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Google's review team keeps rejecting our App after Target SDK API level to 30 migration. The rejection reason is that your app has been rejected and wasn't published due to a policy violation. Policy: All Files Access Permission.

Play store rejection:
Play store rejection

We have not been added any sensitive permission & APIs in our latest manifest. Also could not found any APK which request sensitive permissions from our recent submission.

Manifest permission:
Manifest permission

In one of our previous submissions, we have accidentally submitted a declaration form for 'All file Access" permission but this got rejected by Google.

Declaration submitted:
Declaration submitted

Even though we have been fixed this permission issue in the latest APK but declaration form never disappeared or cannot delete manually. The app is keep getting rejected for the same old reason. Anyone who had this experience or knows how to resolve this issue.

David Buck
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limson micheal
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  • It might be added from another library maybe, can you check all permissions requested by your application in the merged manifest file. – Akhha8 Nov 04 '21 at 16:51
  • @David Buck did you find a solution? – Jafar Jabr Nov 10 '21 at 18:27
  • I’m voting to close this question because it is a question for 3rd party vendor support, not a question about programming that we can help with. – TylerH Dec 13 '22 at 19:17

3 Answers3

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I had a similar issue with MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. I found out that i have to update the build on every track(Open testing, Closed testing, Production, etc.) even if they are disabled. More info in this: https://bapspatil.medium.com/dear-googles-permissions-declaration-form-can-we-break-up-85bc6b62f690

Jafar Jabr
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  • Thanks for the update. We have also updated the latest build on every-track but the problem was because of the phased rollout. When we have changed to 100% instead of phased roll-out release this issue got resolved. – limson micheal Nov 15 '21 at 08:23
  • Hello Jafar, can you elaborate on this update process? I've read the article you've mentioned, and I've updated the build number on Internal Track (which is the only active track besides production) but no luck. I'm having this issue for a month, Google Play keeps rejecting my submission due to the same error even if the MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission is not in my Manifest file. I've sent an appeal but they're not responding. I'll be so glad if you share more detail about what you've done. Thanks in advance! – Mehmet Sedat Güngör Nov 20 '21 at 10:45
  • I understand how unclear this error from google play console, I don't think there are more to elaborate other than to remind you to update all the tracks no matter if they are enabled or not, if this doesn't help let me know please!. – Jafar Jabr Nov 20 '21 at 21:25
  • @MehmetSedatGüngör, any luck from your side ? – Mayur Raval Nov 22 '21 at 05:37
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    We are also having same issue on our apps. Google is rejecting with same template of rejection. We have removed permissions of `MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE`, `WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE` and `READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE`. Also, checked Manifest Merger, these permissions are not added from any external libraries. Also, we uploaded the build on all tracks without these permissions. But, no luck :( – Muhammad Awais Nov 23 '21 at 17:27
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    @MayurRaval, after I've uploaded separate builds for our active tracks and sent them for review, it's interesting that they haven't been rejected yet. My updates haven't been approved yet as well, but I wanted to give you a heads up. I'll give you details of what I've done as it gets a result. – Mehmet Sedat Güngör Nov 24 '21 at 23:15
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    Hey @MayurRaval, they've finally accepted my uploads. I've posted a detailed answer to MuhammadAwais's question which you can find it here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/70111717/2833718 – Mehmet Sedat Güngör Nov 25 '21 at 13:11
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In our case we got direct answer from Google support about how to proceed:

Sign in to Play Console, upload the modified policy-compliant APK across all tracks, and deactivate the non-compliant APK(s). To deactivate a non-compliant APK, please create a new release and upload a compliant APK to the same track. Be sure to increment the APK version number and set the release to 100% rollout in order to successfully override and deactivate the non-compliant APK versions

I'm not sure if this is always needed but they also said:

Note that your changes aren't sent for review automatically. You must go to the Publishing overview page and click Send for review to submit your changes.

nsko
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It might be added by another library, you can check all permissions requested by your application in the merged manifest file.

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Akhha8
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