APPS have access to all sorts of things on your phone, but luckily you can control most of them.
Many of them will probably have a perfectly legitimate reason to request access to a certain part of your phone.
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For example, WhatsApp needs permission to access your contacts to find friends and allow you to message them.
But others may ask things that leave you a bit perplexed.
For example, why on earth does a photo editing app need to know my location?
Android lets you see and control what permissions apps have on your smartphone – here’s how.
What types of app permissions are there?
There are many features that apps can request permission for.
Some may not be relevant to your phone – like body sensors, which will be on wearable devices instead.
- Body sensors
- Calendar
- Call logs
- Camera
- contacts
- Location
- Microphone
- Nearby Bluetooth devices
- Call
- Physical activity
- SMS
- Storage
- Files and media
How to see what permissions an app wants
An app should send you a notification asking for permission to use a phone feature.
This will give you a chance to allow or deny it.
You can also see what permissions an app wants before downloading it, by browsing the description on the app’s Google Play Store page.
It is possible to change permissions after installing an app if you wish, by following the instructions below.
How to Change App Permissions on Android
To change app permissions from Android phone, first open Settings then seek apps.
Select the app you want to tune – you may need to tap See all apps if you can’t locate the one you are looking for.
Then go to Permissions.
Tap the permissions you don’t like the way they look and switch them to Don’t allow.
For location, camera and microphone, the options may be different.
In addition to Do not allow, there is also Allow only when using app and ask every time.
Best tips and hacks for phones and gadgets
Looking for tips and tricks for your phone? Want to find these secret features in social media apps? We have what you need…
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