How to check Notification access on Android and why OTPs depend on it
Find which Android apps can read all your notifications, including OTPs and chats, and remove access from the ones that should not have it.
Notification access lets an app read every notification that arrives on your phone: OTPs, bank alerts and chat previews. Smartwatch, car and automation apps use it for good reasons. Scam apps ask for it for the same reason you would worry. Menu names differ slightly on Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones.
Steps
- Search for Notification access. Open Settings and search for Notification access. It may also be under Apps, then Special app access, then Notification access, or Device and app notifications, then Notification read, reply and control.
- Read the list. You will see apps with an On or Off switch. Typical genuine entries are a smartwatch, car link, Android Auto or a wearable app. Anything else needs a reason.
- Check each unknown name. Tap the app to read what it says it can do. It will mention reading, dismissing and replying to notifications. Ask whether that matches what the app is meant for.
- Turn off what is not needed. Switch off any app you did not set up, then confirm. Android may warn that features could stop working. For a game, cleaner or loan app that is exactly what you want.
- Uninstall suspicious apps. After turning access off, go to Settings, Apps and uninstall the app if you do not recognise it. Then change passwords for any account whose OTPs may have been read.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
OTPs and bank alerts arrive as notifications. An app with this access can read them in the background and forward them to a criminal, which is how many UPI and card frauds work without a call from you. It is a quiet permission, so the list is worth checking now and then, especially after installing a new app.
Watch out for
- A caller asking you to enable Notification access is almost certainly a fraud.
- A fake app may say it needs it to show offers or speed up the phone.
- Smartwatch brands do need it, so do not switch those off by mistake.
- Notification previews on the lock screen are a separate risk, see our lock-screen guide.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's phone scan and permission review help flag apps with risky access, including apps that look like copies of other apps. Safeavio does not read your messages on its own. You paste or share text to its scam check if you are unsure about an SMS or alert.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
Which apps usually need Notification access?
Smartwatch and fitness band apps, Android Auto, some automation tools and a few messaging companions. A game, wallpaper or loan app does not need it.
Does this permission let an app see my SMS?
It lets the app see SMS notifications shown on screen, including OTP text. That is enough to be dangerous, so treat it with the same care as SMS permission.