MX Player Can’t See Files in Android 11/12/13: Storage Access Fix

If MX Player suddenly stopped showing your videos after updating to Android 11, 12, or 13, you are usually running into Android’s newer “scoped storage” rules. The good news is that this is typically fixable without converting files or switching apps. In this guide, you will learn why it happens, the fastest ways to restore MX Player’s access using Android’s Storage Access Framework, and the most reliable folder setups for internal storage and SD cards.

1. Why MX Player Can’t See Your Videos on Android 11.12.13.

Starting in Android 10 and tightening further in Android 11+, Google changed how apps can access files on shared storage (your internal “Downloads,” “Movies,” and SD card folders). Instead of freely scanning everything, many apps must either:

• Use Android’s media database (MediaStore) to access media that the system indexes.
• Ask you to pick folders or files via a system picker (the Storage Access Framework, often shortened to SAF).
• Use special broad access permissions (which are restricted and not available to most apps).

Because of these changes, MX Player may appear “blind” to files that are definitely on your device, especially if they are:

• Stored in app-specific folders created by other apps (for example, messaging apps, downloaders, or screen recorders).
• Located on an SD card that MX Player has not been granted access to through the system dialog.
• In folders Android is not indexing as media, or folders containing a .nomedia file.
• Newly copied files that are not yet scanned by the system media index.

This is not always an MX-only issue. Many file-based apps needed updates and new permission flows to work smoothly under scoped storage.

1.1 Scoped Storage In Plain English

Scoped storage means an app does not automatically get to read every file on shared storage. Even if an app has “Files and media” permission, Android may still require the app to use system-approved pathways. Practically, you often must explicitly grant access to a folder (or the whole SD card) using a system prompt, especially for removable storage.

That is why older “Allow storage permission” steps alone may not fix it on Android 11, 12, or 13.

1.2 Common Symptoms You’ll See

• MX Player shows an empty list, or only a few folders.
• “Refresh” does not find new files.
• Files play fine if opened from a file manager, but do not appear in MX’s library.
• Videos on SD card are missing, while internal storage videos show up (or vice versa).

2. Quick Fix Checklist (Do These First).

Before deeper troubleshooting, run through these quick, safe steps. They solve a large share of cases.

2.1 Update MX Player And Reboot Once

• Update MX Player from Google Play (or your official app store).
• Reboot your phone once to clear stale permission and media index states.

App updates often include storage compatibility changes, and a reboot can trigger background media rescans.

2.2 Confirm Android Storage Permissions

On Android 11–13, permission labels vary by brand, but the path is typically:

• Settings > Apps > MX Player > Permissions

Then ensure MX Player has the relevant media permissions (wording varies):

• Photos and videos (or Files and media) allowed.
• If present, also allow Music and audio if you use it for audio playback.

If you see an option such as “Allow only while using the app,” that is usually fine for a media player, but if you are scanning libraries in the background, “Allow” may be more reliable.

2.3 Clear MX Player Cache (Not Data Yet)

• Settings > Apps > MX Player > Storage and cache
• Tap Clear cache

Clearing cache is low-risk and can resolve corrupted library thumbnails or folder indexes. Avoid clearing data until later, because it resets preferences and may remove local app settings.

3. The Real Fix: Grant Folder Access Using Android’s File Picker (SAF).

On many Android 11/12/13 devices, the most reliable solution is to grant MX Player access via the system file picker. This is especially important for SD cards and for non-standard folders.

3.1 Grant Access To Your SD Card Or Video Folder

The exact taps differ across MX Player versions, but the flow is usually similar to one of these patterns:

• MX Player > Menu > Folders or Local > Add or Scan folders
• MX Player > Settings > Player or Library > Scan or Directory selection

When Android opens a system picker (often called “Files”), do this:

1. Navigate to the folder where your videos actually live (for example, Movies, Download, or your SD card root).
2. Select the folder (or choose the SD card root if you want broad access).
3. Tap Allow (or Use this folder), then confirm.

This “Use this folder” approval is a core mechanism in scoped storage. Without it, MX Player may not be allowed to enumerate the directory even if files exist.

3.2 If You Do Not See “Use This Folder,” Try These Workarounds

• Open Android’s Files app first, browse to the folder, then return to MX Player and try again.
• If your videos are on an SD card, ensure it is mounted and visible in Files.
• Try selecting a higher-level folder (for example, the SD card root instead of a deep subfolder).
• Check whether a “DocumentsUI” or “Files” permission prompt is being blocked by a floating window or a battery saver overlay.

4. Fix Missing Files By Moving Them To Media-Friendly Folders

Sometimes MX Player is not the problem. Android’s media indexing and folder rules can prevent video apps from discovering files in certain locations. If you want maximum compatibility across players, TVs, and casting apps, store videos in conventional media folders.

4.1 Recommended Folders (Internal Storage)

• /Movies
• /DCIM (typically camera videos, but also recognized widely)
• /Download (common, but can get cluttered)

If your videos are currently buried in an app folder (for example, a private messenger folder), try copying them into Movies. Then restart MX Player and refresh.

4.2 Recommended Folders (SD Card)

• SD Card/Movies
• SD Card/Video

After moving files, you may still need to grant MX Player folder access to the SD card via the SAF dialog, as described earlier.

5. Check For .nomedia And Media Scan Issues

Android’s media scanner skips folders that contain a file named .nomedia. This is commonly used by apps to hide thumbnails, caches, or private media from galleries and players.

5.1 How To Tell If .nomedia Is The Culprit

• If the folder does not show in Gallery apps either, that is a strong hint.
• If only one specific folder is missing everywhere, suspect .nomedia.

Use a file manager that can show hidden files (often a toggle like “Show hidden files”). If you find .nomedia in the same folder (or a parent folder), remove it only if you actually want that folder indexed. Some apps place it intentionally for privacy.

5.2 Force A Media Rescan (Safe Options)

• Reboot the device (simple but often effective).
• Move one video out of the folder and back in (can trigger a scan).
• Rename the folder (temporary) and rename it back.

Avoid “media scanner” apps that request broad permissions unless you trust the developer, because storage access is sensitive.

6. Android 13 Specific Notes: Separate Photo.Video Permissions

Android 13 introduced more granular media permissions, separating images, videos, and audio. That can affect older apps or workflows that expect a single “storage” permission.

6.1 What To Check On Android 13

• Settings > Apps > MX Player > Permissions
• Ensure Videos permission is allowed (names vary by OEM skin).

If MX Player only has permission for photos, it may still fail to list or play videos from the library view, depending on how it queries media.

7. SD Card Problems: Why They Are More Common And How To Fix Them

SD cards add an extra layer of restrictions and variability. Different manufacturers format and mount removable storage differently, and Android’s SAF requirement is stricter for removable media.

7.1 Re-Grant SD Card Access After Updates

Sometimes a system update invalidates previously granted folder permissions. If MX Player used to see the SD card and now does not, re-run the SAF grant process:

• In MX Player, attempt to browse SD card folders.
• When prompted, pick the SD card and tap Allow or Use this folder.

7.2 Confirm The SD Card Is Portable Storage (Not Adopted) If You Move Cards Between Devices

If your SD card is formatted as internal (adopted storage), behavior differs and moving the card to another device is problematic. For a media library you may swap between devices, portable storage is usually simpler.

7.3 Practical SD Card Folder Strategy

• Create a single top-level folder such as Movies on the SD card.
• Keep all video subfolders under it (for example, Movies/TV, Movies/Anime, Movies/Courses).
• Grant MX Player access to Movies (or the card root) once via SAF.

This reduces repeated permission prompts and makes rescans predictable.

8. When Opening From A File Manager Works, But MX Library Is Empty

This pattern usually means MX Player can play a single file when Android hands it a one-time URI, but MX Player cannot freely enumerate the folder structure for its library view.

8.1 The Fix In This Scenario

• Use MX Player’s folder selection or scan settings to grant folder access (SAF).
• Move the library to standard folders like Movies if it is currently in a restricted app directory.
• Verify there is no .nomedia blocking indexing.

8.2 If You Must Keep Files In Restricted App Folders

Some apps store content under Android/data or Android/obb. On Android 11+, these locations are intentionally harder for other apps to access. If your videos are in those areas:

• Prefer exporting or copying the videos into Movies or another shared folder.
• If the other app provides a “Save to gallery” or “Export” option, use it.

In many cases, expecting a third-party player to scan another app’s private directory is not realistic under scoped storage rules.

9. Advanced Troubleshooting (If Nothing Else Works)

If you have tried permissions, SAF folder grants, and moving files, the remaining issues are usually device-specific settings, corrupted media databases, or unusual file formats.

9.1 Test With A Known-Good File And Location

Create a clean test:

1. Copy a short MP4 file into Internal Storage/Movies.
2. Reboot.
3. Open MX Player and check whether it appears.

If MX sees the test file but not your older library, your issue is almost certainly folder access, indexing, or .nomedia, not the codec.

9.2 Disable Aggressive Battery Optimizations For MX Player

Battery optimization rarely blocks basic file reading, but it can interfere with background scanning or library refresh behavior on some OEM skins.

• Settings > Apps > MX Player > Battery
• Set to Unrestricted or Not optimized (wording varies)

9.3 Reset MX Player App Data (Last Resort)

If MX’s library database is corrupted, a full reset can help, but it will reset preferences.

• Settings > Apps > MX Player > Storage and cache
• Tap Clear storage (or Clear data)

After resetting, open MX Player and immediately grant folder access again when prompted.

10. FAQ: Storage Access Fixes People Ask About Most

10.1 Why Did This Start Only After An Android Update?

Major Android updates can change storage enforcement, reset some app permissions, or invalidate previously granted SAF folder permissions. Android 11+ also tightened scoped storage behavior compared with Android 9 and earlier.

10.2 Do I Need To Enable “All Files Access” For MX Player?

In general, no. Android reserves broad “all files” access for certain categories of apps (like file managers and backup tools). A media player should normally work through MediaStore and SAF folder grants. If an app requests broad access, consider whether you trust it and whether it is truly necessary for your use case.

10.3 Why Can VLC See My Files But MX Player Cannot?

Different apps implement different storage strategies. One player may rely more heavily on SAF folder grants, while another may index via MediaStore differently. The fix is usually to grant MX Player access to the folder using the system picker, or move files into a standard media directory.

10.4 Will Renaming Files Help?

Renaming can trigger a media rescan, which may help if the media database is stale. However, if the root problem is missing SAF permission or restricted folders, renaming alone will not permanently fix it.

11. Best-Practice Setup For A Stable MX Player Library On Android 11.12.13.

If you want the least friction long-term, set up your storage so Android can index it easily and MX Player can be granted access once.

11.1 A Simple Recommended Setup

• Store your videos in Internal Storage/Movies or SD Card/Movies.
• Avoid keeping your main library under Android/data or inside other apps’ private directories.
• Grant MX Player access to the Movies folder (or SD card root) using the SAF prompt.

11.2 Quick Comparison Table: What Works Best

12. Summary: The Storage Access Fix That Works Most Often

On Android 11, 12, and 13, MX Player missing files is most commonly a permissions model change, not missing videos. The fastest reliable solution is to grant MX Player access to the folder (or SD card) via the system “Use this folder” prompt. If your videos live in restricted app directories or hidden folders, move them into standard media folders like Movies and avoid .nomedia blocks. With a clean folder strategy and one-time SAF approval, MX Player’s library view typically becomes stable again.

Citations

• Scoped storage overview and behavior changes in Android. (Android Developers)
• Storage Access Framework (SAF) documentation. (Android Developers)
• MediaStore and shared media access concepts. (Android Developers)
• Android 13 photo picker and media permission changes context. (Android Developers)