diff --git a/doc/tutorials/dnn/dnn_android/dnn_android.markdown b/doc/tutorials/dnn/dnn_android/dnn_android.markdown
index 158dac8b0c..0ceaebbe8f 100644
--- a/doc/tutorials/dnn/dnn_android/dnn_android.markdown
+++ b/doc/tutorials/dnn/dnn_android/dnn_android.markdown
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ into `app/build/intermediates/assets/debug` folder.
 
 - Modify `/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml` to enable full-screen mode, set up
 a correct screen orientation and allow to use a camera.
-@include android/mobilenet-objdetect/AndroidManifest.xml
+@include android/mobilenet-objdetect/gradle/AndroidManifest.xml
 
 - Replace content of `app/src/main/java/org/opencv/samples/opencv_mobilenet/MainActivity.java`:
 @include android/mobilenet-objdetect/src/org/opencv/samples/opencv_mobilenet/MainActivity.java
diff --git a/samples/android/camera-calibration/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/camera-calibration/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 20282a10db..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/camera-calibration/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.cameracalibration"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01" >
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-
-        <activity android:name="CameraCalibrationActivity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/color-blob-detection/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/color-blob-detection/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index ac16bb9931..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/color-blob-detection/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.colorblobdetect"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon"
-        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" >
-
-        <activity android:name="ColorBlobDetectionActivity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" android:targetSdkVersion="11" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/face-detection/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/face-detection/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index f661567455..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/face-detection/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.facedetect"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-
-        <activity android:name="FdActivity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/image-manipulations/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/image-manipulations/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 7791b4287a..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/image-manipulations/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.imagemanipulations"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-
-        <activity android:name="ImageManipulationsActivity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/mobilenet-objdetect/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/mobilenet-objdetect/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index e8d17ba6a3..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/mobilenet-objdetect/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.opencv_mobilenet">
-
-    <application
-        android:allowBackup="true"
-        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
-        android:supportsRtl="true"
-        android:theme="@style/Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar">  <!--Full screen mode-->
-        <activity android:name=".MainActivity"
-            android:screenOrientation="landscape">  <!--Screen orientation-->
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <!--Allow to use a camera-->
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/tutorial-1-camerapreview/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/tutorial-1-camerapreview/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index d9ecac8462..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/tutorial-1-camerapreview/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.tutorial1"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon"
-        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" >
-
-        <activity android:name="Tutorial1Activity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/tutorial-2-mixedprocessing/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/tutorial-2-mixedprocessing/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d44becdbe..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/tutorial-2-mixedprocessing/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.tutorial2"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-
-        <activity android:name="Tutorial2Activity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/tutorial-3-cameracontrol/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/tutorial-3-cameracontrol/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 508ee94635..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/tutorial-3-cameracontrol/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-          package="org.opencv.samples.tutorial3"
-          android:versionCode="301"
-          android:versionName="3.01">
-
-    <application
-        android:label="@string/app_name"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-
-        <activity android:name="Tutorial3Activity"
-                  android:label="@string/app_name"
-                  android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-                  android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-    <supports-screens android:resizeable="true"
-                      android:smallScreens="true"
-                      android:normalScreens="true"
-                      android:largeScreens="true"
-                      android:anyDensity="true" />
-
-    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
-
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.front.autofocus" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
-
-</manifest>
diff --git a/samples/android/tutorial-4-opencl/AndroidManifest.xml b/samples/android/tutorial-4-opencl/AndroidManifest.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index f44d9a5dcc..0000000000
--- a/samples/android/tutorial-4-opencl/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-    package="org.opencv.samples.tutorial4"
-    android:versionCode="1"
-    android:versionName="1.0" >
-
-    <uses-sdk
-        android:minSdkVersion="14"
-        android:targetSdkVersion="21" />
-
-    <uses-feature android:glEsVersion="0x00020000" android:required="true"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera"/>
-    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera2" android:required="false"/>
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"/>
-
-    <application
-        android:allowBackup="true"
-        android:icon="@drawable/icon">
-        <activity
-            android:name=".Tutorial4Activity"
-            android:label="@string/app_name"
-            android:screenOrientation="landscape"
-            android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">
-            <intent-filter>
-                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
-                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
-            </intent-filter>
-        </activity>
-    </application>
-
-</manifest>