Status Update
Comments
ku...@gmail.com <ku...@gmail.com> #2
I need this access to be able to copy video files to my Insta360 app directly instead of using their inconvenient and only method of making a wifi bridge between the camera and phone and pumping these gigabytes for hours, camera overheats. I needed a way to place files there direclty.
In addition I found other file managers are able to access and modify it - such as Total Commander. I don't want this flexibility taken away from me as long as I consciously allow this access on my device.
da...@gmail.com <da...@gmail.com> #3
Insta360 app directly
Receiving apps are supposed to have share targets or buttons to launch the file picker. They should be updated to support file being anywhere in internal storage (including for example Downloads).
consciously allow this access
I do not share the same sentiment.
I am a victim of Chinese apps that refuse to work unless given access to storage. On top of that, friends and family apply uncomfortable pressure on me to just give away my privacy for a single app. I welcome any step towards restricting or even completely removing Android's internal storage capabilities
ku...@gmail.com <ku...@gmail.com> #4
ku...@gmail.com <ku...@gmail.com> #5
ja...@google.com <ja...@google.com> #6
Thank you for reporting this issue. We just need a few things for us to further investigate this issue:
Please fill out each question and comment, thank you.
-
If possible, capture the issue in a screen recording (desktop and/or phone capture).
-
Upload the full bug report file after the issue has occurred. Steps followed here:
https://developer.android.com/studio/debug/bug-report -
Please provide a simple sample project (exported zip Android Studio file) that reproduces the issue. This gives us the closest test environment to yours and allows us to inspect the code/structure used which will help analyze your issue.
-
Steps to reproduce issue specific to the provided sample project: [Be as specific as possible]
- 1
- 2
- 3
-
Expected Results:
-
Observed Results:
Note: Please upload to google drive and share the folder to
The more information we have, the more accurately our product and engineering team can solve the issue. Thank you so much for your time and for your cooperation.
da...@gmail.com <da...@gmail.com> #7
If possible, capture the issue in a screen recording (desktop and/or phone capture).
N/A since this is not visual
Upload the full bug report file after the issue has occurred. Steps followed here:
I never tested on my device, and I don't want to install that app.
Please provide a simple sample project (exported zip Android Studio file) that reproduces the issue. This gives us the closest test environment to yours and allows us to inspect the code/structure used which will help analyze your issue.
I don't know how that app does it.
Steps to reproduce issue specific to the provided sample project: [Be as specific as possible]
- Install
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lonelycatgames.Xplore - Try to browse Android/data
Expected Results: It should NOT work
Observed Results: It DOES work
ja...@google.com <ja...@google.com> #8
Thank you for reporting this issue. We’ve shared this with our product and engineering teams and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
lb...@gmail.com <lb...@gmail.com> #9
It also doesn't make sense to say that this protects anything, because accessing this folder via USB is still possible (other devices can access the folder of my device, but I can't?!) , as well as using the built in file manager.
It's unfair to make file manager apps not being able to access the folder.
I've found this behavior also on an app that targets API 30, and asked about this all here:
ja...@google.com <ja...@google.com> #10
Thanks for the update. We’ve shared this with our product and engineering teams and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
da...@gmail.com <da...@gmail.com> #11
How about a new "file manager default app setting," in response to the file manager use cases? It could be just like what happened with the default SMS app. It would address all the problems:
- Privacy is protected because it's hard to manipulate users when only one app at a time is allowed to be active for this (because forcing them would be as hard as forcing them to buy a USB dongle that messes with ADB for this)
- The approach with SMS is tried and tested
- Legitimate users such as those with legacy apps or those who prefer their favourite file manager are able to happily do what they want
lb...@gmail.com <lb...@gmail.com> #12
sa...@google.com <sa...@google.com>
vi...@google.com <vi...@google.com> #13
The issue has been fixed and it will become be available in a future Android release.
lb...@gmail.com <lb...@gmail.com> #14
It doesn't make sense for a file manager app to be prevented from reaching a folder that can be accessed by other devices (connected by USB)...
My device, so I should be able to see my own folders.
ne...@gmail.com <ne...@gmail.com> #15
Stop restricting our ability to use our own devices that we have payed for.
ne...@gmail.com <ne...@gmail.com> #16
ca...@gmail.com <ca...@gmail.com> #17
We NEED a way to be able to access these folders with specific third party apps, most of the time file managers and compression apps, but not only.
It completely messes with my self-made backup app that I use to simplify the backup and restores of all my devices (and no, I have way too much to backup them manually or using adb).
It completely messes with my game save synchronization system that I created to synchronize saves on some games that do not include that by default nor a way to do it (a lot more than we would think actually)
And it completely messes with being able to recover/transfer app data when OEM secure implementations are involved, like Samsung Secure Folder where using a PC to manage these folders is not even an option inside the Secure Folder...
The SAF method was an elegant one: the "access all files" permission do not give access to these folders but they can still be given manually, folder by folder if explicitly granted.
If you can't reintroduce the SAF method, then *please*, provide another solution, because currently it's a real nightmare for anyone doing any kind of automatization or/and backup or/and synchronization or/and file management on Android 13.
Please, it really makes a huge difference.
lb...@gmail.com <lb...@gmail.com> #18
da...@gmail.com <da...@gmail.com> #19
Are you sure your backup app would still work on modern Android even with access to those files?
Many Android apps use keystore to bind the data to the specific device. Last time I tried to back up and restore some files for the Google Authenticator app. Turns out that the encryption key was stored separately from the files and the data did not restore properly. Your self-made backup app, file manager, compression app, game save synchronization system, and Secure Folder would probably face the same problem as more apps update to use the new system.
I faced these problems even though I have root. Without root you would probably encounter even more trouble. Therefore I think that using root to back up the entire /data folder is the bare minimum if you want to make a proper backup, and any solutions messing with /sdcard/Android/data are insufficient.
Description
A user reported athttps://github.com/TeamAmaze/AmazeFileManager/issues/2015#issuecomment-770310032 that 3rd-party apps (malicious or not) are still able to access Android/data. The discussion originates in https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/j3zgmm/managing_files_in_the_androiddata_folder_on/ . An example is https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lonelycatgames.Xplore (beta?).
According tohttps://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage , Android 11 is supposed to protect my privacy by preventing 3rd-party apps from accessing that folder. However, apps are still able to through this vulnerability. Either the false sense of security should be removed, or the loophole should be patched out.