u/Effective_Damage3213

I have a specific question about Scoped Storage on modern Android.

I'm not talking about apps having full access to all folders on the phone like they did in the past.

My question is different:

Starting with Android 11, Google started pushing apps to store their files inside the Android/data folder, which users normally can't access anymore, right?

Today, can a developer still update their app and choose to save the app's own files in a user-accessible location (for example, inside Downloads, Documents, Music, or a custom folder with the app's name) instead of using Android/data?

Or could Android eventually force apps to use only Android/data?

And if Android still allows apps to use user-accessible folders today, does that mean this possibility is likely to always exist?

What I mean is: is this considered a basic part of Android's design, where apps are allowed to choose their own storage location instead of being forced to use only Android/data or another system-defined folder that users cannot access?

Or could Google eventually prevent this completely, at least for Play Store apps?

I'm asking because many Play Store apps — such as camera apps, download managers, audio/video editors, and similar apps — can still save files in normal user-accessible locations.

So does Google only allow these specific types of apps (and will probably always allow them) to choose accessible folders?

Or can any type of app — including games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, etc. — also choose to store their own files in user-accessible locations, and continue being allowed to do so in the future?

So what I really want to understand is:

Did Android only restrict broad storage access, or is Google actually moving toward a future where apps (like games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, and similar apps) could be completely prevented from choosing user-accessible folders for their own files?

I have a specific question about Scoped Storage on modern Android.

I'm not talking about apps having full access to all folders on the phone like they did in the past.

My question is different:

Starting with Android 11, Google started pushing apps to store their files inside the Android/data folder, which users normally can't access anymore, right?

Today, can a developer still update their app and choose to save the app's own files in a user-accessible location (for example, inside Downloads, Documents, Music, or a custom folder with the app's name) instead of using Android/data?

Or could Android eventually force apps to use only Android/data?

And if Android still allows apps to use user-accessible folders today, does that mean this possibility is likely to always exist?

What I mean is: is this considered a basic part of Android's design, where apps are allowed to choose their own storage location instead of being forced to use only Android/data or another system-defined folder that users cannot access?

Or could Google eventually prevent this completely, at least for Play Store apps?

I'm asking because many Play Store apps — such as camera apps, download managers, audio/video editors, and similar apps — can still save files in normal user-accessible locations.

So does Google only allow these specific types of apps (and will probably always allow them) to choose accessible folders?

Or can any type of app — including games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, etc. — also choose to store their own files in user-accessible locations, and continue being allowed to do so in the future?

So what I really want to understand is:

Did Android only restrict broad storage access, or is Google actually moving toward a future where apps (like games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, and similar apps) could be completely prevented from choosing user-accessible folders for their own files?

I have a specific question about Scoped Storage on modern Android.

I'm not talking about apps having full access to all folders on the phone like they did in the past.

My question is different:

Starting with Android 11, Google started pushing apps to store their files inside the Android/data folder, which users normally can't access anymore, right?

Today, can a developer still update their app and choose to save the app's own files in a user-accessible location (for example, inside Downloads, Documents, Music, or a custom folder with the app's name) instead of using Android/data?

Or could Android eventually force apps to use only Android/data?

And if Android still allows apps to use user-accessible folders today, does that mean this possibility is likely to always exist?

What I mean is: is this considered a basic part of Android's design, where apps are allowed to choose their own storage location instead of being forced to use only Android/data or another system-defined folder that users cannot access?

Or could Google eventually prevent this completely, at least for Play Store apps?

I'm asking because many Play Store apps — such as camera apps, download managers, audio/video editors, and similar apps — can still save files in normal user-accessible locations.

So does Google only allow these specific types of apps (and will probably always allow them) to choose accessible folders?

Or can any type of app — including games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, etc. — also choose to store their own files in user-accessible locations, and continue being allowed to do so in the future?

So what I really want to understand is:

Did Android only restrict broad storage access, or is Google actually moving toward a future where apps (like games, social media apps, banking apps, note-taking apps, and similar apps) could be completely prevented from choosing user-accessible folders for their own files?