Google Play Console requestLegacyExternalStorage

Hi everyone, I received the following message on the Google Play Console:

We’ve detected that your app contains the requestLegacyExternalStorage flag in the manifest file of 1 or more of your app bundles or APKs.

Developers with apps on devices running Android 11+ must use Scoped Storage to give users better access control over their device storage. To release your app on Android 11 or newer after May 5th, you must either:

Update your app to use more privacy friendly best practices, such as the Storage Access Framework or Media Store API
Update your app to declare the All files access (MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) permission in the manifest file, and complete the All files access permission declaration in Play Console from May 5th
Remove the All files access permission from your app entirely
For apps targeting Android 11, the requestLegacyExternalStorage flag will be ignored. You must use the All files access permission to retain broad access.

Apps requesting access to the All files access permission without a permitted use will be removed from Google Play, and you won’t be able to publish updates.

So I ask, what needs to be done for us who use kodular?

8 Likes

Waiting for a reply from Kodular Teams aswell

1 Like

Also received please kodular team explain and try to fix this problem

1 Like

Remove that tag from manifest and store files in ASD.

1 Like

I have the same problem, i need a fast solution please.

1 Like

also i’m facing this problem

I have the same problem too.

Hope we would get any solution for that

i’ve the same problem

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/10467955

1 Like

@bodymindpower whats the solution what changed should we do to remain our app in production or can able to update that. i had read the artical from the link given by you, but still didn’t know what particularly changes we have to do ?

This new storage thing is quit confusing, I am still trying to understand that what changes should I do to satisfy Google’s guidelines 🥲

3 Likes

I have Also Received the mail But I didn’t Check my inbox So what is the solution

Ok, So, We have to wait Kodular to fix this problem…
Is it possible to have a communication on it ?
Regards :slight_smile:

As I understand it, there shouldn’t be any problems as long as the app targets Android 10 (API 29), which is currently still the case with Kodular and AI2 (at least until the end of July 2021).

I think this is a general warning about requestLegacyExternalStorage that will only become relevant once Kodular is targeting Android 11 (API 30).
(But it’s true, it’s a bit misleading.)

Android 10 devices:
requestLegacyExternalStorage works regardless of targetSdkVersion

Android 11 devices:

  • targetSdkVersion = 29: requestLegacyExternalStorage → works
  • targetSdkVersion = 30: requestLegacyExternalStorage → ignored

Maybe someone from the Kodular team can confirm this. @Diego @Vishwas @Mika

11 Likes

Got same mail from Google, like to know in what components of Kodular platform having this requestLegacyExternalStorage command.

1 Like

This is declared in each app in the Manifest:
android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"

1 Like

This is correct. No changes have to be made to apps at this moment; you can continue to update your apps well beyond May 5 as Kodular currently targets Android 10.

Once we bump the target SDK level to 30, users who wish to access the entire filesystem will have to let Google know why. I believe we’ll have more information about this as we implement scoped storage and the media store into our apps.

14 Likes

However it is specified “To release your app on Android 11 or newer after May 5th, you must either:” which suggests that the apps we update or publish will not be compatible with Android 11, or Google Play won’t make them available on devices with A11

No, as @Vishwas and I said earlier, this is not true as long as Kodular is still targeting API level 29 (Android 10). So ignore the message / warning.

5 Likes