For most Android users, the best place to manage app permissions is already on the phone: Android’s built-in Permission manager, per-app controls and Privacy Dashboard. These let you change access and review recent activity without installing another app. The seven options often listed under “permission manager apps” are not seven equivalent tools: some are Android settings, some monitor data or permissions, and some involve advanced setup. Current compatibility and maintenance for the named third-party apps are not established by the available sources, so they should be treated as candidates to verify—not as a ranked recommendation.
Which Android permission option should you use?
Start with Android’s own controls if your goal is to allow, limit or deny an app’s access to sensitive features. Use the Privacy Dashboard when you want to see recent permission access. A separate data-usage monitor can help answer a different question—how much data an app uses—but that does not by itself mean it can change permissions.
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| Option | What it does | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Android Permission manager and per-app settings | Change permissions by app or permission type. Google documents choices such as allowing location, camera or microphone access only while using an app, asking every time, or denying access; available choices depend on the permission and device. Google’s Android permission guide. | Directly controlling app access. |
| Android Privacy Dashboard | Shows which apps accessed permissions and when. Google documents a seven-day view on Android 13 and a 24-hour view on Android 12; do not assume those windows apply to every release. Google’s Privacy Dashboard guide. | Reviewing recent permission activity. |
| Unused-app controls | Android can revoke permissions from apps left unused for a long time and may stop their background activity and notifications. Google’s unused-app guidance. | Reducing lingering access from apps you rarely open. |
| Third-party utilities | The functions described for the named apps range from data-use monitoring to permission listings and ADB-command access; the available evidence does not confirm their current compatibility or maintenance. | Only after verifying the specific app’s current listing and requirements. |
1. Android Permission manager
Android’s built-in Permission manager is the most direct option for reviewing apps by the kind of access they request. On many devices, open Settings > Privacy > Permission manager, then select a permission to see which apps have it. Menu names and locations vary by device and Android release. Google’s general guidance also describes managing access from an individual app’s page: Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions. Google’s Android guide covers these controls.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFor location, camera and microphone, available choices may include allowing access only while the app is in use, asking every time, or denying it; some permissions offer other choices, and the options vary. Choose the least access that still lets the app do what you need.
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2. Android Privacy Dashboard
The Privacy Dashboard is a viewing tool, not a substitute for changing a permission. It shows which apps accessed permissions and when. Google documents a last-seven-days view on Android 13 and a last-24-hours view on Android 12. Those are version-specific lookback periods, not a promise of an unlimited history or the same window on every Android device. Google’s instructions explain where to find the dashboard and what it shows.
On Pixel phones, Google lists the Privacy Dashboard, Permission manager, and device-wide camera and microphone controls among the privacy settings. Other manufacturers may arrange or label comparable settings differently; Google notes that steps can vary by device. Pixel privacy settings.
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3. Android unused-app permission controls
Android can automatically take action on apps that have not been used for a long time. Depending on the device and app, it can delete temporary files, revoke permissions, stop background activity and stop notifications. To exempt an app, Google’s instructions say to turn off Pause app activity if unused in that app’s unused-app settings. Google’s guide to pausing unused apps describes the feature.
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4. Bouncer
A September 22, 2026 roundup describes Bouncer as granting a permission while an app is being used and revoking it afterward. That description is from a secondary source, not current product documentation confirmed here. Before relying on Bouncer, check its current Play Store or developer listing for recent updates, support for your Android version and device, and whether the permission behavior is still available. TechDator’s roundup is the source of the description.
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5. GlassWire
The same roundup characterizes GlassWire as a data-use monitor. Data consumption can be useful context when investigating an app, but it is not the same as viewing or changing Android permissions. Do not choose it as a permission manager unless its current documentation confirms the specific permission controls you need. Verify current Android support and data practices in the app’s own listing.
6. BurnerGuard
TechDator describes BurnerGuard as listing permissions. A list can help surface what an app requests, but that alone does not establish that the utility can change those permissions or provide a current audit history. Check the developer’s current documentation and listing to confirm what it does on your Android release before installing it.
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7. Shizuku
The roundup describes Shizuku as a way to issue ADB commands. That is an advanced route for users who understand the commands and setup involved, not a simple, general-purpose permission dashboard. The available evidence does not establish its current setup requirements, compatibility or suitability as a direct permission manager. Verify those details in current primary documentation before using it.
What about the separate Privacy Dashboard app and antivirus apps?
TechDator also names a separate app called Privacy Dashboard by Rushikesh Kamewar and antivirus apps as a category. The name of that app should not be confused with Android’s built-in Privacy Dashboard. The roundup says the separate app shows permission use, but current behavior, compatibility and maintenance are not confirmed here. “Antivirus apps” is a broad category, not one identifiable permission manager; features vary by product, so check the exact app’s current documentation rather than assuming antivirus software can manage permissions.
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How to choose—and verify—a third-party app
Before installing a utility, compare the function you need with what it actually supports. Use the app’s current Play Store or developer listing, not an old feature description, to check:
- Whether it can change permissions, show recent access, list requested permissions, monitor data use, or only provide a route for advanced commands.
- Which Android versions and devices it supports, and whether the feature works without root, ADB or other setup.
- When it was last updated and whether the developer documents the specific feature you want.
- What data it collects and how its privacy practices compare with using Android’s built-in controls.
A recently published list can identify apps to investigate, but it does not establish that each one is maintained, compatible or suitable for your phone. The roundup’s descriptions of Bouncer, GlassWire, BurnerGuard, Shizuku and the separate Privacy Dashboard app are secondary-source claims, not independently confirmed product capabilities. See the roundup.
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