Android share image Intent: WhatsApp - The file format is not supported

Question

I've problems with sharing images from my App to WhatsApp.

int imageId = getResources().getIdentifier("image_name", "drawable", getPackageName());

Uri imageUri = Uri.parse("android.resource://com.companyname.packagename/drawable/"+ imageId);

Intent shareIntent = new Intent();
shareIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
shareIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, imageUri);
shareIntent.setType("image/jpeg");                       
shareIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
startActivity(Intent.createChooser(shareIntent, "send"));

This code works fine with Facebook Messenger or Androids build in messenger. But it doesn't work with WhatsApp. I get this error message:

"The file format is not supported!"

I've solved this problem by using @CommonsWare solution: https://github.com/commonsguy/cwac-provider

Many apps will have problems with `android.resource` `Uri` values, as they are uncommon, unexpected, and therefore frequently untested. — CommonsWare, Jun 15 '16 at 10:58
@CommonsWare Thanks for your answer. Is there another way to get the path of my image file without using `android.resource` ? — Robert, Jun 15 '16 at 11:58
You could move this drawable into `res/raw/` or `assets/`, then use my `StreamProvider` to serve it using a `content:` `Uri`: https://github.com/commonsguy/cwac-provider Or, copy the image to a file on [internal storage](https://commonsware.com/blog/2014/04/07/storage-situation-internal-storage.html), then [use `FileProvider` to serve it using a `content:` `Uri`](https://commonsware.com/blog/2016/03/16/how-publish-files-via-content-uri.html). — CommonsWare, Jun 15 '16 at 12:00

codeman · Answer 1 · 2021-10-14T17:24:03.753

This is what worked for me even on Android 11. It based on this Android documentation: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/media. In my usecase, I needed to share an image generated from converting a layout to a bitmap. I had to first save the image to shared media storage but I believe private storage should work as as well.

public void shareImage(Bitmap bitmap) {
    Uri contentUri;
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q) {
        contentUri = MediaStore.Images.Media.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL_PRIMARY);
    } else {
        contentUri = MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
    }
    
    ContentResolver contentResolver = getApplicationContext().getContentResolver();
    ContentValues newImageDetails = new ContentValues();
    newImageDetails.put(MediaStore.Images.Media.DISPLAY_NAME, "filename");
    Uri imageContentUri = contentResolver.insert(contentUri, newImageDetails);

    try (ParcelFileDescriptor fileDescriptor =
                 contentResolver.openFileDescriptor(imageContentUri, "w", null)) {
        FileDescriptor fd = fileDescriptor.getFileDescriptor();
        OutputStream outputStream = new FileOutputStream(fd);
        BufferedOutputStream bufferedOutputStream = new BufferedOutputStream(outputStream);
        bitmap.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 50, bufferedOutputStream);
        bufferedOutputStream.flush();
        bufferedOutputStream.close();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "Error saving bitmap", e);
    }

    Intent sendIntent = new Intent();
    sendIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
    sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, imageContentUri);
    sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, "some text here");
    sendIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
    sendIntent.setType("image/*");
    Intent shareIntent = Intent.createChooser(sendIntent, "Share with");
    startActivity(shareIntent);
}

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 02 '19 at 18:22

1

Intent shareIntent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_SEND);
shareIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
shareIntent.setType("image/*");
//set your message
shareIntent.putExtra(android.content.Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, msgText); 

String imagePath = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + File.separator + "image_name.jpg";

File imageFileToShare = new File(imagePath);

Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(imageFileToShare);

shareIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, uri);`

try { // should you to check Whatsapp is installed or not
     startActivity(shareIntent)
}
catch (android.content.ActivityNotFoundException exception) {
       showMessage("Whatsapp have not been installed")
}

edited Dec 02 '19 at 18:22

Prasanthvel

27
2
15

answered Sep 18 '17 at 07:38

Bharat Vasoya

351
4
7

3

Not Working in Android 11 (API level 30) . how to solve issue of File format not supported in Android R. – Saurabh Gaddelpalliwar Jan 14 '21 at 08:08
2

@SaurabhGaddelpalliwar have you found solution? – Ashwin Nirmale Mar 25 '21 at 06:29
Yes I found the Solution – Saurabh Gaddelpalliwar Apr 07 '21 at 06:06
1

You Have to save Image on Android 11 Using below code ,, filesDir = new File(context.getExternalFilesDir(Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES), ConstantString.IMAGE_FILE_SHARE_PATH_FULL); and use this generated path to share image on WhatsApp. – Saurabh Gaddelpalliwar Apr 07 '21 at 06:11
1

Use This for Android 11 , String mediaPath = MediaStore.Images.Media.insertImage(mActivity.getContentResolver(), result, newFile.getName(), null); imageInternalUri = Uri.parse(mediaPath); – Saurabh Gaddelpalliwar Apr 07 '21 at 10:41
Then pass this above Uri like this to share on whatsapp, ... Intent waIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND); waIntent.setType("image/*"); waIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION); waIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, imageInternalUri); waIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, textYouWant); mActivity.startActivity(Intent.createChooser(waIntent, "Share with")); – Saurabh Gaddelpalliwar Apr 16 '21 at 09:16
MediaStore.Images.Media.insertImage() is deprecated now – codeman Oct 14 '21 at 16:58
@SaurabhGaddelpalliwar 's solution is only working. – Arth Tilva Oct 25 '21 at 10:27
@SaurabhGaddelpalliwar what is result insertImage() ???? – Aryan Bisht Mar 14 '22 at 00:48

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 11 '22 at 20:04

In android 11 you need to use the file provider in order to share media files.

public void shareFile(){
   Intent sendIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
     sendIntent.setType("image/*");
     sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, FileProvider.getUriForFile(this, BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".fileprovider", ImageUri));  
   startActivity(Intent.createChooser(sendIntent,"Share "));
}

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Aug 03 '21 at 20:34

0

Replace shareIntent.setType("image/jpeg");

with this shareIntent.setType("image/*"); this will select all types of images and maybe this will work for you, because its workig for me just fine.

edited Aug 03 '21 at 20:34

Ole Pannier

3,208
9
22
33

answered Aug 02 '21 at 07:21

Fakhar Ullah

65
9

score -4 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 15 '16 at 11:09

-4

mIntent.setType("image/png");

Replace with it this. It may work.

answered Jun 15 '16 at 11:09

android_griezmann

3,757
4
16
43

This doesn't work. If I use a png image and change the code to `shareIntent.setType("image/png");` , then the same error occurs. – Robert Jun 15 '16 at 11:53

score -5 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 20 '16 at 10:54

-5

shareIntent.setType("image/jpeg");

REPLACE BY shareIntent.setType("image/*"); //it support all type of files.

answered Sep 20 '16 at 10:54

Hiren Vaghela

61
1
1
6

For all type of files you need shareIntent.setType(" * / * "). no space between asterisks – M.ArslanKhan Jul 31 '19 at 12:53
This cannot be the solution, if I am sending an image only, and that too, a JPEG image. – Divya Gupta Dec 22 '22 at 12:37

Android share image Intent: WhatsApp - The file format is not supported

6 Answers6