Permission denied on writing to external storage despite permission

Question

I have an Android 7.0 test device and my APK targets = "targetSdkVersion 22", with:

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

with:

final File f = new 
File(Environment.getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES) + File.separator + "DressUpBaby" + photonumber + ".png");
f.createNewFile();

and at this point I get the warning:

W/System.err: java.io.IOException: Permission denied

How to get it to save the file? This was working when I created this on Eclipse, but now that I have updated and moved to Android Studio it seems to have broken something.

I give you a hint: Claiming a Permission and Having a Permission are two different things. — PKlumpp, Jun 09 '17 at 10:53
Did you request the permission at run time: https://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requesting.html — Henry, Jun 09 '17 at 10:54
Possible duplicate of [Android marshmallow request permission?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/33666071/android-marshmallow-request-permission) — rohitanand, Jun 09 '17 at 10:54
Android 7.0 (API level 24) , so targetSdkVersion 22 apk will not work in this device! isnt!? — NitZRobotKoder, Jun 09 '17 at 11:23
I thought that as long as I target an SDK lower than 23 I didn't have to worry about requesting permissions further? — John Ashmore, Jun 09 '17 at 11:33
For target SDK lower than 23 then no need to request permissions.. — Rupali, Jun 09 '17 at 11:48
Right.. You have use targetSdkVersion 24 to use all API's of 24.. if Target is 22 on a 24 devices works as backward compability.. — NitZRobotKoder, Jun 09 '17 at 12:16

John Doe · Answer 1 · 2020-10-08T07:50:38.413

20

UPDATE: See Volker Voecking's answer for a better solution

EDIT: This is simply a workaround for those who don't have time to look for a solution. *

If you get permission denied error even when the permissions are granted and you already implemented permission checks,

make sure you're not targetting api level 29:

Change targetSdkVersion and compilesdkversion from 29 to 28 or any other lower level.

edited Oct 08 '20 at 07:50

answered Jun 28 '19 at 15:21

John Doe

753
9
13

Thanks a lot, I could not find a solution to my issue anywhere but this worked. – Zain Aug 03 '19 at 19:34
How to solve this issue on Android with API level 29 ? – Pranav Karnik Sep 06 '19 at 12:27
Joining the question, I want to keep targetApi 29, but can't seem to write to external storage – Talihawk Nov 28 '19 at 12:54
Bump on this. Downgrading the sdk isn't a sufficient, nor permanent, fix. It's also not suitable for people who objectively _have to use_ api29 for the other features. – Sollace Feb 10 '20 at 08:46
You dont have to roll back to 28 anymore, just go to 30 now – CaptRisky Mar 11 '20 at 04:58
1

Thanks, making an assignment for school means I don't have time to fiddle for days on end about why I can't read a file, this is sufficient for me, but I would avoid this in a "real" situation. – Joel May 12 '20 at 06:38
That is not correct answer as Google force targetSDK 29 starting from November 2, 2020! – Andriy Antoniv Sep 15 '20 at 07:21
1

You really saved my day! – anthann Dec 19 '20 at 12:05

score 16 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 10 '20 at 06:59

If you target SDK 29 and you still get a "permission denied" error after successfully requesting the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission you should add

android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"

to the application definition in AndroidManifest.xml.

<manifest ... >
  <!-- This attribute is "false" by default on apps targeting
       Android 10 or higher. -->
    <application android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true" ... >
      ...
    </application>
</manifest>

see https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/compatibility

This solved the problem. Thank you very much! – Aimkiller Feb 18 '21 at 12:19 — Aimkiller, Feb 18 '21 at 12:19

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 09 '17 at 10:53

If you're running your app on API level 23 or greater you have to request permission at runtime.

Request permission:

String[] permissions = {Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE};
requestPermissions(permissions, WRITE_REQUEST_CODE);

Then handle the result:

@Override
public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String permissions[], int[] grantResults) {
    switch (requestCode) {
       case WRITE_REQUEST_CODE:
         if(grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED){
           //Granted.


         }
       else{
           //Denied.
         }
        break;
    }
}

For more information visit Requesting Permissions at Run Time - Android Doc

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 09 '17 at 11:05

Android N introduces a new model of permissions which only asks for permissions when the app really needs it rather than during installation like it previously did.

Use the following code to ask for permissions

Note - Also add the required permissions in the Manifest file

If you aren't asking permissions from Main Activity pass the reference to the context/activity

The following example shows example for asking permissions to Write to external storage, multiple permisisons can be requiested at the same time (Not recommended by google).

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
/**
 * Variables for requiesting permissions, API 25+
 */
private int requestCode;
private int grantResults[];


/** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {if(ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_DENIED ){
        //if you dont have required permissions ask for it (only required for API 23+)
        ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this, new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},requestCode);


        onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode,new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},grantResults);
    }

    @Override // android recommended class to handle permissions
    public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode,
                                       String permissions[], int[] grantResults) {
        switch (requestCode) {
            case 1: {

            // If request is cancelled, the result arrays are empty.
            if (grantResults.length > 0
                    && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

                Log.d("permission","granted");
            } else {

                // permission denied, boo! Disable the
                // functionality that depends on this permission.uujm
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Permission denied to read your External storage", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

                //app cannot function without this permission for now so close it...
                onDestroy();
            }
            return;
        }

        // other 'case' line to check fosr other
        // permissions this app might request
    }
}

Android _M_ introduced the new permissions model, not Android _N_ — iboalali, Feb 25 '19 at 16:57

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 12 '19 at 12:11

Here is what I did in a similar situation:

Step 1: Add permission to manifest file

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

Step 2: Create a permission checking function

void checkForPermissions()
{
    // Here, thisActivity is the current activity
    if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,
            Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)
            != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

        // Permission is not granted
        // Should we show an explanation?
        if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(this,
                Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)) {
            // Show an explanation to the user *asynchronously* -- don't block
            // this thread waiting for the user's response! After the user
            // sees the explanation, try again to request the permission.
            // This part I didn't implement,because for my case it isn't needed
            Log.i(TAG,"Unexpected flow");
        } else {
            // No explanation needed; request the permission
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this,
                    new String[]{Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},
                    MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_EXTERNAL_STORAGE);

            // MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_EXTERNAL_STORAGE is an
            // app-defined int constant. The callback method gets the
            // result of the request.
        }
    } else {
        // Permission is already granted, call the function that does what you need

        onFileWritePermissionGranted();
    }
}

Step 3: Implement onRequestPermissionsResult

 @Override
    public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode,
                                           String[] permissions, int[] grantResults) {
        switch (requestCode) {
            case MY_PERMISSIONS_REQUEST_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: {
                // If request is cancelled, the result arrays are empty.
                if (grantResults.length > 0
                        && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                    // permission was granted, yay! 
                    // call the function that does what you need
                    onFileWritePermissionGranted();
                } else {
                    Log.e(TAG, "Write permissions has to be granted tp ATMS, otherwise it cannot operate properly.\n Exiting the program...\n");
                }
                return;
            }

            // other 'case' lines to check for other
            // permissions this app might request.
        }
    }

Step 4: Use the permission :)

void onFileWritePermissionGranted()
{
   // Write to some file
}

etama fukakusa · Answer 6 · 2020-06-20T18:39:36.157

Related to the answer "make sure you're not targetting api level 29...", I found this.

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/Environment#getExternalStorageDirectory

。。。。。。。。。。

"getExternalStoragePublicDirectory"

This method was deprecated in API level 29.

To improve user privacy, direct access to shared/external storage devices is deprecated. When an app targets Build.VERSION_CODES.Q, the path returned from this method is no longer directly accessible to apps. Apps can continue to access content stored on shared/external storage by migrating to alternatives such as Context#getExternalFilesDir(String), MediaStore, or Intent#ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT.

。。。。。。。。。。

so, in that case you have to replace "getExternalStoragePublicDirectory" with those other methods.

Suresh B B · Answer 7 · 2021-01-08T06:30:52.677

in latest version of android making request permission bit different for example, if you want access storage permission first you need request access permission from Manifest.xml

like:

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

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

and most important don't forget to allow this from application tag of Manifets.xml,

`android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"'

//and created method from your activity to request run to permission call this function from activity anywhere required.

private boolean requestPermission(){
        boolean request=true;
        String[] permissions={Manifest.permission.CAMERA,
                                Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION,
                                Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                                Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                                Manifest.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION,
                                Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION};
        if (permissions.length!=0){
            ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this,permissions,102);
            request= true;
        }

        else{
            toastMsg("Permissions Denied");
            println("Permissions not allowed by User...");
            request=false;
        }

        return request;

    }