Android: Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE allows only single picking

Question

I want to open multiple images from the Android gallery using "Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE" intent filter:

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR2) {
    final Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
    intent.setType("image/*");
    intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE, true);
    intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_LOCAL_ONLY, true);
    startActivityForResult(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Add images"), SELECT_MULTIPLE_IMAGES);
}

But whatever app I use (native gallery, QuickPic app), I can only select one single picture. The test device is running Android 5.1.

How can I pick multiple images?

`EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE` is a request, not a command, as with any `Intent` extras. There is no requirement that the activity you are starting honor them. — CommonsWare, Jun 23 '15 at 12:13
Do you know by chance an gallery app which supports multi-image picking using the ``EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE`` parameter? — Hyndrix, Jun 23 '15 at 14:29
Adding EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE works for me and allows me to select multiple images, however I have no idea how to get the Urls in onActivityResult. — Tom Kincaid, Aug 26 '15 at 19:46
http://www.javacodegeeks.com/2012/10/android-select-multiple-photos-from-gallery.html — Shubham AgaRwal, Oct 15 '15 at 12:17
it requires Long press... no idea why it's the default behavior — Nicholas Ng, Jun 13 '16 at 02:08

score 13 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 23 '18 at 09:57

13

This is currently working in one of my recent live application which covers selection of images using Gallary for 4.4 and above and below that using writing your own custom gallery.

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT) {
    try {
        Intent intent = new Intent();
        intent.setType("image/*");
        intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE, true);
        intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
        startActivityForResult(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Select Picture"), SELECT_IMAGE_REQUEST_GALLERY);
    }catch(Exception e){
        Intent photoPickerIntent = new Intent(this, XYZ.class);
        startActivityForResult(photoPickerIntent, SELECT_IMAGE_REQUEST);
    }
} else {
    Intent photoPickerIntent = new Intent(this, XYZ.class);
    startActivityForResult(photoPickerIntent, SELECT_IMAGE_REQUEST);
}

edited Feb 23 '18 at 09:57

Jsaon

13
4

answered Jun 23 '15 at 13:38

strike

1,031
8
24

What app are you (for instance) using to pick the images? I have tried QuickPic and the Samsung Gallery app but both seem only to support single picking. Your code looks very similar to mine. – Hyndrix Jun 23 '15 at 14:27
I have tested above on Moto G and Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 devices. – strike Jun 23 '15 at 16:37
With the system gallery app? – Hyndrix Jun 23 '15 at 16:42
YES using the System Gallery application recently published this app.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.photofold&hl=en – strike Jun 23 '15 at 16:46
6

it requires Long press to activate multiple select mode – Nicholas Ng Jun 13 '16 at 02:11
Actually, you can use it since version 18 `Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR2` – I.G. Pascual Oct 11 '16 at 13:22
Doesn't appear to work on Pixel XL running Android 9 API 27... I get No apps can perform this action. – mparkes Sep 09 '18 at 05:55

Jsaon · Answer 2 · 2018-02-23T08:45:21.093

/**
 * Extra used to indicate that an intent can allow the user to select and
 * return multiple items. This is a boolean extra; the default is false. If
 * true, an implementation is allowed to present the user with a UI where
 * they can pick multiple items that are all returned to the caller. When
 * this happens, they should be returned as the {@link #getClipData()} part
 * of the result Intent.
 *
 * @see #ACTION_GET_CONTENT
 * @see #ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT
 */
@Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
    if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
        if (data.getData() != null) {
            try {
                files.clear();
                Uri uri = data.getData();
                String url = FileUtils2.getPath(this, uri);
                assert url != null;
                File file = new File(url);
                files.add(file);
                mPresenter.postAnnexData(files);
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        } else {
            //If uploaded with the new Android Photos gallery
            ClipData clipData = data.getClipData();
            files.clear();
            if (clipData != null) {
                for (int i = 0; i < clipData.getItemCount(); i++) {
                    ClipData.Item item = clipData.getItemAt(i);
                    Uri uri = item.getUri();
                    String url = FileUtils2.getPath(this, uri);
                    assert url != null;
                    File file = new File(url);
                    files.add(file);
                }
            }
            mPresenter.postAnnexData(files);
        }
    }
}

when I pick 2 or 3 images I can read only the first one because `data.getData` is always not a null — shurrok, May 24 '19 at 11:54

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 24 '22 at 01:14

Instead of

startActivityForResult(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Add images"), SELECT_MULTIPLE_IMAGES);

Try

startActivityForResult(intent, SELECT_MULTIPLE_IMAGES); (Deprecated)

Or

someActivityResultLauncher.launch(intent);

Avoid Using

Intent.createChooser

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 23 '15 at 13:22

0

Ther is no multi select in the native gallery, but you can do it with this library : https://github.com/luminousman/MultipleImagePick

answered Jun 23 '15 at 13:22

isma3l

3,833
1
22
28

2

Thanks for the link. There are plenty of other custom solutions out there as well. But I want to use the ``EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE``. – Hyndrix Jun 23 '15 at 14:29
Is this still the case in 2019? – hippietrail Aug 25 '19 at 14:32

Android: Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE allows only single picking

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