How to Access the /Android/data & /Android/obb Folders on the Phone without Root Access?

We can undo the security restrictions Google has implemented by uninstalling the updates to our built-in Files app.

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Video Description
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If you've had trouble accessing the /Android/data and /Android/obb directories on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet, I have a way to fix this issue.

#android #googlepixel #samsunggalaxy #androidemulation #androidemulator

So Google has been trying to block access to these two folders for a couple of years now. When this restriction was first implemented as Scoped Storage, just about every popular file manager app found an easy workaround that allowed them to continue accessing those directories.

But there have been some more strict updates going out and a lot of people are now unable to access these folders with their favorite File Manager app of choice. So today I'll be showing you a quick and easy method of regaining read and write access to those folders and all of the folders within it.

To start, we need to open up the Settings application.
Next, we're going to scroll down a bit until we see the Apps menu.
Then we're going to begin scrolling through this list until you find the Files app.
It should even have the same app icon as you see here.

This is a built-in file manager app that most OEMs replace with their own, but it's this application that Google is using to block access to the /Android/data folder and the /Android/obb folder.

And since it was an application update that added this restriction, we can tap the 3-dot menu icon up here in the top right corner.
So that we can then select the Uninstall Updates option.

This will remove all of the updates that have been installed for this application. Including the restrictions to the data and obb directories.

And once these updates have been uninstalled, you can use the file manager app of your choice.
And as long as that app has implemented the initial workaround for Scoped Storage, then it should work just like it used to.

We can test this out by opening up my file manager app of choice, Solid Explorer, and then trying to access the /Android/data folder for an application like Obtainium, a popular emulator, or whatever app you're trying to add files to.

Now I understand that some people are not going to want a system application like the Files app to be outdated.
Sometimes these app updates include security patches for some pretty critical exploits.

And while we cannot open the Play Store app to install the latest update, we can manually sideload it.

So what I recommend doing is visiting this page over on APK Mirror and downloading the latest copy of the app from there.
It's packaged up as an app bundle, so you will also need to have the APK Mirror Installer

But as you can see here, we can manually update the Files app so it has the latest changes implemented.

Even though you've updated the app, your File Manager app of choice should continue to have access to the directory you gave it access to.

But if you ever run into that issue again, a quick uninstall of those updates again will allow the workaround to grant you access to the /Android/data and /Android/obb folders again.

These steps I showed you here today may work on devices from other OEMs. I haven't been able to test this with a phone running MIUI just yet but I suspect it will work exactly the same.

One issue I have run into when testing this with other phones is that it will not work with my Google Pixel 8. This may be due to the built-in Files app always having the updated version so even though I'm trying to uninstall the updates, it's still keeping a version of the app on the phone that has the patches included.

Mentioned Links
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Step by Step Tutorial
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1. Intro [00:00]
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The Gear I Use
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[ExplainingAndroid]

Daily Question: Is Wireless Charging an important feature for you?
And whether or not it is important to you, I would be curious to learn if you use a wireless charger.

[tonynasaofficial]

Thank you! This has helped me alot, I'm very disappointed at Google for removing this feature, this was the whole reason why I loved Android because it allowed people who where into tech or engineering to customize and explore everything it had to offer, even for simple stuff like modding a simple game like GTA san andreas, to emulating games to spoofing locations

[AndersErichsen-rrvs]

It seems like we need another solution.... but I guess there is only jail breaking left at this point. Why did I ever update - I should have known better. XCover 6 Pro - And because Google forced the programmer to put the data into these folders, there is no access to my data to retrieve it.

How am I do access my data? They are literally jailing the users data, they are evil, but I guess we already know that.

I wanna go back to my LG V20, repair one of them and get back on Android 7.

[worldisinwar]

The new update doesn't allow you to access the 3 dots in the corner

[CurbSideManor]

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra running Android 14. And my choice of file managers is Solid Explorer also. Just watched and tried the method you described.... and it worked! Thank you! 😊😅

[Lyosha-wf]

Woooow, you first in all of internet, who help me! Thanks you!!!

[klbsk]

Found the Files and uninstalled update but still didn't work. I just want to access mcpe folder. 😭

[kalaiamudhan]

Thanks, its working! Thought i almost had to root my device

[卩尺卂-uq]

screw this android. The only reason that I buy android phones instead of apple ones was taken form me

[TenBear]

I don't have the three dots on the files app so I can't uninstall the updates

[AndersErichsen-rrvs]

DON'T UPDATE YOUR MOBILE IF IT STILL WORKS, YOU MIGHT JUST AS WELL RUIN THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THIS TRICK. AS I ARRRRGHHH, I guess there is no way around it, I will have to see if I can root the mobile. This just sucks.

On the Samsung XCover 6 Pro Android 14, the latest updates ruined it.

[psillypseudonym]

Thanks! This worked on a Galaxy A55 running Android 14 but I had to use FV File Explorer.

[AladdinPop]

On my gaming handheld android 13 and i dont have the 3 button option when opening under apps in my settings. Anyway around without root or pc access since i have dozens of mods and patches to install

[joaofaf]

I uninstalled the updates on the Files app, but when I go to Solid explorer and tap on the suyu folder inside android/data, it takes me to a screen with root folders and a message that I can't acess that folder. I'm using S24 Ultra.

[onjx]

not working, android 14, redmi note 10s

[monibsultani]

I tried all the steps, but it doesn't work for my phone, and my phone is sumsung glaxy a53 5g

[kuzuzumori]

I can acces but i cant copy/paste files

[_Eion_]

Pixel 6 Pro.. doesn't work. This sucks google is trash.. becoming as bad as apple...

[Jaconlaual]

I wanted your help for something, these days I went to install a GSI by fastboot, and at the time I went to apply the fastboot flash system command< instead of apparenting that it doesn't have space it says it doesn't have file or directory, what command can I use to solve this?

[AndersErichsen-rrvs]

So after the update when it now does not work to downgrade the files app - the version is 14-10586669 and I guess I can't uninstall and get an older better version.