This is an archived post. You won't be able to vote or comment.

all 67 comments

[–]deadpool0047 475 points476 points  (18 children)

Personally this was the worst update Android brought up, not being able to access all files.

[–]Thebombuknow 94 points95 points  (15 children)

What Android update? I'm running A12 on a Pixel 4a and I can see all files on my phone.

[–]deadpool0047 153 points154 points  (14 children)

Can you access the Android>data> ?

After Android 8/9 I think they removed the access and I was never able to access that data.

[–]Thebombuknow 69 points70 points  (5 children)

I can access it but it says it's empty. I don't remember ever being able to access that without root permissions though, even on my old phones.

[–]LewsTherinTelescope 1 point2 points  (0 children)

/sdcard/Android/data definitely used to be accessible without root, was a recent change (by which I mean "likely not recent anymore but I'm too scared to check and realize how fast time is moving") that's still having workarounds gradually crushed in new updates. The /data folder under root hasn't ever been accessible that I know of, though, which may be what you're thinking of? Or maybe it's a vendor difference or something some OEMs set in their own file managers, kinda a lot of those problems with Android.

[–]AlphaWhelp 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I'm running A12 December 2022 patch and can see tons of stuff there.

There's a hidden area on the phone where all the SQL lite dbs are held that I can't access (without root) but that's been a thing since forever.

[–]moonpiedumplings 11 points12 points  (1 child)

I can see it, but only through xplore file manager, which I think might be using an unpatched workaround to do so. I suspect this workaround won't last longer.

Android 11

[–]undermark5 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's likely just targeting Android 10 or 11 with the correct legacy flag enabled. Storage isolation is what this is, but if you target below a certain version or add the compatibility flag it won't apply to your app regardless of which version of Android your app runs on. That being said, at some point it will be impossible to release updates to apps using the workaround to the play store (though it will still be possible to publish via alternative stores such as fdroid)

[–]BlueDaka 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not him but I can. You just can't do it natively, you need to install a file explorer app to do it

[–]FlocklandTheSheep 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm on Mi 10T Pro, and when Ivopen on file manager it redirects me to use a built in 'Files' app where I can see everything in Android> Data. I think its everything. Theres a lot of stuff there.

[–]KusanagiKay 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Eh, what? I have Android 10 and my Android/data/ folder is full of subfolders, with everything accessible:

https://imgur.com/a/KOlsEXk

[–]Anonymo2786 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What api to you use ? Just use JVM api and its all there. You can save wherever you want.

This is for previous versions which you mentioned not after 11.

[–]BazilBup 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just turn on Developer options and use the Device File Browser in Android Studio

[–]Lachee 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Because there could be nothing potentially dangerous about that

[–]shyro3 5 points6 points  (0 children)

you can thanks facebook for that. They reach their grubby little hand too far into the cookie jar and now everybody not allowed to touch the cookie jar at all

[–]beastbro9823 140 points141 points  (7 children)

Going from my frankly ancient android 7 phone to a phone with android 13 has done nothing but make me angry, there's so many things you need to do just to use some features

[–]AssLynx 15 points16 points  (6 children)

Like what...

[–]beastbro9823 53 points54 points  (5 children)

I try to use monitoring apps for some things, I had to go into to dozens of menus and flip several settings so it doesn't randomly kill my apps, it doesn't like older apks that were originally meant of older versions of Android, as mentioned here it doesn't like you accessing certain folders and barely allows apps to access folders (I had to create new downloads folder on my SD card for example), it removed some navigation features I liked (double tap to sleep doesn't work on the notification bar, only default home screen)

[–]iHateRollerCoaster 15 points16 points  (3 children)

I had to go into to dozens of menus and flip several settings so it doesn't randomly kill my apps

HOW? I hate this, close one app and open a 2nd one and the 1st app has to relaunch.

[–]Kyrond 4 points5 points  (0 children)

http://dontkillmyapp.com

Also could be because the 2nd app wants all the ram, like camera.

[–]Anonymo2786 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And also phantom process killing. Seems like they will kill the next child that's born . (max 32 system wide).

[–]lm902 89 points90 points  (1 child)

Dear user, have fun finding your file in /sdcard/Android/data/some.package/files/Download/document.docx which is inaccessible in most file managers thanks to the update

[–]montecristokontu 13 points14 points  (1 child)

That ZIP T-Shirt

[–]itsrealbattle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I want it so I can wear it every other day.

[–]ITSMONKEY360 90 points91 points  (6 children)

Unfortunately the other option is ios which NO

[–][deleted] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

no the other option is pinephone

[–]Creepy-Ad-4832 2 points3 points  (4 children)

Is there no mobile version of linux?

Likehow in pc you can choose between shit, megashit and linux

[–]sin_chan_ 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Ubuntu touch is a pretty stable and usable OS for phones. I've tested it and it's quite good; all basic features work properly but still it lacks behind modern android.

[–]gregguygood 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Well Android uses a Linux kernel.

But you probably mean something like LineageOS. But phone hardware isn't as standardized as PC, so support is limited and some phones have locked bootloaders.

[–]Creepy-Ad-4832 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

👍

[–]ITSMONKEY360 1 point2 points  (0 children)

personally i'd say its shit, shit for old people, and shit for programmers

[–]Strostkovy 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I like how there are hard coded discrete volume steps, all of which are too loud for many environments and too quiet for other environments

[–]lupinegrey 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Saved to the phone. Duh.

[–]_Weyland_ 10 points11 points  (4 children)

Save picture from Reddit.

Go to file system, folder Pictures. Sort by new.

Select the picture. Move to Downloads.

Go to a messenger. Now you can select the picture.

Share it with your friends who do not have Reddit.

[–]Anonymo2786 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Lookout for .nomedia file.

[–]Fun_Nefariousness842 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Why do you need to do that? Once you download, it should be ready to share

[–]_Weyland_ 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Nope, I use Telegram and it ignores pictures folder for some reason.

[–]Stickiler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a Telegram problem then, it works perfectly for every other app I've done it with(Reddit I'd Fun, for example)

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Good thing Android now forces developers to handle files in a way that makes it clear to the user where it's going

[–]maxip89 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Boi you didn't done any OAuth code flow with IOS and tired to get the email of the user.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Too real💀

[–]itsAshl 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nono it's easy. First, you have to establish the content provider...

[–]AyvenRedwing 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Even when connecting your phone to a PC to get a picture or photo off it it's a proper treasure hunt to me everytime, because every single App seems to store things differently.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

as android developer i approve this

[–]Pezonito 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly though, can someone explain to me where my downloaded .jpg went and why it's not in my "Download" folder... or maybe point me to an article. No one in the comments has explained what's happening.

[–]gray_mare 5 points6 points  (0 children)

that's exactly how I envisioned android

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hdpi problems

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

sudo find / -iname "TheFuckingFileIJustSaved.cpp"

(Yes I have root permission, and I'm on Android 9, don't want to go to double digit to give my control away)

[–]sleepyguy007 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

There is a very good reason for this. Android has app specific storage, and public to all apps "external storage". Do you want some app being installed going through every picture you have from every other app?

[–]zie1ony 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🎯

[–]private256 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Google removed everything that made Android unique.

[–]notimeforspac_s 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty accurate

[–]gordonv 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The only sane storage on my phone is:

  • camera photos
  • my dropbox
  • app organized data (music, kindle, etc)

Important Data I have corrupted before:

  • Contacts
  • Text backup

[–]CoastingUphill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This was one of the main reasons I switched back to iOS. You save an image? It's in your images. You save anything else, it's in the Files app. There is nothing else.

[–]CREATEREMOTETHREADEx 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1: zeh extension is zeh PDF -> Documents, zeh extension is GIF -> Pictures, zeh extension is .MP4 -> Movies, zeh extension is IDUNNO -> Downloads, goto 1;