Cannot access /Android/data in Hexnode File Explorer on Android 11+Solved

Hi @liam_vance ,

From Android 11 onward, access to /Android/data and /Android/obb is restricted by Google’s scoped storage changes. This affects all third-party apps, including MDM agents, so Hexnode File Explorer cannot browse, access, or deploy files into these folders.

This is expected Android behavior and cannot be bypassed using an MDM policy or app-level permission. Folders such as DCIM, Pictures, and other user-accessible media locations may still be visible, but /Android/data and /Android/obb are handled differently by the OS.

If the goal is to extract app logs stored under /Android/data, Android Debug Bridge can be used outside File Explorer, provided ADB/debugging access is available for the device.

For logs in external app storage, the path is usually similar to:

“bash
adb pull /storage/emulated/0/Android/data//files/ ./local-folder/
“

For internal app data under /data/data//, access is more restricted. In many cases, it works only for debuggable apps using run-as, for example:

“bash
adb shell “run-as cat /data/data//files/” >
“

If the app is not debuggable, Android may block access to /data/data/ unless the device or app environment provides elevated access. In short, Hexnode File Explorer cannot access these folders on Android 11+, but ADB is the appropriate route for log extraction where Android permits it.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM

So just to confirm, there isn’t a Hexnode setting that allows File Explorer to show /Android/data again? We were hoping to pull logs from managed devices without physically browsing the device storage.

Correct. There is no Hexnode policy setting that can restore File Explorer access to /Android/data or /Android/obb on Android 11 and later. The restriction is enforced by Android itself for third-party apps.

For a reusable workflow, the app can also be configured to write support logs to a location that remains accessible, such as a shared documents/media folder, or upload logs to a backend endpoint if the app supports it. Otherwise, ADB remains the practical method for extracting logs from the restricted app-specific directories.

Regards,
Isabel Lora
Hexnode UEM