Managing App Permissions
How to review and limit your apps' access
Every app you install requests permissions to use phone features, such as the camera, microphone, contacts or location, and over time we end up accepting these requests almost by reflex without thinking about whether they're really necessary. A photo editing app doesn't need access to your contacts, and a game doesn't need your microphone on at all times, so when a permission doesn't fit the app's function it's worth asking why it's requesting it. Periodically reviewing the list of granted permissions, something that takes just a few minutes in the phone's settings, makes it possible to detect forgotten access from apps you no longer use or that should never have had that level of access. Most current operating systems notify you when an app uses the camera or microphone in the background, and paying attention to those notices is a simple way to stay in control of what your phone shares.