Revolutionize Your Android Experience: Mastering App Permissions Like A Pro!

As one of the most popular and versatile mobile operating systems on the market, the Android platform has grown in leaps and bounds since its introduction over a decade ago. With millions of users relying on Android-powered devices to handle communication, entertainment, shopping, and productivity tasks, it’s no wonder that app developers have been quick to capitalize on this massive, diverse user base.

However, with great power comes great responsibility, and nothing exemplifies this principle more than the often-overlooked yet critical aspect of app permissions. When you install an app, you are typically presented with a list of permissions that the app requires to function correctly - things like accessing your contacts, camera, or location. While these permissions are intended to protect you and your data, they can also be abused by malicious apps, leading to data breaches or other security issues.

If you’re tired of blindly accepting app permissions and want to take control of your Android experience, then this article is for you! In this guide, we’ll show you how to master app permissions like a pro, so you can use your Android device with confidence and peace of mind.

Start By Understanding App Permissions

Before you can master app permissions, you need to understand exactly what they are and how they work. App permissions are essentially a list of access rights that you grant to an app when you install it. These permissions allow apps to access certain parts of your device or data, such as your camera, microphone, or your contact list. If an app wants to access something that you haven’t given it permission to, it is prevented from doing so by the Android operating system.

On Android devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and newer versions, app permissions have been more granular than ever. In fact, you can now use advanced controls to grant or deny an app certain permissions, even after you’ve installed it.

Use Advanced Control To Grant Or Deny An App Certain Permissions

To begin, head over to your device’s Settings app and select the Apps & Notifications option. Here you’ll find a list of all the apps installed on your device. Click on any app to see the details like the amount of space it’s taking up, battery usage, and permissions.

If you’re concerned about an app’s permissions, you can go into each permission individually and toggle it on or off. For example, if an app wants access to your camera and microphone, but you don’t require it to function, you can disable those permissions without affecting the app’s other functionalities.

By using advanced controls, you can also manage the permissions of all your apps at once. To do this, select the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner and choose Permissions. From here, you can toggle permissions for all your apps at once.

Take Precautionary Measures

While managing app permissions is an essential step in securing your Android device, there are also a few other precautions you can take to improve its safety:

  • Only download apps from trusted sources like the Google Play Store. Unauthorized sources may feature malicious apps that can pose a risk to your device and data.
  • Stay up to date with software updates. Android and other app developers constantly release security patches and updates that patch vulnerabilities and security issues.
  • Be mindful of the permissions you grant to each app. Think twice before giving an app access to location information or other sensitive data.

In Conclusion

By mastering app permissions like a pro, you can take control of your Android experience, secure your data, and prevent malicious apps from accessing your device. By better understanding app permissions and taking precautionary measures, you can use your Android device with confidence and peace of mind, so you can focus on making the most of its many exciting features and functions.

This article explains how to access and manage Android permissions, and how to control the information Google collects from you. Instructions apply to Android 12 through Android 8.0 (Oreo).

What to Know

  • Fastest method: Tap Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager > tap the permission > tap app.Or, tap Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Permission Manager > tap the permission > app name.Alternatively, go to Settings > Apps & notifications, tap an app, then tap Permissions.

How to Access Permission Settings

There are three ways to navigate to the permission manager. The first option is by going to the Advanced settings under Apps & notifications.

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Privacy > Permission manager.
  • Tap a permission, such as Calendar or Camera, to allow or deny permissions by app.
  • Select an app, then choose a permission setting.

Get to Permissions Settings By Viewing All Apps

Another method is by going to your all apps page in settings.

Open Settings.

Tap Privacy > Permission manager.

Tap a permission, such as Calendar or Camera, to allow or deny permissions by app.

Select an app, then choose a permission setting.

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Apps > See all apps to get the full list.
  • Tap an app, then tap Permissions to view that information.
  • As above, you’ll see an Allowed and Not Allowed section. Tap an item to change the permissions. Tap See all apps with this permission to see an overview.

How to View Special App Access

Android also has special app access settings. You’d rarely need to play around with these, and some are available in an app’s settings. These include Tap & pay (mobile payments) and Unrestricted data.

Tap Apps > See all apps to get the full list.

Tap an app, then tap Permissions to view that information.

As above, you’ll see an Allowed and Not Allowed section. Tap an item to change the permissions. Tap See all apps with this permission to see an overview.

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Apps.
  • Scroll down and tap Special app access.
  • In older versions of Android, tap Advanced > Special app access.
  • You’ll see a list of lesser-known permissions such as Battery optimization, Device admin apps, Do Not Disturb access, and Picture-in-picture.
  • Tap a permission to see which apps have it turned on, then tap an app to toggle the permission on or off.

How to Limit Activity Tracking From Google

Google tracks a lot of your activity, some of it to provide you better service or suggestions based on places you’ve visited, websites you’ve navigated to, YouTube videos you’ve watched, as well as personalized ads. It’s easy to limit or turn off these permissions if you prefer.

Tap Apps.

Scroll down and tap Special app access.

In older versions of Android, tap Advanced > Special app access.

You’ll see a list of lesser-known permissions such as Battery optimization, Device admin apps, Do Not Disturb access, and Picture-in-picture.

Tap a permission to see which apps have it turned on, then tap an app to toggle the permission on or off.

  • Open Settings > Privacy.
  • Tap Google location history.
  • In older versions of Android, tap Advanced > Google location history.
  • Choose a Google account if prompted.
  • Under Location History, tap Turn off.
  • Scroll down and tap See All Activity Controls to see all of Google’s activity tracking.

In the Activity Controls, you can also enable or disable Google’s ability to collect web and app activity, location history, and YouTube history. 

Open Settings > Privacy. 

Tap Google location history.

In older versions of Android, tap Advanced > Google location history.

Choose a Google account if prompted.

Under Location History, tap Turn off.

Scroll down and tap See All Activity Controls to see all of Google’s activity tracking.

For example, scroll down to Ad personalization and tap Go to Ad Settings to see an explanation of how Google personalizes ads, including personal information you’ve added to your Google account. You can also see which companies serve you ads based on website visits.

To turn off this feature, tap the Ad personalization slider > Turn off.

  • How do I turn on location services on Android?
  • To turn on location services on Android, go to Settings > Location and move the slider to On. Tap an app to change individual location permissions.
  • How do I turn on the microphone on my Android?
  • To turn on the microphone on Android, go to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager or App permissions > Microphone. Choose an app to set microphone permissions.
  • How do I find hidden apps on Android?
  • To find hidden apps on Android, go to Settings > See all apps. It will say how many apps you have (for example, See all 57 apps).

To turn on location services on Android, go to Settings > Location and move the slider to On. Tap an app to change individual location permissions.

To turn on the microphone on Android, go to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager or App permissions > Microphone. Choose an app to set microphone permissions.

To find hidden apps on Android, go to Settings > See all apps. It will say how many apps you have (for example, See all 57 apps).

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