File manager lets you see and control the files on a device during a fifteen minute session. You have access to internal files, as well as any files located on mounted storage units. View file paths, download, and copy files to other folders during a File Manager session.
Notes
- Some folders are not writable.
- You may notice that Android’s data folder is inaccessible during a session. This is a security measure to protect important system files.
- At this time, File Manager activities are not logged. This means you won’t find information about the session in the Event Feed or Activity Feed. Use Custom Roles to ensure only trusted users have access to File Manager.
In this article:
- Requirements
- Using File Manager
- Searching for Files and Folders
- Performing Actions on Files and Folders
Requirements
- Android devices will need to be on Esper Agent 9.0+
- Linux devices
Using File Manager
To use file manager, click on the device in Devices & Groups and click on the File Manager tab.
Then press Start session.
Once connected, you’ll be in the root folder of the device. Navigate to other folders by clicking on the caret next to each folder.
During the session a context menu will appear, detailing:
- Session duration: tracks session time. Most sessions have a maximum duration of 15 minutes.
- Last updated: the last time the list synced with the device files. If you notice lag for this time, we recommend refreshing the session.
- Sent: amount of data sent to the device, in bytes.
- Received: amount of data sent from the device, in bytes.
Searching for Files and Folders
After you've opened a directory using the caret (">"), you'll be able to search its immediate files, even if you end up opening other directories or closing the parent directory. Search for the item’s name in the search box to find files.
Note that double-clicking on the folder will not allow its contents to be searchable.
In this example, the Internal Storage and Pictures folders have been expanded, making the android_seamless file searchable. Searches can be conducted even if the parent folders are closed during the session. However, the behavior resets after each session.
Performing Actions on Files and Folders
With the exception of the root directory, you can perform various actions on files or folders by clicking on the Actions button at the top of the session window or from the ellipsis (...) menu next to each item.
Some folders may have additional restrictions.
Upload to Internal Storage
This action can be performed on: ✓ File
To upload a file, click on the Actions button in the top right corner of the session screen and choose upload. Max file size is 50 MB.
Upload to all other folders
This action can be performed on: ✓ Files
To upload a file, click on the ellipsis (...) button in the top right corner of the session screen and choose upload. Some restrictions may apply to certain folders. Max file size is 50 MB.
You can also upload multiple files at once or one folder at a time.
Click on the minimize button ("-") to have files upload in the background.
You can check on your progress by clicking on any folder and choosing the upload option.
Preview
This action can be performed on: ✓ File
To preview a file, click on the ellipsis (...) button next to the file and select Preview. The file will open in a new tab. Max file preview size: 50 MB
The following file extensions are preview-supported:
- gif
- jpeg
- jpg
- json
- log
- m4a
- md
- mp3
- mp4
- ogg
- png
- svg
- txt
- wav
- webm
- webp
- xml
View details
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folder ✓ File
To view information about a file or folder, click on the ellipsis (...) button in the top right corner of the session screen and choose View Details.
Folder details display the following:
- Folder name
- Folder path
- Folder size
- Last modified data
File details display the following:
- File name
- File path
- File size
- Last modified date
- File extension
Rename
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folder ✓ File
To rename a file or folder, click on the ellipsis (...) button in the top right corner of the session screen and choose Rename.
In the rare event that you need to give a file a long name, 255 bytes is the limit. Usually, one character = one byte. However, some special or emoji characters can exceed this limit, so this limit can vary. Keep file names to a reasonable length to avoid any unexpected behavior.
Move
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folders ✓ Files
Move a file or folder to a different location.
When you move a file or folder, you’ll see its current location. Keep in mind that some directories aren’t writable and items cannot be moved to their current directories.
Copy & Paste
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folders ✓ Files
Copy a file or folder to another location. When you copy a file or folder, you’ll have the option to paste the file or folder to another location. Keep in mind that some directories aren’t writable and items cannot be moved to their current directories.
Download
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folder (one at a time) ✓ Files (one or more at a time)
Download a file or folder to your computer. The file or folder downloads in your browser. Folders are compressed in a zip file.
Only one folder may be downloaded at a time. Multiple files may be downloaded at time so long as a folder is not included in the selection.
Delete
This action can be performed on: ✓ Folder ✓ Files
Delete a file or folder. Once deleted, you won’t be able to retrieve the file, so we suggest downloading the item before deleting it.
Certain folders, such as Android’s data folder, cannot be deleted.
Performing Bulk Actions
You can move, delete, or copy and paste several items at once by clicking on the checkbox next to the item and selecting from the Actions menu.
If you try to delete a folder that cannot be deleted (e.g., Android’s data folder), you may see an error message informing you that only some of your selection was deleted.
Use the File Manager to modify the files and folders on your devices.
FAQ
I received an I/O error message. What does that mean?
I/O stands for input output and can result from a variety of reasons. These errors come from the Android system. Common I/O errors include lack of permissions, insufficient storage, network errors, corrupted data, and more. Given the variety of issues tied to this error message, we suggest restarting the session, checking the device’s network and peripherals, or rebooting the device.
Can I also use files from Content Management in a File Manager session?
Currently, Content Management and File Manager are separate features.