File Access

Give the agent a workspace and controlled access to external folders through Android's Storage Access Framework.

Mobile Agent works with files in two places: its own workspace (a private project-style area inside the app) and external folders you mount through Android's Storage Access Framework (SAF).

The workspace

Every installation has a workspace — a sandboxed directory where the agent reads and writes project files. It behaves like a mini repository:

Store source code, notes, markdown, and artifacts.
Organize with subfolders and relative paths.
Attach files to a conversation as context.

The workspace is exposed through the workspace* tool family. See Built-in Tools for the full tool list.

text

workspace/
├── notes/
│   └── daily.md
├── src/
│   └── index.ts
└── README.md

For anything outside the workspace — Documents, Downloads, SD cards, or a cloud folder — Mobile Agent uses Storage Access Framework (content:// URIs). Instead of a blanket permission, Android hands the app a folder session:

Tap Browse folders in the file picker.
Pick a folder (or drive) using Android's system document picker.
The app receives a scoped content:// session (ExternalFolderSession) it can use for folder* tools.
The session is per-conversation — enable it when a chat needs access to that folder.

This means the app never gets raw path access; it goes through SAF's mediated file provider. Access ends when the session is closed.

Protection

Path-traversal protection — tools validate relativePath so ../ can't escape the mounted folder.
Scoped operations — create, relocate, and manage entries within the session only.
The session records its uri, displayName, platform, and sourceType for auditability.

Use Android's share sheet (sharing a file, text, or link "to Mobile Agent") — Mobile Agent registers a ProcessText/account store so shared content is handed directly to the current conversation as context. No copy-paste gymnastics.

File tools

Two parallel tool families cover the common operations:

Action	Workspace	External folder
List directory	`workspaceListFiles`	`folderListDirectory`
Read file	`workspaceRead`	`folderRead`
Write file	`workspaceWrite`	`folderWrite`
Create file	`workspaceCreateFile`	`folderCreateFile`
Create directory	—	`folderCreateDirectory`
Rename / move	—	`folderRenameEntry`, `folderMoveEntry`
Delete	—	`folderDeleteEntry`
Grep	`workspaceGrep`	`folderGrep`
Glob	`workspaceGlob`	`folderGlob`
Edit	`workspaceEdit`	`folderEdit`

Plus downloadFile to fetch a URL into the workspace.

Permissions model

Workspace reads need no Android permission (app-private storage).
External folders need only the explicit SAF grant from the system picker — no "all files access".
Legacy "All files access" permission is requested only if you opt into an unscoped dump, and the app explains why first.
Every file action on either side is subject to the tool approval flow: see Tool Approvals.

Tips

Keep shared project files in the workspace so scheduled jobs and build agents can reach them reliably.
For one-off tasks (convert that PDF in Downloads), mount an external folder session and close it when done.
The Library tab shows workspace files, prompts, and attachments in one place.