Open Settings, choose Apps, select an application, then Permissions to review and modify its available access.
Permission Manager lets users see which applications have access to categories including camera, microphone, contacts, calendar and location.
Privacy Dashboard shows which apps accessed selected permissions and when, helping users identify recent sensitive-access activity.
Android app permissions control which features and information an application can access on your phone. These can include the camera, microphone, location, contacts, photos and videos, files, calendar, physical activity and notifications. Apps usually request access when a feature needs it, and Android lets you allow or deny that request.
Reviewing permissions can help you limit unnecessary access, improve privacy and control how apps use phone features. You can change app permissions whenever your needs change.
The quickest way to manage Android permissions is through an individual app's settings.
Open Settings on your Android phone.
Tap on Apps, but on some phones, you may need to tap See all apps.
Select the app whose permissions you want to change.
Tap Permissions.
Select the permission you want to modify.
Choose an available option, such as Allow or Don't allow.
The exact menu names can differ between Android versions and phone manufacturers. Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus and other brands may organise their app privacy settings differently.
The options depend on the type of permission and the Android version. For location, camera and microphone, Android may provide choices such as Allow only while using the app, Ask every time and Don't allow. Location can also offer Allow all the time on supported devices.
Allow gives the app the requested access. Allow only while using the app limits access to periods when you are actively using it. Ask every time requires the app to request access again when needed. Don't allow blocks the permission.
If you deny a permission and an app later needs it, you can return to its Permissions page and grant access again.
A camera permission allows an app to take photographs and record videos. To change it, open Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions > Camera, then select the available permission option.
For apps that rarely need the camera, reviewing this setting can prevent unnecessary access. Android also provides a device-level camera access control on supported phones under Security & privacy > Privacy > Privacy controls.
The microphone permission allows an app to record audio. Messaging, video-calling and recording apps may need it for specific features. Go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions > Microphone and select the appropriate option. You can also use Android's device-level microphone control on supported devices.
Location access can be more flexible than other permissions. Depending on the app and device, you may choose Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, Ask every time or Don't allow. Supported devices can also let you turn precise location on or off.
For example, a navigation app may require location while you use it, while another app may not need continuous location access.
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Android can also manage permissions for Contacts, Calendar, Files, Photos and videos, Physical activity, Nearby devices, Phone, SMS and other categories, depending on the device and Android version.
Open the app's Permissions page to see which categories it can access. If a permission is not listed, that particular app may not request it.
Instead of checking apps individually, you can review permissions by category using Permission Manager, where available.
Open Settings.
Go to Security & Privacy > Privacy > Permission Manager.
Select a permission type, such as Camera, Microphone, Contacts or Location.
Review the apps listed and select an app to change its access.
This provides a useful overview of which installed apps have access to sensitive information.
On supported Android versions, the Privacy Dashboard shows which apps accessed certain permissions and when. Open Settings > Security and Privacy or Privacy > Privacy Dashboard, then select a permission to review recent activity. Android 13 and later can show activity for the previous seven days, while Android 12 can show the previous 24 hours.
Android can automatically pause activity and remove permissions from apps that have not been used for some time on supported devices. You can check an app's Unused app settings and enable Pause app activity if unused where the option is available.
If an app stops working after you deny a permission, return to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions and allow the permission again. Some features will not work without the relevant access. If the problem continues, restart the app and check whether an update is available.
Android gives users several ways to control app access, from individual permissions to Permission Manager and Privacy Dashboard. Review your Android app permissions regularly, particularly for camera, microphone, location and personal information, and grant access only when you need it.
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Open Settings, tap Apps, select the application, choose Permissions, then select the required permission and choose an available access option.
Yes. Android-supported devices let users manage individual camera and microphone permissions, while some devices also provide system-wide access controls.
Open Settings and review Location or Permission Manager. Android displays applications with location access, allowing you to change their available permission settings.
The application cannot use that restricted feature or information. Some app functions may stop working, but you can return later and restore access.
On supported devices, Android can automatically pause activity and remove permissions from unused applications through the unused app settings.
