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A Flutter plugin providing Android-specific file picking, saving, and Storage Access Framework (SAF) URI grant functionality. It enables users to select files and directories through the native Android file picker, securely manage file access using SAF, and save files with proper permissions. Designed as an implementation for the broader file_picker plugin, it ensures compatibility with Android's storage model and modern security practices. Ideal for apps requiring robust file operations on Android devices.
Use cases
Selecting files from device storage
Saving files using SAF
Granting temporary file access via URI
Integrating with Android's storage system
Handling large file transfers
Supporting external storage devices
Key features
Android-only file picking
SAF URI grant support
Secure file access management
Integration with native Android file picker
File saving with permission handling
Cross-platform consistency when used with file_picker
Suitable for
Android-focused Flutter apps
Apps needing secure file access
Developers using SAF for storage
File management features in mobile apps
Apps requiring external storage support
Considerations
Limited to Android platform
Requires proper manifest permissions
Depends on parent file_picker package
May need additional runtime permission checks
Not suitable for iOS or web
SAF behavior varies across Android versions
Original README
Original README snapshot from the linked source repository. Visit the repository for the latest content.
File Picker
A Flutter plugin that lets you use the native file explorer to pick single or multiple files, with extension filtering, directory selection, and save-file dialogs, across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and Web.
This repository is a Melos workspace hosting file_picker as a federated plugin: a single cross-platform API package on top of one implementation package per platform, all versioned and published independently.
Web implementation, including Wasm compilation support.
Almost all apps should only ever depend on file_picker directly. The platform packages are pulled in transitively and registered automatically by Flutter's plugin system; you only reach for one of them directly if you need a platform-specific API that isn't exposed on the shared facade (for example FilePickerDarwin.skipEntitlementsChecks() on macOS).
Quick start
dependencies:file_picker:^13.0.0
import'package:file_picker/file_picker.dart';
final file = awaitFilePicker.pickFile();
if (file != null) {
print(file.name);
print(await file.length()); // Returns Future<int?> (or use file.lengthSync())
}
See packages/file_picker/README.md for the full feature list, platform compatibility chart, and more usage examples (multiple files, extension filters, directory picking, save-file dialogs).
Migration
Upgrading to v13? See the Migrating to v13 Guide for details on PlatformFile.length() returning Future<int?> and the removal of legacy v12-deprecated parameters.
Upgrading from pre-v12? See the Migrating to v12 Guide for the federated architecture changes (FilePicker.pickFiles() returning List<PlatformFile>, platform options, and streaming).
Contributions are welcome. Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before opening a pull request, it covers testing requirements, versioning, and changelog conventions for this workspace.
To work on this repository locally:
dart pub global activate melos
melos bootstrap
melos run analyze # flutter analyze across every package
melos run test# flutter test across every package
Each package keeps its own pubspec.yaml and CHANGELOG.md and is released independently, only the package(s) you actually changed need a version bump.
Credits
file_picker was created and maintained by Miguel Ruivo, starting in 2018, growing it from a single Android/iOS plugin into the federated, cross-platform package it is today. This repository continues that work under new ownership, built entirely on the foundation of his years of effort.
Thank you, Miguel.
License
MIT, see LICENSE. Every package in this repository is released under the same license.