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I have Android version 5.0 on two different devices and on both, if I delete any user content (e.g. photos, music) stored on the SD card it appears to be removed but moments later reappears exactly as it was.

I am led to believe that this is part of the new OS version enhanced security but is there any way that I can stop this so that when I delete something, it stays deleted! Currently I can only do this via USB from my PC.

Matt_Roberts
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1 Answers1

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Since 4.4 the "WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" permission no longer grants WRITE access to the secondary(external) sdcard. (This is a simplified explanation, 4.4 did not force this change.)

The necessary permission to do so ("WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE") is only avialable to system apps.

Since 5.0 it is possible to gain write access through Androids storage provider system, this must be implemented by the developer though.

  • The native file manager app should be able to write to the external sdcard, check if it requests the "WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE" permission.
  • SD Maid will support deletion & renaming with the next update (3.1.2.0+) through the systems storage provider.
  • I don't know about SandDisk Memory Zone.
Community
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darken
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  • Thanks, this has clarified the issue - hooray for the next update of SD Maid! I am assuming that this may be able to be fixed for selected apps if I were willing to go down the root option but my devices are too new so I don't want to risk it yet. – Matt_Roberts Jan 22 '15 at 15:23
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    If you root your device, apps that support it (e.g. SD Maid) can directly use root to circumvent the restriction. Alternatively you can use the root access to undo the restrictions introduced with 4.4. You would basically slightly alter your ROMs permissions system, there are apps automating it, this effectively allows all apps that can't deal with this to behave as before 4.4. – darken Jan 22 '15 at 15:28
  • @darken how would I do this? Is there an article with instructions online? An app to do this? (I'm already rooted) – Abraham Murciano Benzadon Oct 13 '17 at 00:15