cordova-plugin-android-openfile

A Cordova plugin for opening files on Android. Uses MediaStore on Android 10+ and FileProvider on Android 9 and below. Designed for Android 16 scoped storage compliance.

Platform: Android only
Minimum SDK: Android 5.0 (API 21)
npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/cordova-plugin-android-openfile

Installation

cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-android-openfile

What it does

Provides three methods on cordova.plugins.openFile:

| Method | Description | |--------|-------------| | openDownloadedFile(path, [options], success, error) | Opens a file by its native path | | openPdfUsingSAF(success, error) | Opens the system file picker (SAF) for the user to select a PDF | | requestPermissions(success, error) | Requests storage permissions (Android 9 and below only) |

How files are opened

| Android version | Mechanism | |----------------|-----------| | Android 10+ (API 29+) | File is temporarily copied to Downloads/TechView/ via MediaStore. MediaStore URIs are accessible by any app — no URI grants required. The copy is deleted when the user returns to your app (configurable). | | Android 9 and below (API 28-) | File is served via FileProvider using a content:// URI with explicit URI permission grants. |

The file in cordova.file.externalCacheDirectory is always kept as the download cache — the MediaStore copy is only created at open time.

Usage

Open a downloaded file

The file must already exist on the device. Pass the native file path — no file:// prefix.

var filePath = cordova.file.externalCacheDirectory.replace('file://', '') + 'myfile.pdf';

cordova.plugins.openFile.openDownloadedFile(
    filePath,
    function() {
        console.log('File opened successfully.');
    },
    function(err) {
        console.error('Error opening file:', err);
    }
);

Open with options

An optional options object can be passed as the second argument.

cordova.plugins.openFile.openDownloadedFile(
    filePath,
    { cleanup: true },   // default — deletes the Downloads copy when user returns to app
    function() { console.log('Opened.'); },
    function(err) { console.error(err); }
);

cordova.plugins.openFile.openDownloadedFile(
    filePath,
    { cleanup: false },  // keep the file in Downloads/TechView permanently
    function() { console.log('Opened.'); },
    function(err) { console.error(err); }
);

Options

| Option | Type | Default | Description | |--------|------|---------|-------------| | cleanup | boolean | true | When true, the MediaStore copy in Downloads/TechView/ is deleted when the user returns to the app. When false, the file remains in Downloads. Only applies to Android 10+. |

Open the SAF file picker (user selects a PDF)

cordova.plugins.openFile.openPdfUsingSAF(
    function() {
        console.log('PDF opened successfully.');
    },
    function(err) {
        console.error('Error:', err);
    }
);

Request storage permissions (Android 9 and below)

Not required when using externalCacheDirectory on Android 10+.

cordova.plugins.openFile.requestPermissions(
    function() {
        console.log('Permission granted.');
    },
    function(err) {
        console.error('Permission denied:', err);
    }
);

Supported file types

openDownloadedFile detects the MIME type from the file extension so Android presents only compatible apps in the chooser.

| Extension | MIME type | |-----------|-----------| | .pdf | application/pdf | | .doc | application/msword | | .docx | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | | .xls | application/vnd.ms-excel | | .xlsx | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet | | .jpg / .jpeg | image/jpeg | | .png | image/png | | other | */* |

FileProvider paths (Android 9 and below)

The plugin registers a FileProvider with authority {applicationId}.provider:

<external-path name="external_files" path="." />
<external-cache-path name="external_cache_files" path="." />
<files-path name="internal_files" path="." />
<cache-path name="internal_cache" path="." />

Files must be within one of these paths for FileProvider to serve them.

Android permission requirements

| Android version | Permission needed | |----------------|------------------| | Android 10+ (API 29+) | None — MediaStore is used | | Android 9 and below (API 28-) | READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE / WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE if accessing shared storage |

License

ISC