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The file_picker_darwin package provides native file picking, saving, and directory selection functionality for iOS and macOS within Flutter applications. It is the platform-specific implementation of the file_picker plugin, leveraging native system APIs to ensure seamless integration with Apple's operating systems. This allows users to browse, select, and save files directly through familiar system dialogs. The package supports both file and directory operations, ensuring secure and efficient file handling on Darwin-based platforms.
Use cases
Selecting files from the device's file system
Saving files to user-defined locations
Navigating and selecting directories
Integrating native file dialogs in iOS apps
Enabling file uploads in macOS desktop apps
Key features
Native file picker UI on iOS and macOS
Support for file and directory selection
Secure file access via system permissions
Cross-platform consistency with file_picker
Built-in support for file saving operations
Suitable for
iOS app developers needing file selection
macOS desktop Flutter apps requiring file I/O
Apps that handle document imports or exports
Developers using the file_picker plugin stack
Projects requiring native file system integration
Considerations
Requires proper iOS/macOS permission settings
Limited to Darwin platforms (iOS and macOS)
Dependent on the main file_picker package
May require additional configuration for sandboxed environments
File access restricted by app sandbox policies
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.