Skip to content

Granting Android Applications Access to External Storage on ChromeOS

Overview

By default, Android applications on ChromeOS are restricted to accessing their own storage within the Android container. However, ChromeOS allows users to grant external storage access to Android apps, enabling them to read and write files from USB drives, SD cards, or other shared storage locations. This tutorial will guide you through the process of granting Android applications access to external storage.

Prerequisites

  • A ChromeOS device with Android app support enabled.
  • An external storage device (USB flash drive, external HDD, or SD card).
  • The Android application you want to grant access to.

Steps to Enable External Storage Access

Step 1: Connect Your External Storage Device

  1. Plug in your USB drive or insert your SD card into the ChromeOS device.
  2. Open the ChromeOS Files App to verify that the storage device is recognized.
  3. If prompted, click "Open Files App" to access the storage.

Step 2: Open the Android Storage Settings

  1. Click on the System Tray in the bottom-right corner of your ChromeOS screen.
  2. Select the Settings Gear Icon ⚙ to open ChromeOS Settings.
  3. In the left sidebar, navigate to Apps > Google Play Store.
  4. Click Manage Android Preferences to open the Android settings.

Step 3: Grant Storage Permissions to Android Apps

  1. Inside the Android settings window, scroll down and tap Storage.
  2. Locate the External Storage option.
  3. Select "Enable access to external storage" or "Allow access to shared storage" (depending on your ChromeOS version).
  4. Close the settings window to apply changes.

Step 4: Test Android App Access

  1. Open an Android application (such as a file manager, media player, or document editor).
  2. Try opening or saving a file from the external storage device.
  3. If prompted, grant permission to access files.
  4. Your Android application should now have full read/write access to external storage.

Troubleshooting

Issue: External Storage Not Showing Up in Android Apps

  • Ensure that the external device is formatted as exFAT, FAT32, or NTFS (ChromeOS does not support some other formats).
  • Try removing and reconnecting the storage device.
  • Restart your Chromebook and repeat the steps above.

Issue: Android App Still Cannot Access External Storage

  • Some Android applications require explicit permissions to access storage. Go to:
  • Settings > Apps > Manage Apps
  • Select the application and enable Storage Permissions.
  • If the issue persists, check if the app has a "Files and Media" permission toggle.