Warning: Your Android version does not allow syncing to external storage devices

[Core-Xii]

After a recent Android update syncthing fails to do what it did just fine before. I'm "sharing" a file from a writing app and selecting the 'save to syncthing' icon, but the action fails with "0 files copied", and something about checking applications logs (where are they?). Attempting to set the synced folder by tapping on 'browse' produces this error message which has zero google search results:

"Warning: Your Android version does not allow syncing to external storage devices"

The synced folder is shown under "Internal storage" in My Files app, there is no external storage (?).

What does this mean, why did syncthing stop working properly after android update, and how can I get it working again?

[ddolcimascolo]

Happened to me today. I'm using "Share with" Syncthing daily and it worked fine before.

Any news on this?

[ddolcimascolo]

Happened to me today. I'm using "Share with" Syncthing daily and it worked fine before.

Any news on this?

Sorry, I do have the message in the app, but my issue is something else. Maybe I always had that message and didn't pay attention...

[steel-steven-87]

The recent update broke something. I can't save any files using "Share with" anymore and I get the same message. I also noticed that the browse button is not fully visible:

[ddolcimascolo]

@steel-steven-87 Yeah, there are buttons at the bottom, but they're not visible. See my other issue #1918

[steel-steven-87]

@ddolcimascolo Haha, that's what I call a clean design! 😄

Well, I'm glad there's a workaround, so I can back up the data.

If anyone needs to save, just click around on the bottom right side of the screen to find the invisible save button.

[r4taw2mg]

I have this too, on two devices: Android 8 and Android 10. Only ever updated syncthing.

[cizmazia]

I have started experiencing this on Android 12 when sharing a file from another app via the option "Save to Syncthing". It worked fine previously.

[lmiol]

same problem android 13 app version 1.23.5 Google Pixel 5

by the way 1.23.6-rc.1 bug already fixed

[r4taw2mg]

I have this too, on two devices: Android 8 and Android 10. Only ever updated syncthing.

Still not working in 1.23.6 . I'd really appreciate somebody looking into this. Looks exactly like https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing-android/issues/1850#issuecomment-1627609512

[dilectia]

Same problem here using Grapheneos with Android 13 in a Pixel 6a in Syncthing 1.23.7

[bt90]

Seems like the folder picker was not adapted work with anything past Android KitKat:

https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing-android/blob/5847e74905b3fe7ddeb92c6ece85e73e48162d80/app/src/main/java/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/activities/FolderPickerActivity.java#L107

I think @Catfriend1 fixed this one in the fork: https://github.com/Catfriend1/syncthing-android/issues/690

[LLCodeWiz]

bump

[combs]

This just happened to me on a Samsung A54 5G running Android 14. It began showing this warning and my folder was unexpectedly changed to "Send Only." I was able to fix it by navigating through the Web GUI to the folder's Advanced tab and choosing "Send/Receive" again. It worked fine after that. Unsure if this will help you, but just in case...

[combs]

One surprising side effect of this issue is that it can change a folder from "Receive Only" to "Send Only," causing undesired changes to be sent.

[bw35]

Changing the path of the shared folder from "~/Default Folder" to "storage/emulated/0/Default Folder" did the trick for me. Seems that the tilde is causing the problem. The folder needs to be removed and added again to change the path.

[fauxmight]

@bw35 Android 14 here. This is a functioning work-around for the issue in my instance. Thank you.