An app can ask Android for access to your camera, microphone, contacts, photos or location. A permission lets the app use that device feature. Reviewing permissions from time to time helps you keep the access you need and remove access you no longer want to grant.
Menu names vary by Android version and phone manufacturer. If the path below does not match your phone, search Settings for Permissions, Privacy or the app’s own settings page.
Check permissions for one app
Open Settings → Apps, select an app and open Permissions. If you do not see it, open the full app list first. Select a permission such as Location and review the options available on your device.
For location, these may include access only while the app is in use, asking every time, or not allowing access. All the time is not available on every device and applies only to location. Camera and microphone may offer allow or deny choices. Choose the access needed for the feature you installed the app to use.
After changing a permission, test the relevant feature. Navigation may need location; a video call needs camera and microphone. If something stops working, return to the same page and grant only the specific permission the feature requires.
Review recent access
On devices that support the Privacy dashboard, open Settings → Security & privacy or Privacy → Privacy dashboard. Select a permission such as camera, microphone or location to review which apps accessed it and when.
The history period depends on Android version: Google’s help says the dashboard shows up to seven days on Android 13 and 24 hours on Android 12. Manufacturers may place the screen elsewhere. It helps you review recent permission use; it is not a complete log of everything an app does.
Review permissions by data type
To see every app with access to one kind of data, open Settings → Security & privacy → Privacy → Permission manager, or search Settings for Permission manager. Choose camera, microphone, location, contacts or another item and review the apps listed.
Android may automatically revoke some permissions or pause background activity for apps you have not used. On compatible devices, this can be managed on the app’s page under unused-app settings. Check system notifications if an older app unexpectedly asks for access again.
Choose location access for the task
If an app only needs to show a route while you travel, access while in use may be enough. For weather, you could enter a city manually. On Android 12 and later, some apps let you choose approximate rather than precise location.
A system permission tells you whether an app can read location; it does not by itself explain how the developer handles that data. You can review an app’s Data safety section in Google Play when it is available. Developers provide those details, and Google notes that not every store or preloaded app has these labels.
Control camera and microphone access
On compatible Android versions, you can temporarily turn off access for apps across the device under Settings → Security & privacy → Privacy → Privacy controls. Turn off camera or microphone access. The location of these switches varies by phone. Video calls, document scanning and voice recording will also stop working while access is off.
On supported versions, Android may show an indicator when an app uses a sensitive sensor. If one appears unexpectedly, open the Privacy dashboard and check which app accessed it. If the menu name differs, use Settings search or your phone maker’s help.
Review access after installing or updating apps
When you install or update an app, consider its permission request in the context of the feature you want. A flashlight does not need your contacts; a weather app does not always need location. If you are unsure, deny access for now and grant it later if a feature requires it.
Denying one permission does not prove that an app collects no data through other features. Likewise, a camera permission does not mean the app is constantly recording. Consider permissions alongside the developer’s store disclosures and privacy policy, especially for apps that handle sensitive information.
Official sources & references
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