Last Updated on November 7, 2026 by pg@petergamma.org
The Fairphone 4 can use “Softmaker for Android” to write data to an external SD card, which can then be accessed from a PC just like an external drive—a feature I’ve been missing on Android smartphones for more than 10 years Following the “Degoogled Phones” which are free from products from Google Inc. , we have here a “Cloud Free Office Solution” which is Softmaker for Android with a Fairphone 4, suggested by a a Privacy Enthousiats from Switzerland which is Peter Gamma from www.petergamma.org.
This solution should work in theory. It is a problem I was searching a solution for since more than 10 years.
Now, there is a solution there in theory, which I have not yet tested.
- You can write to an external SD card in the Fairphone 4, provided it is formatted as portable (external) storage and accessed correctly.
- Format Requirement: The card must be formatted as portable storage (not internal/adopted storage) to be accessible via USB and most apps. Formatting as internal storage can cause compatibility issues and prevent PC access.
- USB Access: When connected to a computer via USB-C, select File transfer (MTP) mode in the notification shade. This allows read/write access to both internal memory and the SD card on Windows and macOS
- App Permissions: Newer Android versions restrict app access to the SD card root. Apps like Total Commander or Open Camera work if they use the Storage Access Framework to select specific folders on the card, rather than trying to access the entire card directly.
Not all apps can write to the external SD card on a Fairphone 4.
- While media files like photos and music can generally be stored on a card formatted as portable storage, many apps face restrictions due to Android security permissions and compatibility issues.
- Permission Limits: Newer Android versions restrict app access to the SD card; apps must explicitly request “all files access” or use the Storage Access Framework, which many developers have not updated for.
- App Incompatibility: Essential apps like the stock camera often cannot write directly to the SD card, requiring users to install third-party alternatives (e.g., Open Camera) to bypass this limitation.
- SoftMaker Office for Android can access network storage, but it relies on the Android System File Dialog (Storage Access Framework) rather than built-in native drivers for protocols like SMB or FTP.
- Configuration Required: You must enable “Use system file dialogs” in the app settings (Tools > Options > Appearance).
- Supported Services: It supports any cloud service that integrates with Android’s system file dialog, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, NextCloud, and pCloud.