Google has 2.5 billion users worldwide, so it has a huge responsibility for making Android operating systems as secure as possible. Now to ensure that recently Google has released the Android 11 update for allowing better control over App permissions. It mainly focused on providing more privacy and limiting what an app can access.
Android 11 update gives users the ability to grant apps permission for accessing specific features like location, microphone, and camera. Whenever any app needs to access these activities a permission dialog will appear with an option called only this time. If users choose this option then your app will access that particular feature temporarily as one-time permission.
Also, the system can reset the permissions of unused apps that target Android 11 or higher. And apps need to update permission that they indicate if they use the system alert window or read information related to phone numbers.
Android 11 update, Details of improved App permissions
Though the Android 11 update gives you more control over app permission, For apps installed prior to update remain the same. This means those apps already have their own permission set.
Along with this the Android 11 update has a new setting for app permission and allows them to automatically removed if you don’t use them for a couple of months. Apps permission will disabled by default. This feature called “Auto revoke permission”. And in case if you again use the app, you can restore its access as per your requirement. But the permission won’t be forgotten. Present Google is testing with different cutoff periods like after 60 to 90 days. For eliminating stray permission without breaking functionality.
D’Silva says ” We have observed that in our data many people have a lot of apps on their devices that they may use those apps one or two times and forget about them totally. They simply don’t uninstall it because they are aware of it or don’t have a need to. But the App still has permissions linked with it. For that purpose, we came with this “Auto revoke permission” feature sort of a hygiene check.
Types of permissions
One-time permissions
With Android 11 update, whenever users want to grant permission for a particular app for accessing Location, Microphone, and camera. The user-facing permissions dialog contains options Only This Time, While in use, and Deny.
- Only this time — It means app request for permission is granted for one time only. Next time whenever a user wants to use that feature, the app will show the permission dialog box again.
- “While in use” — It lets apps access specific features only when the app is being used.
- “Deny” — This means the app can not access the particular feature that it is asking for permission.
Auto-reset permissions from unused apps
If your app targets Android 11 or higher and isn’t used for a couple of months. Then the system will protect user data by automatically resetting the sensitive runtime permissions. Which the user has granted previously. It is the same as if the user chooses to change the permission in system settings and change your app’s access level to deny.
Whereas if your app requests permission at runtime, then you don’t have to make any changes to your app. Because the user interacts with features in your app, and you need to verify that the feature has permission that the user requires in Android 11 update.
Disable auto-resetting permission for your apps
If your app wants permission all the time even the user is not interacting. One reason may be if your app runs in the background to sync data then you can ask the user to prevent the system from resetting your app’s permissions.
Users can go to the app’s page in system settings and invoke an intent that includes the Intent.ACTION_AUTO_REVOKE_PERMISSIONS intent action. By this user can prevent the system from resetting your app’s permissions by following these simple steps.
1.Select Permissions in the App Permissions settings screen.
2.Turn off the option called Remove permissions if the app isn’t used
Android 11 Improves Permission dialog
In the Android 11 update, If the user chooses Deny option for specific app permission more than once during the app’s lifetime of installation on a device. Then the user doesn’t see the same permission dialog even if the app requests that permission again. Once you tap deny options, the user’s action implies “don’t ask again.”
Whereas in the previous version users would see the app’s permission dialog every time your app requested permission. Unless the user had previously selected a “don’t ask again” option. This permission dialog change in the Android 11 update restrains repeated requests for permissions that users have denied.
Manage App permission on Android 11 update
To locate the Permission Manager, choose the settings app then click on privacy. A window will appear in that tap permission manager. Now you can see a listing of all the available service on your device
Then tap any particular service you want to manage. For example, if you want to alter the permissions of location service. Then tap location and you’ll observe a listing of every app which has permission to access that particular service.
With all these, you can manage any app permission and restrict any app permission on the Android 11 update. With some time and effort, you can make sure none of your installed apps have access to features that they shouldn’t.
Conclusion:
The Android 11 update gives you better control over app permissions. Now, you can control what an app can have access to and restrict permissions from apps that you no longer use automatically.
