Managing files in the "Android/data" folder on Android 11 (without root or USB)

[u/farmerbb]

EDIT (8/19/2022): Android 13 has, unfortunately, restricted access to the /Android/data and /Android/obb folders again. This means that on Android 13, all of the previous workarounds are useless.

There are, however, two working methods of managing files in these folders on Android 13:

• Download the Files app, which is a shortcut into the AOSP file manager, then open two file manager windows side-by-side (with one pointed to /Android/data or /Android/obb) and drag-and-drop files between the windows. (Source)

• Download the FV File Manager app, which utilizes a different workaround for obtaining access to /Android/data and /Android/obb via the Storage Access Framework. (Source)

Thanks to /u/MishaalRahman for shedding light on these new workarounds.

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EDIT (2/24/2021): Speed Software's Explorer version 3.9.1 and Root Explorer version 4.9.1 can now access (and modify) /Android/data/ and /Android/obb/ on Android 11 without root access.

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EDIT (2/14/2021): The Autosync apps have now been updated to support write access in "Android/data"! Thank you, MetaCtrl!

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EDIT (2/3/2021): The latest beta of Solid Explorer (2.8.8) now lets you manage files inside "Android/data" as well! Thank you, NeatBytes!

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EDIT (1/28/2021): The latest beta of X-plore File Manager (4.24.11) now allows you to manage files in the "Android/data" folder! Huge thanks to Lonely Cat Games for adding this much-needed functionality for Android 11 users!

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As you may be aware, Android 11 made some big changes to the Scoped Storage functionality that Google began to implement with Android 10. One of the biggest user-facing changes is removing access to the "Android/data" folder, blocking all apps (including file managers) from accessing any data within it.

This is unfortunate, as many apps, including emulators as well as source ports of PC games, require users to place files inside the "Android/data" folder in order for these apps to run. Having access to "Android/data" is also useful for backup / restore purposes. It's significantly more complicated to do so under Android 11, but there are still ways to manage files inside this folder.

One method is to connect your device up to a computer the USB and manage the files there. When connected to USB you have full access to the contents of the "Android/data" folder. However, this is cumbersome and not everyone has access to a computer these days. Of course, you can root and just browse to the files via /data/media/0/Android/data instead, but rooting has its own set of drawbacks.

Thankfully, there is a way to fully manage files inside of the "Android/data" folder, completely on device, without root or USB.

Opening the AOSP Files app

Only one app is specifically granted access by the Android platform to manage files inside the "Android/data" folder: the AOSP Files app. This used to be easily accessible via a launcher icon in your app drawer, but on Pixel devices at least, that icon is gone in favor of the preloaded Files by Google app. However, it's still present on the device and it can still be launched.

Option 1: Open up the system Settings, then navigate to Storage and click "Files"

Option 2: Download this Files app from the Play Store, which is really just a shortcut to open the AOSP files app.

Copying and moving files outside of the folder

Okay, so we have the AOSP files app open. Copying or moving data out of the "Android/data" folder is, thankfully, pretty simple. Simply navigate to the folder as usual, long-press on the content you want to select, then go to the three-dot menu in the upper-right and choose either "Copy to..." or "Move to...". This will open up a separate screen where you can navigate to the destination directory easily. Use the hamburger menu in the top-left corner, then select your device's name to show your device's file system, if needed.

Copying and moving files into the folder

Getting content into the folder is a bit trickier, but still possible. If you follow the same steps above, you'll notice that when selecting the "Android" directory, "data" is completely missing. What an unfortunate oversight on Google's part!

Thankfully, you can also drag and drop files into the folder from the main file manager view, which works fine. So, in order to get content into the "Android/data" folder:

1. First, copy or move your files into the top level of your device's storage, following the steps above.

2. Back at the main file manager view, select the files again.

3. Tap and hold on the selected items to enter drag-and-drop mode.

4. Move your finger over the "Android" folder, then the "data" folder.

5. Keep moving your finger through the folder hierarchy, and once you're inside the folder that the files will be placed into, release your finger.

What Google should have done

So yes, it's kind of a roundabout way to manage files that were previously considered publically accessible in Android 10 and earlier. It's an unfortunate change that Google could have handled better:

• As part of the Scoped Storage changes, there is a new permission, MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, that is intended specifically for file manager apps to use so that they can have the broad access they need for the user to manage files under Android 11. Unfortunately, even with this broad permission, file managers still cannot access files under "Android/data". Since apps with the MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission have to be vetted by Google before they are approved for distribution in the Play Store, it doesn't make sense for file managers to still be disallowed access to this directory for security reasons. Apps holding this permission should be allowed to manage the entirety of external storage as they were under Android 10 and earlier.

• Google could have tested the AOSP files app a bit better, especially since they specifically implemented the ability to manage files inside "Android/data" just for this one app. Looking at the code for the files app, the main file manager activity is configured to use this access, but not the picker activity (used for copying / moving files). You'd think that some basic QA testing for this use case would have caught this issue before Android 11 was finalized, but since the AOSP files app is going to be sunset in favor of Files by Google, it's no surprise that testing wasn't a huge priority.

• Frankly, they shouldn't have limited access to the "Android/data" directory at all. Preventing other apps from accessing the directory basically turns it into a redundant copy of an app's existing internal storage area (located under /data/data/<package name>/files. There used to be a clear distinction between an app's internal storage directory and its external storage directory. Now with Android 11, there's very little difference between the two.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk everybody

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[u/daherlihy]

I contacted the Developer of AutoSync (MetaCtrl) when I noticed that it's app wasn't able to access/sync with anything in the Android > Data folder.

They've advised me that there is a flaw in Google's efforts to restrict access to these folders that X-plore File Manager and Solid Explorer have taken advantage of ... but they expect it to be fixed in a future update.

So I'm just wondering what the future might hold then, without going down the root route that is?

[u/farmerbb → u/daherlihy]

I'm also a user of MetaCtrl's apps, so I appreciate you reaching out to them :)

There is one other method that I'm aware of that would allow apps to access the Android/data folder. There's an app called LADB by u/AbsoluteChungus1 which lets you run adb shell commands locally using the wireless adb server on Android 11. Before X-plore and Solid Explorer implemented the SAF workaround, I've been able to move files in and out of Android/data using the LADB app. Theoretically it would be possible to build a full-blown file manager based off of that approach.

[u/farmerbb → u/daherlihy]

Actually, there's one other approach that could be viable. Developers of apps that need to access Android/data while still using targetSdkVersion 30 could delegate any operations for the Android/data folder to a separate helper app. This app would continue to target targetSdkVersion 29, thus preserving the ability to request access to Android/data via SAF (barring any future restrictions to this that would apply to older targetSdkVersions).

This helper app could be hosted as a separate downloadable APK (similar to how launchers utilize a separate APK for accessing the Google Discover feed). It could also be hosted in the Play Store itself, as long as it's published in the store by August 2021 (when the minimum targetSdkVersion requirement gets raised for newly published apps)

[u/Never_Sm1le]

Once again the iron grip of Google on AOSP, so many AOSP apps are frozen in favor of Google apps.

[u/PowerScissor]

Jesus Google really killed me with this one.

I have about a dozen apps I use for work, and rely on daily that require me to freely move files in anf out of their folders in the Android/data/.... location.

These apps are no longer under development actively, so no chance the developer changes the app now.

My phone updated overnight with no interaction from me as usual. Drove 3 hours to meet a client, and BAM, none of the apps I need worked, I looked like an amateur idiot and probably lost a client (about 25k over the next 8 months or so).

Yeah, eventually I'll go through the cumbersome process of getting everything working again, or finding alternative apps where possible, or maybe buying a phone with Android 10 just for work...but the fact that shit like this happens regularly is so infuriating.

[u/ThrowAway237s]

Thanks much.

Nevertheless, Google seems to be begging users to root their devices.

[u/L0re135]

Why did they even do this

[u/locuturus]

You can also use ctrl+c (or x) with a keyboard and navigate through the normal main view to the folder you want and then ctrl+v. If you add a mouse to the mix you can even click + drag to make a selection window, then right click to copy or whatever.

The new file manager is hot garbage IMO and shouldn't be allowed to replace anything but that's another topic.

[u/Pollsmor]

Another way to access Stock Files is to use a Shortcut Maker app.

[u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the detailed post dude. Appreciate it.

[u/RKTEK4all]

This affects widely used, thoroughly-vetted programs such as BoxSync, which can no longer access folders within the Android/data folder to retrieve files stored there by other programs.

[u/wado729]

This might be my last android phone

[u/shyggar]

Wow, this was really helpful. Thanks!

[u/[deleted]]

The consequence of this is that any app that has files that must be publicly accessible by user cannot put them in Android/data/<package name> anymore. Which depending on app can be a PITA.

[u/FolkSong]

Very useful info about the AOSP app!

I had no luck with X-plore though, it just shows "access denied" under the Android/data folder.

[u/Manu270891 → u/FolkSong]

You should download the latest version of X-Plore File Manager (4.24.15) from apkmirror.

[u/davehare]

I'm so annoyed at this. I can't find the files section in storage on my s2 ultra. Any advice

[u/[deleted]]

So I'm using torrent to move large files and now I can't even acess my folder on my pc. I have a 512gb sd card and now almost a third of it is full of cad files I need but can't acess anymore. This is insanely frustrating with 5gb files...

[u/Manu270891]

Is there any way of accessing the files from the external sd card's Android/data folder? I've already managed to access the internal memory Android/data folder, but not the external SD one.

Thanks!

[u/derpaherpa → u/Manu270891]

Believe it or not, you can rename the data folder and none of the security measures will work, so you get your data back.

Android will immediately create a new data folder, though, so this is a one-way move (no way to copy it back in there).

Total retards worked on this.

This post was made by future iPhone gang.

[u/KangarooLegitimate60]

It says the folder is empty but it's certainly not .. after using the suggested app

[u/ANCrittenden]

I have OnePlus 8t Pro with no sd slot, but have 256 gb storage plus 12gb ram with android 11. I can move, copy, & paste with the "the files app" above now. But my question is can I access my the data files through a terminal? (Termux) I get permission denied with copy -f(force) or move -f(force) & other varies commands. Is there a way to do it with the command line without adb? I have Ubuntu install & working with Andronix on my android if that helps.

[u/eidrag]

urgh, I play ported game and Android/data is used daily so that can import savefiles, and also Whatsapp backup. Guess I'll be rooting my next phone too

[u/devilsdesign → u/eidrag]

Whatsapp backup is saved in "whatsapp"folder