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How to Find and Revoke Unnecessary App Permissions on Android

Use Android’s app settings and Permission manager to review access, restrict grants, and check recent use—while accounting for device and version differences.
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To review or remove an Android app’s access, open Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions and change each grant you no longer want. To find every app with access to a particular feature, use Permission manager; to check recent access, use the Privacy Dashboard. Menu names vary by Android version and phone maker, so search Settings for “Permissions,” “Permission manager,” or the app’s name if a path differs.

Change permissions for one app

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Apps, then select the app. If it is not listed, tap See all apps.
  3. Tap Permissions.
  4. Select a permission. Choose Don’t allow to revoke it, or select a narrower option if you still want the app to use the feature in limited circumstances.

Available choices depend on the app, Android release, and device. For location, options may include all the time, while using the app, ask every time, or don’t allow. Camera and microphone permissions may offer while-in-use, ask-every-time, or deny choices. If you deny access, a feature that depends on it may stop working or become limited.

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Find all apps with a particular permission

Use Permission manager to audit access category by category. On supported devices, the route is Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Permission manager. Choose a category such as Location, Camera, Microphone, Contacts, Photos and videos, Files, or Notifications. Select an app in the list to review or change its grant.

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Some phones show Security and Privacy as separate settings, and manufacturers may use different labels or menu organization. If you cannot find Permission manager, search Settings for “Permission manager” or “Permissions.”

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Check which apps recently accessed sensitive features

The Privacy Dashboard records recent access to supported permissions, which can help you compare an app’s activity with what you expect. Look under Settings > Security and privacy or Settings > Privacy > Privacy dashboard, then choose a permission and inspect the activity list. If available, select an app there to review its permission.

The history window is version-specific: Google documents a seven-day view on Android 13 and a 24-hour view on Android 12. What appears, and where to find it, can vary by Android version and device; the dashboard is not a complete record of every way an app may handle information.

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Choose the least access that still lets the app work

There is no universal list of permissions that every app should or should not have. Decide based on the feature you actually use, the narrowest grant available, and whether recorded access matches your expectations. For example, a map app may need location while you navigate; a photo app may need access to photos for a task you select. These are examples, not rules for every app.

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  • Scope: Prefer while-in-use or ask-every-time access over continuous or background access when that is sufficient and offered.
  • Feature need: Consider whether you use a feature that relies on the permission. Revoking it can disable or limit that feature.
  • Observed access: Compare Privacy Dashboard activity with your expectations, keeping its version-specific history window in mind.
  • Data handling: Compare the permission list with the app’s Google Play Data safety information and privacy policy. They cover different aspects and neither is a complete substitute for the other.

A permission listing indicates data or device features an app can access or may request; it does not prove that every listed permission is being used. Likewise, revoking a permission controls future access through that permission—it does not delete information the app may already have collected. Google advises contacting the developer about deletion of previously collected data.

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Turn off camera or microphone access across the device

On supported devices, open Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Privacy controls and switch off Camera access or Microphone access. This is a device-wide control, not a per-app choice. If you want some apps to retain access, leave the global control on and manage their individual permissions instead.

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Review apps Android marks as unused

Android’s unused-app feature can delete temporary files, revoke permissions, stop an unused app from running in the background, and stop its notifications. Review the list at Settings > Apps > Unused apps; labels and placement may differ.

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If an app needs to remain active, open its App info > Unused apps settings and turn off Pause app activity if unused. Exempt only apps that need it, since pausing can also affect background activity and notifications.

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Google separately documents permission resets for rarely used apps on Android 6.0–10: Play Protect may reset permissions for apps that have not been used for three months, and the feature can be managed per app. This older, version-bounded behavior should not be assumed to describe unused-app management on every current Android device.

Understand what permission settings do not tell you

Google Play’s Data safety section is based on developer declarations about collection, sharing, and handling. It applies to apps distributed through Google Play, and it is distinct from the technical permissions list. It may not cover all information accessed locally or all data collected in ways that do not depend on a permission. App practices can also vary by use, region, age, and app version, so treat Data safety as one input rather than proof that an app has no other data practices.

Be careful with restricted settings

Do not enable a restricted setting just because an app asks. Google warns that you should allow restricted settings only for an app whose developer you trust. Accessibility access is especially powerful: it can let an app read screen content and interact with other apps on your behalf. If an app unexpectedly pressures you to enable a sensitive setting, verify the app and the reason through a trusted source before proceeding.

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