Can't create directory in Android 10

Question

I'm unable to create directory in android 10. It's working on devices till android Oreo.

I tried two ways for creating folders.

Using File.mkdir():

   File f = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/Pastebin");                     if (!f.isFile()) {                         if (!(f.isDirectory())) {                                success =  f.mkdir();                         } 

Here, the variable success is always false which means the directory isn't created.

Using Files.createDirectory():

   File f = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/Pastebin");                     if (!f.isFile()) {                         if (!(f.isDirectory())) {                             if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {                                 try {                                     Files.createDirectory(Paths.get(f.getAbsolutePath()));                                 } catch (IOException e) {                                     e.printStackTrace();                                     Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), R.string.unable_to_download, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();                                 }                             } else {                                 f.mkdir();                             }                         } 

which causes this exception:

pzy64.pastebinpro W/System.err: java.nio.file.AccessDeniedException: /storage/emulated/0/Pastebin pzy64.pastebinpro W/System.err:     at sun.nio.fs.UnixFileSystemProvider.createDirectory(UnixFileSystemProvider.java:391) pzy64.pastebinpro W/System.err:     at java.nio.file.Files.createDirectory(Files.java:674) 

I've implemented the run-time permissions and

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

are all set.

Answer 1

As was first disclosed back in March 2019, you no longer have access by default to arbitrary locations on external storage or removable storage on Android 10+. This includes Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() and other methods on Environment (e.g., getExternalStoragePublicDirectory().

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.

Otherwise, your choices are:

• Use methods on Context, such as getExternalFilesDir(), to get at directories on external storage into which your app can write. You do not need any permissions to use those directories on Android 4.4+. However, the data that you store there gets removed when your app is uninstalled.

• Use the Storage Access Framework, such as ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT and ACTION_CREATE_DOCUMENT.

• If your content is media, you can use MediaStore to place the media in standard media locations.