How to Review and Manage App Permissions on Android

Step by step

1. 30 sec

   Open the Privacy Dashboard

   Open the Settings app on your device. Navigate to the Privacy section and select Privacy Dashboard to view a summary of recent permission usage by your installed applications.

   Note: The Privacy Dashboard highlights apps that have accessed your camera, microphone, or location in the last 24 hours.
2. 1 min

   Access Permission Manager

   Within the Privacy menu, tap Permission Manager. This screen lists every permission category, such as Calendar, Camera, Contacts, and Location, alongside the number of apps granted access to each.

3. 1 min

   Inspect individual categories

   Tap a specific permission category to see a list of applications divided into Allowed and Not Allowed sections. Review the list to identify apps with unnecessary access to sensitive hardware or data.

4. 30 sec

   Revoke app permissions

   Tap the name of any app within the permission category list. Select Don't allow to immediately revoke access for that specific permission.

   Note: Some applications may require certain permissions to function correctly.
5. 30 sec

   Set granular access controls

   For sensitive permissions like Location or Camera, select Ask every time instead of Allow only while using the app. This forces the application to prompt you for permission each time it attempts to access the sensor.

6. 30 sec

   Remove permissions for unused apps

   Navigate to Settings, then Apps, and select See all apps. Tap an app that you rarely use, select Permissions, and ensure that all toggles are set to Don't allow to prevent background data collection.

   Note: Enable the 'Pause app activity if unused' toggle in the App info screen for added security.