The Filesystem API provides a NodeJS-like API for working with files on the device.

npm install @capacitor/filesystem
npx cap sync

Apple mandates that app developers now specify approved reasons for API usage to enhance user privacy. By May 1st, 2024, it's required to include these reasons when submitting apps to the App Store Connect.

When using this specific plugin in your app, you must create a PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy file in /ios/App or use the VS Code Extension to generate it, specifying the usage reasons.

For detailed steps on how to do this, please see the Capacitor Docs.

For this plugin, the required dictionary key is NSPrivacyAccessedAPICategoryFileTimestamp and the recommended reason is C617.1.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPITypes</key>
    <array>
      <!-- Add this dict entry to the array if the PrivacyInfo file already exists -->
      <dict>
        <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPIType</key>
        <string>NSPrivacyAccessedAPICategoryFileTimestamp</string>
        <key>NSPrivacyAccessedAPITypeReasons</key>
        <array>
          <string>C617.1</string>
        </array>
      </dict>
    </array>
  </dict>
</plist>

To have files appear in the Files app, you must also set the following keys to YES in Info.plist:

• UIFileSharingEnabled (Application supports iTunes file sharing)
• LSSupportsOpeningDocumentsInPlace (Supports opening documents in place)

Read about Configuring iOS for help.

If using Directory.Documents or Directory.ExternalStorage, in Android 10 and older, this API requires the following permissions be added to your AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Read about Setting Permissions in the Android Guide for more information on setting Android permissions.

Note that Directory.ExternalStorage is only available on Android 9 or older and Directory.Documents only allows to access the files/folders created by your app on Android on Android 11 and newer.

Working with large files may require you to add android:largeHeap="true" to the <application> tag in AndroidManifest.xml.

iOS and Android have additional layers of separation between files, such as special directories that are backed up to the Cloud, or ones for storing Documents. The Filesystem API offers a simple way to scope each operation to a specific special directory on the device.

Additionally, the Filesystem API supports using full file:// paths, or reading content:// files on Android. Simply leave out the directory param to use a full file path.

import { Filesystem, Directory, Encoding } from '@capacitor/filesystem';

const writeSecretFile = async () => {
  await Filesystem.writeFile({
    path: 'secrets/text.txt',
    data: 'This is a test',
    directory: Directory.Documents,
    encoding: Encoding.UTF8,
  });
};

const readSecretFile = async () => {
  const contents = await Filesystem.readFile({
    path: 'secrets/text.txt',
    directory: Directory.Documents,
    encoding: Encoding.UTF8,
  });

  console.log('secrets:', contents);
};

const deleteSecretFile = async () => {
  await Filesystem.deleteFile({
    path: 'secrets/text.txt',
    directory: Directory.Documents,
  });
};

const readFilePath = async () => {
  // Here's an example of reading a file with a full file path. Use this to
  // read binary data (base64 encoded) from plugins that return File URIs, such as
  // the Camera.
  const contents = await Filesystem.readFile({
    path: 'file:///var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/22A433FD-D82D-4989-8BE6-9FC49DEA20BB/Documents/text.txt',
  });

  console.log('data:', contents);
};

• readFile(...)
• writeFile(...)
• appendFile(...)
• deleteFile(...)
• mkdir(...)
• rmdir(...)
• readdir(...)
• getUri(...)
• stat(...)
• rename(...)
• copy(...)
• checkPermissions()
• requestPermissions()
• downloadFile(...)
• addListener('progress', ...)
• removeAllListeners()
• Interfaces
• Type Aliases
• Enums

readFile(options: ReadFileOptions) => Promise<ReadFileResult>

Read a file from disk

Returns: Promise<ReadFileResult>

Since: 1.0.0

writeFile(options: WriteFileOptions) => Promise<WriteFileResult>

Write a file to disk in the specified location on device

Returns: Promise<WriteFileResult>

Since: 1.0.0

appendFile(options: AppendFileOptions) => Promise<void>

Append to a file on disk in the specified location on device

Since: 1.0.0

deleteFile(options: DeleteFileOptions) => Promise<void>

Delete a file from disk

Since: 1.0.0

mkdir(options: MkdirOptions) => Promise<void>

Create a directory.

Since: 1.0.0

rmdir(options: RmdirOptions) => Promise<void>

Remove a directory

Since: 1.0.0

readdir(options: ReaddirOptions) => Promise<ReaddirResult>

Return a list of files from the directory (not recursive)

Returns: Promise<ReaddirResult>

Since: 1.0.0

getUri(options: GetUriOptions) => Promise<GetUriResult>

Return full File URI for a path and directory

Returns: Promise<GetUriResult>

Since: 1.0.0

stat(options: StatOptions) => Promise<StatResult>

Return data about a file

Returns: Promise<StatResult>

Since: 1.0.0

rename(options: RenameOptions) => Promise<void>

Rename a file or directory

Since: 1.0.0

copy(options: CopyOptions) => Promise<CopyResult>

Copy a file or directory

Returns: Promise<CopyResult>

Since: 1.0.0

checkPermissions() => Promise<PermissionStatus>

Check read/write permissions. Required on Android, only when using Directory.Documents or Directory.ExternalStorage.

Returns: Promise<PermissionStatus>

Since: 1.0.0

requestPermissions() => Promise<PermissionStatus>

Request read/write permissions. Required on Android, only when using Directory.Documents or Directory.ExternalStorage.

Returns: Promise<PermissionStatus>

Since: 1.0.0

downloadFile(options: DownloadFileOptions) => Promise<DownloadFileResult>

Perform a http request to a server and download the file to the specified destination.

Returns: Promise<DownloadFileResult>

Since: 5.1.0

addListener(eventName: 'progress', listenerFunc: ProgressListener) => Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Add a listener to file download progress events.

Returns: Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Since: 5.1.0

removeAllListeners() => Promise<void>

Remove all listeners for this plugin.

Since: 5.2.0

CopyOptions

'prompt' | 'prompt-with-rationale' | 'granted' | 'denied'

A listener function that receives progress events.

(progress: ProgressStatus): void