Unable to open AVI files directly from the Signal app

[Anvil5465]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
• [x] I am submitting a bug report for existing functionality that does not work as intended
• [x] I have read https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports
• [x] This isn't a feature request or a discussion topic

---

Bug description

AVI video files open properly when opened from the files app but not when opened via signal. iOS users can open the file just fine.

Steps to reproduce

• receive AVI video file
• click on the file

Actual result: error "Can't find an app able to open this media." Expected result: signal uses VLC to play the video file

Screenshots

Device info

Device: Google Pixel 6a Android version: 14 (GrapheneOS 2024090400) Signal version: 7.16.4

Link to debug log

[signal-log-1726402004259.zip](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/17005720/signal-log-1726402004259.zip)

[Anvil5465]

I can also attach the AVI file that is in the screenshot if that would be helpful.

[cody-signal]

Looks like we don't detect the file as a video and then try to use a 3rd part app to play which the OS also doesn't find one for. Not much else we can do here. We can only render videos the OS can play for us, so maybe a Graphene thing?

[Anvil5465]

If that's the case then wouldn't the files app also be unable to open the same AVI file using VLC? As you can see in the screenshot below, the OS definitely recognizes VLC as an app capable of opening AVI files.

[cody-signal]

:shrug:

We take the info we know about the file and give it to the OS. It's up to the OS to tells us if there's an app available to play it or not.

[Anvil5465]

Nextcloud talk is also able to get to the same interface for opening the AVI file as the files app

[stale[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.