Permission Denial: android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Question

I am using a MediaStore class in my application and facing the below error(logcat),

E/DatabaseUtils: Writing exception to parcel
java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: reading com.android.providers.media.MediaProvider uri content://media/external/audio/media from pid=5769, uid=10059 requires android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, or grantUriPermission()
at android.content.ContentProvider.enforceReadPermissionInner(ContentProvider.java:539)
at android.content.ContentProvider$Transport.enforceReadPermission(ContentProvider.java:452)
at android.content.ContentProvider$Transport.query(ContentProvider.java:205)
at android.content.ContentProviderNative.onTransact(ContentProviderNative.java:112)
at android.os.Binder.execTransact(Binder.java:446)
05-11 17:27:35.982 5769-5769/com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo D/AndroidRuntime: Shutting down VM
05-11 17:27:35.984 5769-5769/com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo E/AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: main
Process: com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo, PID: 5769
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo/com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo.MainActivity}: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: reading com.android.providers.media.MediaProvider uri content://media/external/audio/media from pid=5769, uid=10059 requires android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, or grantUriPermission()
   at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2325)
   at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2387)
   at android.app.ActivityThread.access$800(ActivityThread.java:151)
   at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1303)
   at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
   at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:135)
   at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5254)
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
   at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:903)
   at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:698)
Caused by: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: reading com.android.providers.media.MediaProvider uri content://media/external/audio/media from pid=5769, uid=10059 requires android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, or grantUriPermission()
   at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1546)
   at android.database.DatabaseUtils.readExceptionFromParcel(DatabaseUtils.java:185)
   at android.database.DatabaseUtils.readExceptionFromParcel(DatabaseUtils.java:137)
   at android.content.ContentProviderProxy.query(ContentProviderNative.java:421)
   at android.content.ContentResolver.query(ContentResolver.java:478)
   at android.content.ContentResolver.query(ContentResolver.java:422)
   at com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo.MainActivity.getAllSongsFromDevice(MainActivity.java:45)
   at com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:29)
   at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5990)
   at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1106)
   at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2278)
   at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2387) 
   at android.app.ActivityThread.access$800(ActivityThread.java:151) 
   at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1303) 
   at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) 
   at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:135) 
   at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5254) 
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372) 
   at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:903) 
   at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:698)

I read this question,

Android reading external storage gives securityException

But I have placed the permissions correctly in my manifest below,

Manifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.media.wanware.fragmentdemo">

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="15"
        android:targetSdkVersion="19" />

    <uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
        android:maxSdkVersion="19" />

    <uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
        android:maxSdkVersion="19" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">




        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Also upon reading further I also went through this below question,

Android permission doesn't work even if I have declared it

The big reason for not getting your permission nowadays is because your project has a targetSdkVersion of 23 or higher

For these permissions, not only does your targetSdkVersion 23+ app need to have the element(s), but you also have to ask for those permissions at runtime from the user on Android 6.0+ devices, using methods like checkSelfPermission() and requestPermissions().

As a temporary workaround, drop your targetSdkVersion below 23.

But my target SDK is below 23 only. Why I am getting the same error ?

What is your compile and target SDK, the android version on your Android testing device...? — Akhil Soman, May 11 '16 at 12:11
On which device are you testing it...? And its android version...? — Akhil Soman, May 11 '16 at 12:13
Are you sure it has nothing to do with http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4162447/android-java-lang-securityexception-permission-denial-start-intent ? — Shark, May 11 '16 at 12:26
You are building with the latest release sdk. Adjust your gradle to use the older release sdk. — t0mm13b, May 11 '16 at 12:56
OP: I edited to minimize horizontal scrolling as it was hard to read - **FYI** — t0mm13b, May 11 '16 at 13:29

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 11 '16 at 12:29

2

SDK 23 has all new method and functionalities to deal with the Android Permissions to try to compile your code with lower SDK verions. This may solve your problem.

And also remove maxSdkVersion from your permissions.

Happy Coding :)

answered May 11 '16 at 12:29

UserSharma

458
6
20

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 05 '17 at 18:46

Better than compiling with lower version, you have to make an appropriate code for all versions or eventually you will be left behind in the current ways of programming, especially in android.

Check this article of how to request permissions at run time here.

Here's and example of how I properly request these permission:

if (ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, android.Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

            // Should we show an explanation?

            if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale((Activity) context,
                    android.Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)) {

                Snackbar.make(getWindow().getDecorView().getRootView(), "We need permissions to do stuff.\n Please allow.", Snackbar.LENGTH_LONG)
                        .setAction("Settings", new View.OnClickListener() {
                            @Override
                            public void onClick(View view) {
                                final Intent i = new Intent();
                                i.setAction(Settings.ACTION_APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS);
                                i.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_DEFAULT);
                                i.setData(Uri.parse("package:" + context.getPackageName()));
                                i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
                                i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
                                i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_EXCLUDE_FROM_RECENTS);
                                context.startActivity(i);
                            }
                        }).show();

                ActivityCompat.requestPermissions((Activity) context,
                        new String[]{android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION},
                        MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ);

            } else {

                ActivityCompat.requestPermissions((Activity) context,
                        new String[]{android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, android.Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION},
                        MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_READ);

            }

        }else {
            //Do your stuff here 
        }

Permission Denial: android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

2 Answers2

Better than compiling with lower version, you have to make an appropriate code for all versions or eventually you will be left behind in the current ways of programming, especially in android.