Android · Privacy & Security
Manage App Permissions on Android
App permissions control what each app is allowed to access — camera, microphone, location, contacts, and more. You can review and change these at any time, per app or per permission type.
How to open App Permissions
- Open Settings → Privacy (or Apps → App permissions).
- Choose an app to review its permissions, or a permission type to review all apps.
- Toggle each permission on or off as needed.
What you should know
- Permissions can be granted 'Always', 'Only while using the app', or 'Ask every time' for sensitive categories like location.
- Denying a permission doesn't uninstall the app — it simply limits what that app can access.
- You can see every app that has a given permission from one screen (e.g. every app with camera access).
- Some permissions can be set to auto-reset if an app hasn't been used in a while.
Revoking a permission an app truly needs (like location for a maps app) can break its core functionality until access is restored.
Why it matters
Every permission you grant is a door into your phone, and apps routinely request more access than they actually need to function. Location, camera, and microphone permissions in particular can be quietly exploited for tracking or data collection if left unchecked. Reviewing permissions regularly is one of the most direct, low-effort ways to shrink your phone's overall privacy exposure.
Best practices
- Set location, camera, and microphone permissions to 'Only while using the app' rather than 'Always' unless there's a clear ongoing need.
- Review permission grants for any newly installed app within its first week of use.
- Turn on auto-reset for apps you rarely open so unused permissions revoke themselves.
- Check the per-permission view (e.g. every app with camera access) periodically, not just per-app.
- Deny background location access for apps like games or utilities that don't need continuous tracking.
Common problems and fixes
- An app breaks after a permission is denied.
- Re-grant the specific permission it needs from Settings → Apps → [app] → Permissions rather than reinstalling the app.
- Too many apps default to 'Always' location access.
- Switch these individually to 'Only while using the app' unless the app is a fitness or navigation tool with a genuine always-on need.
- A permission gets auto-reset for an app you use only occasionally, breaking it unexpectedly.
- Open the app once to re-trigger the permission prompt, or manually re-enable the permission before launching it.
- Can't find where a system app's permission is controlled.
- Check Settings → Privacy → Permission manager, since some system-level permissions live there instead of on the app's own page.
Tips and tricks
- Tap a permission type (like 'Camera') on the main Privacy page to instantly see every app with that access, instead of checking apps one by one.
- Use the one-time 'Only this time' option for apps you're trying out but don't fully trust yet.
- Turn on 'Remove permissions if app isn't used' for a set-and-forget way to shrink your exposure over time.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I deny a permission an app requests?
The app keeps working, but any feature relying on that permission — like the camera in a scanning app — simply won't function until it's granted.
What does 'Ask every time' mean for location access?
The app must request location access fresh each time it's opened, rather than remembering a prior decision.
Can I see which apps recently used my microphone?
Yes, the Privacy Dashboard shows a timeline of camera, microphone, and location access across all your apps.
Why did an app's permissions reset automatically?
Android automatically resets permissions for apps you haven't opened in several months as a built-in security measure.
Related settings
- Privacy DashboardThe Privacy Dashboard gives you a timeline of exactly which apps accessed your camera, microphone, and location, and when — so you can spot anything unexpected at a glance.
- Google Account SyncAccount sync keeps Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, and other Google app data updated automatically across your devices, tied to your signed-in Google Account.
- Accessibility SettingsAndroid's Accessibility settings include TalkBack screen reading, magnification, color and contrast adjustments, and Switch Access for people who use adaptive hardware.
More Privacy & Security guides for Android
- Security & Screen LockScreen lock is the first line of defense for everything on your phone, letting you choose a PIN, pattern, password, or biometric unlock like a fingerprint or face. It also determines whether your device's backups and stored data are encrypted, since Android ties encryption strength to having a real screen lock set.
- LocationLocation settings control the master switch for GPS and location-based features, plus how accurately your device estimates its position using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning. Turning location off device-wide overrides any individual app's permission, cutting off maps, weather, and other location-aware features at once.
- Emergency SOS & SafetyEmergency SOS lets you quickly call for help and automatically share your location with emergency contacts and first responders by pressing the power button rapidly, without needing to unlock the phone first. The broader Personal Safety app builds on this with features like Safety Check, Crisis Alerts, and Car Crash Detection on supported devices.
- Show Passwords ToggleControls whether password characters briefly appear on screen as you type them, instead of being immediately masked as dots, making it easier to verify accurate entry.
- Lock Screen Notification PrivacyDetermines whether notification content, sender names, and previews appear on the lock screen before the phone is unlocked, or whether they're hidden until authentication.
- Usage & Diagnostics Data SharingUsage & diagnostics controls whether the device automatically sends crash reports, performance data, and feature usage statistics to Google to help improve Android and pre-installed apps.