Review app permissions on your Android phone

A weather app may need your location to show a local forecast. A camera app needs the camera when you take a photo. Android lets you review these permissions later, so you can decide which access still makes sense.

The names below follow Google's Pixel instructions. Other Android manufacturers and versions may arrange settings differently; use the Settings search box for “permissions” if the path looks different. Google's Pixel permissions guide describes the choices available on supported versions.

Start with one app

1. Open Settings → Apps and select an app. Tap See all apps if necessary.
2. Open Permissions to see allowed and denied categories.
3. Tap a category and select the access level that suits your use.

For example, you could allow a navigation app to use location while you use it, without allowing continuous background location. Some Android versions also let you select approximate rather than precise location. The choices vary with the permission and the app.

Denying a permission may prevent a feature from working. If a video call cannot access the microphone after your change, return to that app's permissions and allow it when needed. You do not need to grant unrelated permissions simply because one feature needs access.

Review by permission type

If you care about one kind of access across all apps, open Settings → Security & privacy → Privacy → Permission manager or search Settings for Permission manager. Choose Camera, Microphone, Location or another category to see the apps listed under it. Review each app in context rather than assuming every request is suspicious.

Ask yourself whether you still use the feature, whether access is needed all the time, and whether a less precise or temporary choice is available. A delivery app may reasonably need an address or location for an order; it may not need location in the background after the order is complete.

Check recent access

On supported devices, the privacy dashboard shows which apps accessed permissions and when. Find it in privacy settings and select a permission to inspect its history. This is a useful starting point if the camera or microphone indicator appears unexpectedly, but a recorded access alone does not establish misuse.

Android can remove permissions for unused apps on supported devices. That helps with forgotten apps, but it does not replace a review of apps you still open regularly. If you no longer need an app at all, uninstalling it is a simpler choice than managing its individual permissions.

Finish by opening the apps you rely on and checking their essential functions. If something no longer works, adjust only the permission needed for that task. You can revisit the same settings later; allowing access for one feature does not require keeping it enabled forever.