Storing media locally when taken from ServiceNow mobile apps

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
  • Provide users with the option to save and retrieve pictures and videos taken with the camera on their mobile app, onto their device. By default, these images are saved for 24 hours on the phone’s local storage. You can set the storage time to be from 1 to 168 hours (1 week).

    Before you begin

    Role required: admin

    Users must have the passcode feature enabled on their device. A passcode is a security measure to protect your users’ phone and its data.

    About this task

    Media captured using the camera within a ServiceNow mobile app may not upload onto the app successfully. Instead of losing this data, the parameter  storeFailedAttachmentsLocally  enables you to reattempt uploading media when an initial upload fails. The parameter failedAttachmentsRetentionTime defines for how long the media is saved on your local device.

    By default, these images and videos are saved for 24 hours on the phone’s local storage. You can set the storage time to be from 1 to168 hours (1 week).

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > sys_sg_properties.list.
    2. Select  New  to create a mobile property record.
    3. Enter the name  storeFailedAttachmentsLocally  in the  Name  field.
    4. Select  True/False  in the Type  field.
    5. In the  Value  field, enter  true  to turn enable users to store media locally on their mobile device.
    6. Select the  Active  field if you want this mobile property to be active.
    7. Set the Mobile App Config field to who you want to use the mobile property.
    8. Set the Mobile Applications to who you want to send the mobile property.
    9. Select Submit.
      The Mobile Properties page displays with your recently created property.
    10. Select  New  to create a mobile property record.
    11. Enter the name  failedAttachmentsRetentionTime in the  Name field.
    12. Select  Integer  in the  Type  field.
    13. In the  Value  field, enter a number in hours to define for how long attachments are saved locally before being automatically deleted.
      Note:
      You can define a value between 1 – 168 hours (1 week).
      • If the field is empty, the default value is 24 hours.
      • For this property to be activated, the property storeFailedAttachmentsLocally must be set to true .Select the Active field if you want this mobile property to be active.
    14. Select the  Active  field if you want this mobile property to be active.
    15. Set the Mobile App Config field to who you want to use the mobile property.
    16. Set the Mobile Applications to who you want to send the mobile property.