  We show that XENON1T and future liquid xenon (LXe) direct detection
experiments are sensitive to axions through the standard
$g_{a\gamma}aF\tilde{F}$ operators due to inverse-Primakoff scattering. This
previously neglected channel significantly improves the sensitivity to the
axion-photon coupling, with a reach extending to $g_{a\gamma} \sim 10^{-10}$
GeV$^{-1}$ for axion masses up to a keV, thereby extending into the region of
heavier QCD axion models. This result modifies the couplings required to
explain the XENON1T excess in terms of solar axions, opening a large region of
$g_{a\gamma}$ - $m_a$ parameter space which is not ruled out by the CAST
helioscope experiment and reducing the tension with the astrophysical
constraints. We explore the sensitivity to solar axions for future generations
of LXe detectors which can exceed future helioscope experiments, such as IAXO,
for a large region of parameter space.
