Unable to access File.OpenRead in Android-11

Question

I was getting the image stream using "File.OpenRead(ImagePath)" which was working fine till 'Target android Version= Android 10 (Api level 29)', Now its mandatory to support 'Target android Version= Android 11 (Api level 30)' and unfortunately the File access is not working.

Any Xamarin android developers faced similar issue and found a solution please help.

Regards,
Raghavendra

Answer 1

External Storage is Forbidden in A11, and with MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE you risk not to be accepted in the playstore.
Move your files in the "AppDataDirectory" of your app. You can use file-system-helpers

Answer 2

Hello,​

Welcome to our Microsoft Q&A platform!

You no longer have access by default to arbitrary locations on external storage or removable storage on Android 10 or later.

For Android 10 and 11, you can add android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true" to your <application> element in the manifest. This opts you into the legacy storage model, and your existing external storage code will work.

I recommend you to use following path, you can store image files into your own application's external storage (here is path :"/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.companyname.xxx/filesfilename.png")

Or you can grand the android.permission.MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE to give access to all files on external storage, except the Android/data and Android/obb directories. To learn more about related Google Play guidelines, read the updated policy from the Policy Help Center.

And here is link about how to request MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.

Best Regards,

Leon Lu

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Answer 3

Correct. MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE should have a proper justification else playstore can reject the build.
I tried below code it worked, not sure if this has some -ve consequences(dint find any as such, still)

path = System.IO.Path.Combine(Android.App.Application.Context.GetExternalFilesDir("").AbsolutePath, fileName);

This worked.!