This is documentation for the next SDK version. For up-to-date documentation, see the latest version (SDK 52).
Expo DocumentPickerA library that provides access to the system's UI for selecting documents from the available providers on the user's device.
expo-document-picker provides access to the system's UI for selecting documents from the available providers on the user's device.
Installation
- npx expo install expo-document-pickerIf you are installing this in an existing React Native app, start by installing expo in your project. Then, follow the additional instructions as mentioned by the library's README under "Installation in bare React Native projects" section.
Configuration in app.json/app.config.js
You can configure expo-document-picker using its built-in config plugin if you use config plugins in your project (EAS Build or npx expo run:[android|ios]). The plugin allows you to configure various properties that cannot be set at runtime and require building a new app binary to take effect. If your app does not use EAS Build, then you'll need to manually configure the package.
Example app.json with config plugin
If you want to enable iCloud storage features, set the expo.ios.usesIcloudStorage key to true in the app config file as specified configuration properties.
Running EAS Build locally will use iOS capabilities signing to enable the required capabilities before building.
{
"expo": {
"plugins": [
[
"expo-document-picker",
{
"iCloudContainerEnvironment": "Production"
}
]
]
}
}
Configurable properties
| Name | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
iCloudContainerEnvironment | undefined | Only for: iOS Sets the iOS |
Are you using this library in a bare React Native app?
Apps that don't use EAS Build and want iCloud storage features must manually configure the iCloud service with CloudKit support for their bundle identifier.
If you enable the iCloud capability through the Apple Developer Console, then be sure to add the following entitlements in your ios/[app]/[app].entitlements file (where dev.expo.my-app if your bundle identifier):
<key>com.apple.developer.icloud-container-identifiers</key>
<array>
<string>iCloud.dev.expo.my-app</string>
</array>
<key>com.apple.developer.icloud-services</key>
<array>
<string>CloudDocuments</string>
</array>
<key>com.apple.developer.ubiquity-container-identifiers</key>
<array>
<string>iCloud.dev.expo.my-app</string>
</array>
<key>com.apple.developer.ubiquity-kvstore-identifier</key>
<string>$(TeamIdentifierPrefix)dev.expo.my-app</string>
Apple Developer Console also requires an iCloud Container to be created. When registering the new container, you are asked to provide a description and identifier for the container. You may enter any name under the description. Under the identifier, add iCloud.<your_bundle_identifier> (same value used for com.apple.developer.icloud-container-identifiers and com.apple.developer.ubiquity-container-identifiers entitlements).
Using with expo-file-system
When using expo-document-picker with expo-file-system, it's not always possible for the file system to read the file immediately after the expo-document-picker picks it.
To allow the expo-file-system to read the file immediately after it is picked, you'll need to ensure that the copyToCacheDirectory option is set to true.
API
import * as DocumentPicker from 'expo-document-picker';
Component
Type: React.Element<DocumentPickerOptions>
Display the system UI for choosing a document. By default, the chosen file is copied to the app's internal cache directory.
Notes for Web: The system UI can only be shown after user activation (e.g. a
Buttonpress). Therefore, callinggetDocumentAsyncincomponentDidMount, for example, will not work as intended. Thecancelevent will not be returned in the browser due to platform restrictions and inconsistencies across browsers.
Types
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| file(optional) | File | Only for: Web
|
| lastModified(optional) | number | Timestamp of last document modification. |
| mimeType(optional) | string | Document MIME type. |
| name | string | Document original name. |
| size(optional) | number | Document size in bytes. |
| uri | string | An URI to the local document file. |
Type representing canceled pick result.
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| assets | null | Always |
| canceled | true | Always |
| output(optional) | null | Only for: Web Always |
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| copyToCacheDirectory(optional) | boolean | If Default: true |
| multiple(optional) | boolean | Allows multiple files to be selected from the system UI. Default: false |
| type(optional) | string | string[] | The MIME type(s) of the documents that are available
to be picked. It also supports wildcards like Default: '*/*' |
Literal Type: multiple types
Type representing successful and canceled document pick result.
Acceptable values are: DocumentPickerSuccessResult | DocumentPickerCanceledResult
Type representing successful pick result.
| Property | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| assets | DocumentPickerAsset[] | An array of picked assets. |
| canceled | false | If asset data have been returned this should always be |
| output(optional) | FileList | Only for: Web
|