diff --git a/pkg/android/phoenix/AndroidManifest.xml b/pkg/android/phoenix/AndroidManifest.xml
index 7551234520..acd6880395 100644
--- a/pkg/android/phoenix/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/pkg/android/phoenix/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
         android:isGame="true"
         android:banner="@drawable/banner"
         android:extractNativeLibs="true"
+        android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"
         tools:ignore="UnusedAttribute">
         <activity android:name="com.retroarch.browser.mainmenu.MainMenuActivity" android:exported="true" android:launchMode="singleInstance">
             <intent-filter>
diff --git a/pkg/android/phoenix/build.gradle b/pkg/android/phoenix/build.gradle
index 07e0805c78..1e85ef0a67 100644
--- a/pkg/android/phoenix/build.gradle
+++ b/pkg/android/phoenix/build.gradle
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ allprojects {
 apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
 
 android {
-  compileSdkVersion 28
-  buildToolsVersion "28.0.3"
+  compileSdkVersion 29
+  buildToolsVersion "29.0.3"
 
   flavorDimensions "variant"
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ android {
         arguments "-j${Runtime.runtime.availableProcessors()}"
       }
     }
-    targetSdkVersion 28
+    targetSdkVersion 29
   }
 
   productFlavors {
diff --git a/pkg/android/phoenix/module_template/build.gradle b/pkg/android/phoenix/module_template/build.gradle
index 40ed487408..2856c7dd4b 100644
--- a/pkg/android/phoenix/module_template/build.gradle
+++ b/pkg/android/phoenix/module_template/build.gradle
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 apply plugin: 'com.android.dynamic-feature'
 
 android {
-  compileSdkVersion 28
+  compileSdkVersion 29
   defaultConfig {
     minSdkVersion 21
-    targetSdkVersion 28
+    targetSdkVersion 29
   }
 
   flavorDimensions "variant"