App permissions

App permissions are the rights an app asks for, such as camera, location, SMS or contacts, and each one you allow widens what it can see.

App permissions: App permissions are the rights you give an app to use parts of your phone, such as the camera, microphone, contacts, location, SMS or storage. Each permission opens a door. A torch app that wants your SMS or contacts is a clear warning sign.

Many Indian users tap Allow on every box to get on with it. Loan apps and fake reward apps have used contacts and photos to threaten and shame people. SMS permission lets an app read bank OTPs, so it should be given only to apps that truly need it, such as the messaging app itself. Giving a permission once is easy, but the app keeps it until you remove it.

Android lets you choose while using the app, only this time, or never. You can also review all permissions later and remove those you no longer want. An app that stops working when it is refused a permission it should not need is better uninstalled. Check permissions after each new install and every few months. Unused apps still hold their permissions, so remove apps you no longer use.

Tips

• Choose Only while using the app for location, camera and microphone whenever it is offered.
• Deny SMS, contacts and call log permission to any app that is not clearly a messaging or calling app.
• Use Safeavio's app permissions review to see which apps hold sensitive rights.

Related terms