Unable to access obb Directory on Android 11

Question

I have a file Sharing app on the Play Store. The app can transfer selected apps and .OBB files associated with them. I am testing my app for android 11 but am unable to get obb files for apps even with ALL_FILES_ACCESS.

The android documentation states the following:-
Write access to all internal storage directories⁠, except for /Android/data/, /sdcard/Android, and most subdirectories of /sdcard/Android. This write access includes file path access.

Apps that are granted this permission still cannot access the app-specific directories that belong to other apps because these directories appear as subdirectories of Android/data/ on a storage volume.

So, in theory, I should have been able to read any file except for /Android/data directory and write to any directory outside of /Android directory except for /Android/media.

Please correct me if I am wrong. If, access to obb is not possible this way, is there any other way or is my app's feature just ruined and user cannot transfer obb files at all?

Read this: https://stackoverflow.com/a/66366102/9917404 – Thoriya Prahalad Feb 25 '21 at 09:59 — Thoriya Prahalad, Feb 25 '21 at 09:59

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 24 '20 at 23:52

Yes there is a fix In Play Store download Google Files. If already installed. Hold the app and goto app info, In last allow both "modify system" And "install unknown app" and you can easily copy and move from and to obb and data folder from Google files. Sorry for my bad English but I hope u can understand.

solru · Accepted Answer · 2021-05-30T20:56:24.510

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If your app holds REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES permission it can access Android/obb directory.

edited May 30 '21 at 20:56

answered Jan 06 '21 at 02:03

solru

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is the link really necessary ? – phoenixstudio Jan 06 '21 at 02:25
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@phoenixstudio Is there any problem with me providing the source of information? – solru Jan 06 '21 at 02:53
yes since in `medium` he or she get paied for each time people read the article, people my consider it span, which is any kind of promoting for paied services or to gain money – phoenixstudio Jan 06 '21 at 02:59
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But it's a post from official Android Developers blog. – solru Jan 06 '21 at 03:07
That said. I already had this permission in my app. And also provided it in android settings before asking the question. Is this a bug in my phone? (ROM mention:- I am testing on ElementalX Rom) – Saksham gupta Jan 07 '21 at 14:59
@Sakshamgupta Sorry, I can't check myself because I'm on Android 10. – solru Jan 10 '21 at 16:33
@solru My app is working just fine. It was a bug in the custom ROM. Switching the ROM worked. I also tried with Oneplus with android 11. – Saksham gupta Jan 11 '21 at 17:56

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 14 '21 at 00:29

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You just need to enable "install unknown apps" permission for any file manager app AFAIK, and you will have access. Worked on my Samsung device with Samsung my files app.

edited Sep 14 '21 at 00:29

bad_coder

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answered Sep 13 '21 at 22:03

Nasrat Abd Elhadi

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Unable to access obb Directory on Android 11

3 Answers3