Android Image Picker Example Using Intent (Activity Result API)

Selecting images from the device gallery is a common requirement in Android applications. However, the old startActivityForResult() method is now deprecated. Modern Android development requires using the Activity Result API along with proper storage handling.

This updated guide on javatechig.com explains how to implement a secure and production-ready image picker using:

• Intent.ACTION_PICK
• Activity Result API
• Scoped Storage (Android 10+)
• Kotlin and Java examples

Understanding Image Picker in Modern Android

In earlier Android versions, developers used:

startActivityForResult()

This is now deprecated.

The recommended approach (API 30+) is:

• registerForActivityResult()
• Use ActivityResultContracts.GetContent()
• Handle scoped storage correctly

Method 1: Recommended Approach (Activity Result API)

This is the modern and safest way.

Kotlin Implementation

private val imagePickerLauncher =
    registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.GetContent()) { uri: Uri? ->
        uri?.let {
            imageView.setImageURI(it)
        }
    }

button.setOnClickListener {
    imagePickerLauncher.launch("image/*")
}

Explanation:

• "image/*" filters only images
• No runtime permission required for basic usage
• Works with scoped storage

Java Implementation

ActivityResultLauncher<String> imagePickerLauncher =
        registerForActivityResult(new ActivityResultContracts.GetContent(),
                uri -> {
                    if (uri != null) {
                        imageView.setImageURI(uri);
                    }
                });

button.setOnClickListener(v ->
        imagePickerLauncher.launch("image/*"));

Method 2: Using Intent.ACTION_PICK (Legacy-Compatible)

If you need backward compatibility for older apps:

val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK)
intent.type = "image/*"
startActivity(intent)

⚠ Not recommended for new projects.

Modern apps should migrate to Activity Result API.

Handling Image URI Properly

When you receive the URI:

val inputStream = contentResolver.openInputStream(uri)
val bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeStream(inputStream)
imageView.setImageBitmap(bitmap)

Always:

• Close input streams
• Avoid loading large images directly into memory
• Use Glide or Coil for production apps

Runtime Permissions (When Required)

For Android 13+:

Use:

READ_MEDIA_IMAGES

For Android 12 and below:

READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

However, when using GetContent(), permission is usually not required because it uses a system picker.

Using Photo Picker (Android 13+ Recommended)

Android 13 introduced a system Photo Picker that:

• Does not require storage permission
• Is privacy-safe
• Is recommended by Android platform guidelines

Example:

val pickMedia =
    registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.PickVisualMedia()) { uri ->
        if (uri != null) {
            imageView.setImageURI(uri)
        }
    }

pickMedia.launch(PickVisualMediaRequest(ActivityResultContracts.PickVisualMedia.ImageOnly))

This is the most future-proof implementation.

Common Errors and Fixes

1. Permission Denied Error

Cause:

• Missing runtime permission (Android <13)

Fix:

• Request permission before accessing storage.

2. Image Not Displaying

Cause:

• Large bitmap loading
• URI not resolved correctly

Fix:

• Use Glide:

Glide.with(this).load(uri).into(imageView)

3. startActivityForResult Deprecated Warning

Cause:

• Using old API

Fix:

• Migrate to Activity Result API.

Best Practices (2026 Updated)

• Prefer ActivityResultContracts.GetContent()
• Use Photo Picker for Android 13+
• Avoid file path extraction from URI
• Do not request unnecessary storage permission
• Use image loading libraries in production
• Handle large images carefully to avoid OOM

Production Checklist

Before shipping your app:

• Confirm scoped storage compliance
• Test on Android 13 and Android 14
• Validate runtime permissions
• Handle null URI safely
• Optimize image loading performance