On Android 10 and newer, an app can add a file to the Downloads folder through the system, without asking for broad storage access. That is why SaveLocal needs no storage permission on those versions. On older Android versions, an app has to ask for the storage permission to do the same job, and SaveLocal asks only for what it must.
Before Android 10
On older versions of Android, an app that wanted to read or save files had to ask for the storage permission. Granting it gave the app wide access to the shared storage: your photos, downloads, documents and the files of other apps. Many apps asked for it even when they needed only a little.
Scoped storage from Android 10
Android 10 introduced scoped storage, and later versions made it stricter. The idea is that each app gets its own private space, and reaching beyond it is limited. An app can still add a file to shared folders such as Downloads, by asking the system to do it, without being allowed to read everything else.
For a file-saving app, that is exactly what you want. It writes the one file you shared, into Downloads, and gets no view of the rest of your storage.
What apps need on each version
| Android version | To add a file to Downloads | To read all your other files |
|---|---|---|
| Android 9 and older | Storage permission | Same storage permission |
| Android 10 | Usually none, via the system | Limited, with broad access on opt-in |
| Android 11 and newer | None, via the system | Needs a special all files access that is reviewed and rare |
| Android 13 and newer | None, via the system | Separate photo, video and audio permissions, or the system photo picker |
The table is simplified, and the details depend on how an app is built. The idea is the same: newer Android gives apps less by default.
Red flags
- A simple save, convert or share app that asks for all files access on a modern phone.
- A permission request that does not match what the app does.
- An app that needs an account and internet to save a file to your own phone.
How to check an app's permissions
- Open Settings, then Apps, and choose the app.
- Open Permissions to see what it has been given and what it has asked for.
- Remove anything you did not expect, and see whether the app still works.
What SaveLocal asks for
On Android 10 and newer, SaveLocal needs no storage permission for this. On older versions it asks only for what it must. It works offline, has no account, and never uploads your files. The app counts anonymous usage, such as how many files were saved, but never names or contents, and uses Meta's SDK to measure installs where permitted. The Privacy Policy and Data Safety page give the full detail. See also whether it is private to save files offline.
Questions people ask
Does an app need storage permission to save a file on Android 10 or newer?
Not to add a file to Downloads through the system. SaveLocal needs no storage permission on Android 10 and newer.
Why do older Android versions need the permission?
Before scoped storage, saving to shared folders required the storage permission, which also gave broad access to other files.
What is scoped storage?
An Android feature that limits each app to its own space and a controlled way to add files to shared folders, so apps cannot browse everything.
What is all files access?
A special permission that lets an app see nearly all files on shared storage. It is rare on newer Android and is reviewed by Google Play.
Does SaveLocal upload my files?
No. It copies them on your phone and never uploads them.
How do I check what permissions an app has?
Open Settings, Apps, choose the app, and open Permissions.
Keep reading
A save button that asks for little
SaveLocal is free on Google Play. No storage permission needed on Android 10 and newer.
For reference. Steps and screens described here are as they appear in SaveLocal, and menu names and folder paths can differ between phone makers and versions of Android and WhatsApp, so check them on your own phone. SaveLocal saves what another app shares with it, so the result depends on what that app allows. It is not a file manager and not a backup service, so keep separate copies of anything important. You are responsible for having the right to keep the files you save. WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail, Chrome and other app names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe what SaveLocal works with.