Required on Android 11+ to open your repository folder
GitSync requests the All files access permission (MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) on Android. Without it, GitSync cannot open a repository folder and setup will not complete.
Why it’s needed
- Your repo lives where you put it. Repositories are stored in a folder you choose (for example your Obsidian vault), not inside GitSync’s private app sandbox. Android’s scoped storage blocks those locations without this permission.
- Git works on the whole directory. Clone, pull, stage, commit and push all read and write the working tree and the hidden
.gitfolder (index, refs, objects, lock files) together. - Other apps need the same files. Obsidian, your editor and your file manager have to see the same folder. Files kept in GitSync’s private storage would be invisible to them.
- The file explorer and in-app editor create, rename, delete and edit files inside that folder.
Why not the Android file picker (SAF)?
The Storage Access Framework hands out per-document handles instead of a real filesystem path. The native Git engine needs a path to perform thousands of small reads and writes per operation, and SAF has no equivalent for the file locking and metadata Git depends on. Routing Git through SAF would be far slower and would risk repository corruption.
Granting the permission
GitSync prompts for it during onboarding, when you clone or select a repository folder, and from Global Settings. To grant it manually:
Android 11 and above
- Go to Settings > Apps > Git Sync
- Tap Permissions
- Select Files and media
- Choose Allow management of all files
On some devices this lives under Settings > Apps > Special app access > All files access, then enable Git Sync.
Android 10 and below
Older versions use the legacy storage permission instead. Grant Storage under Settings > Apps > Git Sync > Permissions.
Open Source APK: Enable Restricted Settings
Apps installed from outside the Play Store are restricted by the Android OS by default, so the permission toggle may be greyed out.
- Go to Settings > Apps
- Tap “See all apps”
- Find and select Git Sync
- Tap the three-dot menu (•••) > App info
- Tap Permissions > Restricted settings
- Toggle “Allow restricted settings” to On
If you don’t see “Restricted settings”, your ROM may not support it. Some custom ROMs block this option.
The open source APK does not require Google Play Services and is fully compatible with privacy-focused ROMs.
What GitSync does with it
The permission is only used for file operations inside the repository folder(s) you select.
GitSync does not scan, index or upload unrelated files on your device. Your repository data goes only to the remote you configured.
GitSync is open source, so the storage permission handling can be inspected directly in the repository.
Common Problems
The permission keeps turning itself off
Android can revoke permissions for apps you haven’t opened in a while. Go to Settings > Apps > Git Sync > Unused app settings (or App info > Remove permissions if app is unused) and turn it off.
Setup won’t continue, or the folder picker comes back empty
Check that All files access is granted, and not just Files and media > Allow access to media only. Media-only access is not enough.
The toggle is greyed out
You’re most likely on a sideloaded build. See Open Source APK: Enable Restricted Settings above.
Files with unusual names fail to check out
That’s a separate Android filename limitation, not a permissions issue. See Android Limited Filepath Characters.
See also: Troubleshooting, File Explorer, Repository Settings