Released on Oct 15, 2025
<aside> 💡 All migrations to 1.48.x releases you can find in the main sample on GitHub
</aside>
To ensure compliance with the latest Google Play policies and simplify the app review process, Banuba Video Editor SDK version 1.48.1 introduces an optional integration with the Android Photo Picker.
This update provides a fallback mechanism to use the system's built-in Photo Picker instead of the SDK's custom gallery, helping you meet new privacy requirements.
Google has updated its policy for accessing user media to enhance user privacy. For apps that only need one-time or infrequent access to photos and videos, the use of the Android Photo Picker is now required.
The Banuba SDK's built-in gallery screen is considered a form of "broad media access" because it allows users to select any image or video for editing. This functionality traditionally requires the READ_MEDIA_IMAGES and READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permissions.
When Google Play detects these permissions, it requires you to declare them in the "Photo and video permissions" section of your store listing's App Content page.
Crucially, the quality of your explanation directly impacts the review outcome. Google's reviewers are more likely to approve an app that provides a clear, specific, and honest justification for why broad access is necessary for the app's core functionality.
Example of a Good Permission Justification:
If you use the SDK gallery, we highly recommend providing a detailed explanation like this in the Google Play Console:
"Our app uses an SDK with a feature-rich custom gallery for media selection. Broad access is necessary to support its advanced editing configurations, validations, and user experience."
Providing such a detailed justification is critical for approval. However, to offer a more streamlined path to compliance, we have added the option to use the permission-less Android Photo Picker.
This release adds a fallback option to the Android Photo Picker.