Giving up com.android.documentsui

Hi,

I was wondering if it was possible to giving up com.android.documentsui app and use another one instead.

Or, at least let Android popup a choice everytime it’s needed.

For my daily use, I would like share files between apps or devices, connect remote servers and with this app it’s impossible.

Thanks for tour help.

Regards,
TheBAT

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/OS the unGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

Hi @thebat98, welcome to this forum.

You can add any file-manager you want
coming from the Full Open Source Store : “F-droid”
or using the integrate “AppLounge” that can manage Apps coming from both “F-droid” and “Gogol Play Store”

But it is not possible to make them default, right?

For example when I download a file with Mozilla and the fileexplorer is the one I installed?

It is, possible
→ settings → apps → default apps → open links

I know about this and I can only configure some certain actions. But not which is the default fileexplorer or for example one commuting app opens the e/OS/ calendar by default even though I don’t use that one. If I deactivate the calendar the app throws an error.

I think it is impossible on android since always what I am trying. Not really problem, just inconvenience

Thank you both for your answers.

If I understood right, there is no easy way to do this…
My others reseach says maybe we could replace app but I think it will create others issues with permissions and so on.

“Starting in Android 12, file browsing through DocumentsUI is disabled.”

https://source.android.com/docs/core/ota/modular-system/documentsui

I’m not sure to understand right what you mean…
Current version is based on Android 13.

What does make you thinking that ?
You can install whatever app you want on android…
I think there is no risk to try using your prefered file-manager.
Just don’t remove the default one, you can just move it outside /privapp if needed, but both should cohabit…

Yes of course I can install and use every app I want…

Problem appears when I’m using another app like Signal (or any other app which can access files), it’s always Documents.ui !

That’s it !

have you tried this feature ?

Sorry to put it like this but I dont know how it is relevant ?
Maybe I didn’t understood the purpose of this option.

To my mind the clue is “Always”.

In Android regarding “links”, when directing to open, we see the options

“Just once” or “Always”.

I believe that if you hit Always for a certain job, that is what will happen.

I imagine that @piero’s suggestion will attempt to undo this, then one may find the option again to

“Just once” and be in control again.

Yes of course.

For instance, I have two browsers and everytime I had to open URL, I can choose browser and hit “Just once”.

But, regarding file explorer, even I have two apps I can’t choose and I never hit “Always”…

Weird ?

So it seems that the relationship between Signal and com.android.documentsui is set within Signal.

1 Like

Basically, in every app which can use attachment file : Signal, K9 Mail, Libre Office…

Use a download manager for that, like Download Navi | F-Droid.

Documents.ui is not something to get rid of as it is expected by many apps as mentioned elsewhere.
You can add various providers to your system whereby they show up in Files like any other drive entry.
/e/'s Account Manager allows you to add your Murena drive so it is available via Files. Installing Nextcloud app will do the same.

If you deal with CIFS/SMB/Samba you can add a provider for that.
CIFS Documents Provider | F-Droid
Also supports FTP/FTPS.

There are ways to have things work seamlessly with Documents.ui.

Thanks for your advices.

Mostly I would like remove Documents.Ui (or at lesat not using it) because I dislike UI.
I don’t want display “Recents” at first, copy/past is not quite practical, SFTP is not builedtin…

Adding some other apps to complete one doesn’t seems right idea.

I will keep Cx File Explorer and I hope some day a new release allow us to change default file explorer app like it was in previous Android releases.

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