Gallery icon allows all file types and crashes on multiple image selection (Android 11)

[Vainyala17]

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Run the Zulip app on an Android 11 device using flutter run .
2. Tap the Gallery icon (🖼).
3. You can select all types of files "including PDFs, videos, etc. (not limited to images)."
4. Try selecting multiple images — the app crashes and exits.

Expected Behavior:

• Gallery icon should only allow image file selection (.jpg, .png, etc.).
• Should support multiple image selection without crashing.

Observed Behavior:

• Gallery icon allows all file types (PDFs, videos, etc.).
• Crashes when selecting multiple images.

Device Info:

• Android Version: 11
• Flutter Version:
  Flutter 3.32.0-1.0.pre.203 • channel master • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
  Framework • revision b73450f8f2 (6 days ago) • 2025-04-23 09:59:49 -0500
  Engine • revision b73450f8f2 (6 days ago) • 2025-04-23 09:59:49 -0500
  Tools • Dart 3.9.0 (build 3.9.0-44.0.dev) • DevTools 2.45.0

Additional Info:

This issue does not occur on newer Android versions (like 13, 14 or 15).
Might be related to the file_picker plugin as described in:

• Switch from file_picker package to first-party file_selector and/or image_picker #855: Switch from file_picker to image_picker
• compose: "Attach images or videos" button not working for videos on iOS #1308: iOS issue related to video attachment

Video:

recooo.mp4

I'd like to help fix this!

If maintainers agree this is a valid issue, I’d be happy to work on a fix.

[gnprice]

Thanks for the report. As discussed in the chat thread #mobile > Issue with Gallery icon behavior, these would be good to fix.

This is two issues, not one:

• the picker shows all files, not just images and not a photo-gallery style of UI;
• the crash on selecting multiple images.

They probably have different causes, and might be fixed in different PRs at different times. One strong clue that they have different causes is that (as discussed in the chat thread) the first issue reproduces on Android 13 and Android 15 as well as Android 11, while the second issue doesn't.

So let's track the two issues separately. @Vainyala17 would you please edit this to focus on one of the two issues, and then file a separate issue for the other one?

[Vainyala17]

Got it, @gnprice . I’ll update this issue to focus on the file picker and create a new one for the crash. Thanks!