Android app permissions explained

These touch private data or hardware - your location, messages, contacts, camera, microphone, files, calls, calendar, or sensors. Android asks you to approve them at runtime.

access background locationandroid.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION

Access your location in the background

Approximate locationandroid.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION

Access your approximate location

Audio filesandroid.permission.READ_MEDIA_AUDIO

Read audio files on your device

call phoneandroid.permission.CALL_PHONE

Directly call phone numbers

Cameraandroid.permission.CAMERA

Take pictures and record video

Contactsandroid.permission.READ_CONTACTS

Read your contacts

get accountsandroid.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS

Find accounts on the device

Microphoneandroid.permission.RECORD_AUDIO

Record audio with the microphone

Photosandroid.permission.READ_MEDIA_IMAGES

Read photos on your device

Precise locationandroid.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

Access your precise GPS location

read calendarandroid.permission.READ_CALENDAR

Read calendar events

read call logandroid.permission.READ_CALL_LOG

Read your call history

read phone numbersandroid.permission.READ_PHONE_NUMBERS

Read the device's phone numbers

read phone stateandroid.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE

Read phone status and identity

read smsandroid.permission.READ_SMS

Read your SMS messages

Read storageandroid.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Read files from shared storage

receive mmsandroid.permission.RECEIVE_MMS

Receive incoming MMS picture messages

receive smsandroid.permission.RECEIVE_SMS

Receive incoming SMS text messages

send smsandroid.permission.SEND_SMS

Send SMS text messages

Videosandroid.permission.READ_MEDIA_VIDEO

Read videos on your device

write calendarandroid.permission.WRITE_CALENDAR

Add or modify calendar events

write call logandroid.permission.WRITE_CALL_LOG

Modify your call history

write contactsandroid.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS

Modify your contacts

Write storageandroid.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Modify files in shared storage

Powerful, system-level capabilities that Android gates behind a dedicated settings screen, such as drawing over other apps, installing packages, or seeing every installed app.

manage accountsandroid.permission.MANAGE_ACCOUNTS

Add or remove accounts

manage external storageandroid.permission.MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Manage all files on the device

query all packagesandroid.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES

See all other installed apps

request install packagesandroid.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES

Request installation of app packages

schedule exact alarmandroid.permission.SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM

Schedule precise alarms

system alert windowandroid.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW

Draw over other apps

Common, low-risk permissions that are granted automatically at install time, like network access, vibration, or keeping the screen awake.

access wifi stateandroid.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE

View Wi-Fi connection status

authenticate accountsandroid.permission.AUTHENTICATE_ACCOUNTS

Create accounts and set passwords

billingcom.android.vending.BILLING

Use Google Play in-app billing

Biometricsandroid.permission.USE_BIOMETRIC

Use biometric (fingerprint or face) unlock

bluetoothandroid.permission.BLUETOOTH

Pair with Bluetooth devices

bluetooth connectandroid.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT

Connect to paired Bluetooth devices

bluetooth scanandroid.permission.BLUETOOTH_SCAN

Scan for nearby Bluetooth devices

change network stateandroid.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE

Change network connectivity

change wifi stateandroid.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE

Connect to and disconnect from Wi-Fi

Foreground serviceandroid.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE

Run a foreground service

foreground service data syncandroid.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC

Run a data sync foreground service

get tasksandroid.permission.GET_TASKS

Retrieve information about running apps

Keep awakeandroid.permission.WAKE_LOCK

Prevent the device from sleeping

modify audio settingsandroid.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS

Change your audio settings

Network accessandroid.permission.INTERNET

Full network and internet access

Network stateandroid.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE

View network connection status

nfcandroid.permission.NFC

Use Near Field Communication (NFC)

Notificationsandroid.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS

Show notifications

read sync settingsandroid.permission.READ_SYNC_SETTINGS

Read sync settings

receivecom.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE

Receive push messages (Firebase Cloud Messaging)

receive boot completedandroid.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED

Run automatically at device startup

use credentialsandroid.permission.USE_CREDENTIALS

Use accounts on the device

use fingerprintandroid.permission.USE_FINGERPRINT

Use fingerprint hardware

Vibrationandroid.permission.VIBRATE

Control device vibration

write sync settingsandroid.permission.WRITE_SYNC_SETTINGS

Modify sync settings