[root] Add Full Device Storage Access

Description of the issue

I would like to be able to synchronize contents in /Android/data across devices, however it appears Syncthing must request MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE to be able to do this? I'm not completely sure, but other apps like Termux appear to have access (option to use rsync instead)

Steps to reproduce

Create Folder
Select Directory
Attempt to navigate to /Android/data or /Android/obb or other restricted storage space

App version

v2.x

App install source - see wiki for details on release channels

GitHub or F-Droid release build

Android version

11

ROM vendor

Agnostic

Device manufacturer

Agnostic

Device model

Agnostic

Device platform info (optional)

Android 5.0+

Android log (logcat)

hi
the app already uses manage_external_storage but androids folder selector restricts browsing to the location as outlined in their docs
ways to circumvent are not yet implemented
you could try to enter the path manual in the web ui which may work for some android derivates

I think there are two possibilities. The best one has unfortunately just been removed: using root to access folders. The second one is not really one: go back using pre-Android 4.4. At that time Storage Access Framework was introduced with limiting access.

@researchxxl

@researchxxl @nel0x Please, restore root access. It is vital for syncing app data in Android/data. In my opinion it is not the issue of the respective apps but of a synching app to manage access to these folders. I was using Syncthing-Fork this way for a long time and suddenly I am left alone without this option.

@bege10

@bege10 answered you on the forum ;))

@nel0x

@nel0x quote from the forum

I mean if we put in the work to maintain it would there be any reason to not include it in the ‘main’ flavour - thus not diverge in a GPlay-specific capability? Generally I can take this feature under my umbrella, but I don’t use a rooted device myself too, so this feature would be on a ‘best effort’ basis …

if you take care of the expected low amount of tickets on best effort i agree on this.. in case you hit problems users need to proactively help you testing but thats okay imo for what they get in return

bringing the root feature back involves partly revert of #39 and the following tasks

replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained.. its last release was of feb 5, 2022 which i think is not security wise to rely on into all future
runShellCommandGetOutput optionally could get a better named argument then true or false for su declaration
minor update to the wiki instructions on which users should take caution

replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained..

I think https://github.com/topjohnwu/libsu could be a good library.

@nel0x

users need to proactively help you testing

@nel0x
I am willing to support.

replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained..

I think https://github.com/topjohnwu/libsu could be a good library.

that might also solve the difficulties on wrong permissions on config and cert files of syncthing using remote fs access instead

I was planning on using root access on Android 10 as it has very poor support for sd cards
after looking for a while for where it was I saw it disappeared
I can be a tester for this feature if needed I hope we can bring this back

if this feature gets implemented can non root shizuku users use this too?

no they cant provide what a root binary needs

if this feature gets implemented can non root shizuku users use this too?

no they cant provide what a root binary needs

also not for android/data or android/obb?

if this feature gets implemented can non root shizuku users use this too?

no they cant provide what a root binary needs

also not for android/data or android/obb?

No. Those two folders are protected by SELinux context. On very old versions of Android it could work.

It would be also nice to expose copyOwnershipFromParent in the GUI as without it running Syncthing as root on data folders of apps may break they permissions.

Hey everyone, please help me understand your use cases with root, so i can do some testing.

Basically sync anything in the Android /data or any partition mounted e.g. for external sd not mounted by android normal mounting.

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[root] Add Full Device Storage Access #60

Description of the issue

Steps to reproduce

App version

App install source - see wiki for details on release channels

Android version

ROM vendor

Device manufacturer

Device model

Device platform info (optional)

Android log (logcat)

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[root] Add Full Device Storage Access #60

Description

Description of the issue

Steps to reproduce

App version

App install source - see wiki for details on release channels

Android version

ROM vendor

Device manufacturer

Device model

Device platform info (optional)

Android log (logcat)

Activity

researchxxl commented on Dec 13, 2025

MichaelZ4714 commented on Dec 21, 2025

bege10 commented on Dec 29, 2025

researchxxl commented on Dec 29, 2025

researchxxl commented on Dec 29, 2025

MichaelZ4714 commented on Dec 30, 2025

MichaelZ4714 commented on Dec 30, 2025

researchxxl commented on Dec 30, 2025

Bsd-us commented on Jan 3, 2026

researchxxl commented on Feb 15, 2026

owen-the-kid commented on Feb 15, 2026

MichaelZ4714 commented on Feb 15, 2026

11 remaining items

Damglador commented on May 17, 2026

zukigay commented on May 31, 2026

nivranaitsirhc commented on Jun 28, 2026

rowanfuchs commented on Jun 28, 2026

github-actions commented on Jul 22, 2026

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