3.30.6 - Missing permission "all files access" #14135
Description
⚠️ Before posting ⚠️
- This is a bug, not a question or an enhancement.
- I've searched for similar issues and didn't find a duplicate.
- I've written a clear and descriptive title for this issue, not just "Bug" or "Crash".
- I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.
Steps to reproduce
- Install version 3.30.6
- Press the upload button inside the Nextcloud app
- Navigate into a folder with files other than pictures or videos
- Result: there are no other files listed
Expected behaviour
It should be possible to upload files other than pictures and videos.
Actual behaviour
The error is caused by the missing permission "all files access".
It was possible in previous versions.
Android version
15
Device brand and model
Google Pixel 8
Stock or custom OS?
Custom (explain in "additional information")
Nextcloud android app version
3.30.6
Nextcloud server version
30.0.2
Using a reverse proxy?
Yes
Android logs
No response
Server error logs
Additional information
My phone is running GrapheneOS.
Activity
BluePixel4k commentedon Dec 6, 2024
@alperozturk96 I think we need a patch for this bug asap.
[-]Missing permission "all files access"[/-][+]3.30.6 - Missing permission "all files access"[/+]BluePixel4k commentedon Dec 13, 2024
It's look like only the gplay release is affected.
With the fdroid, release it's possible to grand the "all files permission".
For the gplay release, the permission is not available anymore.
AndyScherzinger commentedon Dec 13, 2024
Google forced us to remove the permission and blocked all updates to the app store since July because of this. We can't bring it back for GPlay I am afraid...
BluePixel4k commentedon Dec 13, 2024
Oh, that's really sad.
I didn't know that, because the changelog only lists that:
Due to new restrictions imposed by Google, the auto-upload feature will no longer be able to automatically remove uploaded files.
Adam-D-Lewis commentedon Dec 13, 2024
This is not a great solution, but FWIW as a workaround I was able to get around the issue of uploading a non image file by changing my pdf file extension to "png" and then back after uploading.
cybercroft commentedon Dec 17, 2024
@AndyScherzinger so what you are saying is that Google decided to impose restrictions on the kind of data we are able to synchronize without user permission? Consequently any document files can no longer be sent to the Nextcloud server when using an android device? This indeed is concerning. I would consider this issue to be of high priority. Is there any other workaround?
tobiasKaminsky commentedon Dec 18, 2024
The "workaraound" aka the real way Android wants it is like this
--> choose desired upload folder and upload it
And yes, Google decided this, as F-Droid is remained untouched.
There we are still allowed to use this permission.
A bit of lengthy background:
Other apps were not allowed to use this permission at all, once it was introduced in 2022.
I could convince them back then, that we need this.
But nowadays they are more strict on it and thus we needed to remove this permission.
Thus is, why it feels now like a regression / problem in UX, while it was only an exception that they allowed it for ~2 years.
JimmyKater commentedon Dec 18, 2024
how sad this is...
though a big thank you for 2 years of additional functionality.
Awww... and as this issue isn't really solvable... I think it can be marked closed.
Whisprin commentedon Dec 18, 2024
thanks for this insightful background information @tobiasKaminsky .
With this it seems that this issue mixes several related, yet not identical problems:
For 1. auto upload of other files
If the upload for files other than pictures and videos is currently expected to be broken, then user should be a) informed that this is broken in the Google build variant and b) the user should be prompted to remove the broken custom auto upload folder pairs to make sure no wrong expectations arise going forward.
If other apps, especially the ones from Google themselves, are able to do this, it sounds like another antitrust issue and stifling competition. But I don't know if that's the case.
For 2. auto upload of pictures and videos
Would be great to understand if this is related or not, and whether auto upload of pictures and videos is currently expected to work flawlessly or not after updating the app from Google Play.
For 3. (re)moving files after auto upload
The auto upload folder setting "Original file will be..." kept/moved is grayed out and can't be changed for picture and video folders only. However, that setting can be changed for other folders by the user, e.g. Documents. Clarification if this should apply to all or only some folders would be helpful.
drhirn commentedon Dec 18, 2024
And I would love to know, if the F-Droid version will always be working.
(when switching from g-play to f-droid I realised, an export function for settings would be nice. had to configure all upload-folders again, which are many in my case)
GuyFromMars365 commentedon Dec 19, 2024
So Google declined Permission Declaration Form you submitted? Did they explain why? Doesn't Google Drive, One Drive, Box, Dropbox all have these permission? I assume that without this permission, Nextcloud can no longer delete ANY file on Android, including files it creates? If so, what is Goolgle's expected way of handling file sync?
For reference, I also discussed this here: https://github.com/nextcloud/android/pull/14099#issuecomment-2552716882
65 remaining items
drhirn commentedon Jun 9, 2025
Same here. Definitely happened after the update.
Wikinaut commentedon Jun 9, 2025
Same here.🤦♂️
programmer-61 commentedon Jun 9, 2025
Same for me, I am using the fdroid version as it did not have any issue with the auto file upload. Until now at least.
DragonQ commentedon Jun 9, 2025
Auto upload settings being lost in 3.31.3 is a separate issue, see here: #14931
The solution is to not upgrade to 3.31.3. If you have already then there is no solution, you just need to redo all your auto-uploads. 3.31.4, which fixes the issue, is out on F-Droid now so anyone who was purposefully skipping 3.31.3 can upgrade now.
joho1968 commentedon Jul 16, 2025
What issue(s), exactly, are solved? I'm on 3.32.1 (Google Play), and it hasn't been uploading photos for months.
cunio commentedon Jul 28, 2025
Google Play update to 3.32.2 did not solve the problem.
enoch85 commentedon Jul 28, 2025
Changed to Fdroid some time ago just for Nextcloud apps. Never looked back.
cunio commentedon Jul 28, 2025
I have been trying F-Droid version as well. NextCloud App was able to autoupload photos and videos created after its installation, nothing older.
koying commentedon Jul 28, 2025
There is a setting in the app (on the auto-upload folders) to upload already existing files.
cunio commentedon Jul 28, 2025
which does nothing in current version
koying commentedon Jul 28, 2025
It won't do anything on an already configured folder, indeed.
If you mean you missed some files before you switched to fdroid, you can "share" them to the app so that they are uploaded.
enoch85 commentedon Jul 28, 2025
@cunio Try reinstalling the app completely. Remove it, wipe data, and install clean from Fdroid. Watch the magic happen.
RLalor commentedon Aug 9, 2025
I have the Fdroid version installed. On Hyper OS if I go to a photo in gallery and upload it to nextcloud. Literally nothing happens. If I go to the folder in nextcloud app and select the photo from there and try to upload, nothing happens. If I go to the actual file for the photo in the phone file browser and try to upload from there (as someone suggested), nothing at all happens on the screen.