Secure folder: applications within cannot access files (with One UI 8.0)

[Members_B7eDkb7]

After a recent upgrade to One UI 8.0, programs within Secure Folder cannot access files also within Secure Folder. 

In particular, the Secure Folder versions of Snapseed (photo editing), Protonmail, and Discord cannot find secured files.  Google photos, and Samsung Gallery seem unaffected.

Any help?

[bawaji]

I don't believe commenting here will reach Samsung's ears. It would be best to submit this bug report in the Samsung Members app on your phones by clicking on Support at the bottom and then on Send feedback.

The more reports they receive, the faster they may try to fix it. I can't believe this has not been highlighted on tech websites which seem to tout the functions in One UI 8 but are quiet about this serious bug.

[DangerMouse25]

Samsung would be a very foolish, naive and unique company to not pay attention to forum posts.

But from the lack of any response regarding this.... Who knows? 

Anyone got experience with Google's Private Space? Looking at reviews it seems like it's a good alternative to Secure Folder. 

My contact ends this month. Will this be the year I break my 12 year relationship with Samsung and look at Google Pixel 

[bawaji]

I got the brush off from Samsung in reply to my Bug Report. They want me to replicate the issue and send me detailed log files. I had mentioned clearly that this is not an occasional issue but happens every time. Also, my Members app is outside the secure folder, so I don't understand how the log file from outside the secure folder would help (I would be even more scared if they are capturing everything going on inside the secure folder!). 

Guess if they don't fix this soon, I need to start looking for a different phone, tablet and watch. This phone is now totally useless for apps inside the secure folder.

[Neo112]

Yea I really don't like the fact of having to share the logs either. But I ended up sharing mine. Most of my files are gone anyway because of the wipe caused by the reflection test.

I kinda want to do the whole(secure folder) developer mode thing again because I believe you can pull a log from within there. I think your probably right. They want to send all these logs, yet most apps are not supposed to be able to access secure folder. I am so close to giving up. I did a long chatgpt analysis of some documentsui ( file picker) versions. We have come up with the fact that Samsung probably bungled us because of the update from 7. Basically secure folder was under work profile on 7 under the user 150 user account. They made the user account 151 under the need private spaces implementaion. It probably went like create user 151>migrate files, accounts and everything from user150>151. Delete user 150. Install updated components ( documentsui 16 and such). Yet they didn't change permissions of the files app from 150 to 151.

This would be why galaxy s25 users and people newly getting the phone with one ui 8 already installed aren't reporting issues. It's only going to be people thye did the incorrect transition for one ui 7 to 8. Anyway. I'll let yall know how this bug report goes.

I feel like they just going to try to ask for more info.

Has anyone tried completely wiping there phone and creating a new secure folder?

[bawaji]

If the next couple of updates didn't fix the issue, I was planning to delete the secure folder and set up a new secure folder to see if that helped. Looks like you have sorta tried that and it didn't work. I would rather not factory reset the whole phone because I am sure something will not get copied over just right that I may regret later.

[Deci]

I have the same issue.

[RayNeverLearns]

Guys, I just realized this doesn't affect all non-Samsung apps, which might have already been mentioned here. Reddit, for example, when installed in Secure Folder, has access to Secure Folder media and other files. So here's to hoping that this is something app developer can code for in future versions. I am going to reach out to Aqua Mail, which is one of the ones I really need this working in, to see what they say.

[Neo112]

I'm done for a few more days again. Samsung is just not being helpful on this issue.

This reply sent to me is wild.

I've sent them 5 videos, 2 bug reports, a voice recording explaining the issue, and screen shots, Over 4 replies. They have only responded that they need more info. The reply I'm putting in this chat is what I've received from them twice so far as their last minute. So I'm pretty sure Samsung has said F-us all.

I wonder of a full wipe/factory reset will fix this. I don't have time to do one right now, and I'm nervous I could forget something and loose passkeys or something.

[bawaji]

They are just stonewalling. Are they saying they don't have one person in their own organization who can pull out an S23 series phone that has just been updated to One UI 8 to check out the issue? Even if it is caused by Google and not them, can they at least not state that and give a time estimate to fix the issue? Looks like they are just hoping not too many people use Secure Folder and they are willing to lose those that do. The company is no longer customer-centric.

[DangerMouse25]

I submitted a bug report via the Members App. 

Finally they responded saying :

"this issue is Google related, so we've raised this directly to Google to look into"

I does seem like no one from Samsung is taking ownership of this. 

Time to seriously look at at a Google Pixel and Private Spaces