 void retro_main_log_file_init(const char *path);
 
+bool is_logging_to_file(void);
+
 #if defined(HAVE_LOGGER)
 
 void logger_init (void);