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How to Manage Android App Permissions

Personalize your Android settings to protect your privacy

By Molly McLaughlin Molly McLaughlin Senior Editor & Content Strategist Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 6, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Access Permission Settings Get to Permissions Settings By Viewing All Apps View Special App Access Limit Google's Tracking Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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).

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 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. 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. 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. 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. FAQ 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). Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Allow Camera Access on Snapchat How to Open the iPad's Settings How to Log Out of Facebook Messenger How to Close Apps on Android How to Stop a Download on Android How to Change and Clear Default Apps in Android How to Fix It When WhatsApp Isn't Working How to Use Picture-in-Picture on Your Android How to Access Samsung's Privacy Dashboard How to Find Out Who (or What) Is Accessing Your Gmail How to Manage Android Autofill Settings Allow or Deny Access to Your Physical Location Settings Google Family Link: What It Is and How to Use It How to Block Searches of Your Facebook Profile How to Turn Off Google Location Tracking How to Change Android Notification Sounds Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies