Write External Storage Permission is always denied: Comprehensive Error Solution

Error Overview

The error message “Write External Storage Permission is always denied” is a common issue faced by developers working with Android applications, particularly when attempting to write data to external storage. This error typically indicates that your application lacks the necessary permissions to access external storage. As Android has evolved, especially with recent versions, the restrictions on file access have become more stringent, necessitating a better understanding of permission management.

Common Causes

1. Permission Not Declared: The most common cause of this error is the absence of the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission in the AndroidManifest.xml file.
2. Runtime Permissions: Starting from Android 6.0 (API level 23), users are required to grant permissions at runtime. If the permission is not granted during runtime, your application will not be able to write to external storage.
3. Scoped Storage: With the introduction of Android 10 (API level 29), the concept of scoped storage was introduced. This means that apps can only access their specific data directories on external storage, limiting the ability to write freely.
4. File Paths: Attempting to access or create files in directories that require additional permissions or that do not exist can lead to this error.
5. Directory Not Created: If your application tries to write to a directory that hasn’t been created yet, it will also cause this error.

Solution Methods

To effectively resolve the “Write External Storage Permission is always denied” error, follow the methods outlined below.

Method 1: Declare Permissions in AndroidManifest.xml

1. Open your AndroidManifest.xml file.
2. Add the following permission inside the <manifest> tags:
   xml
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
3. If your target SDK version is 29 or above, also include:
   xml
<application
android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true" ...>
4. Save and rebuild your project.

Method 2: Request Runtime Permissions

1. In your activity, check if the permission is granted by using the following code:
   “`java
   if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)
   != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)