Mobile applications have become indispensable in today’s digital world, yet each request for app permissions can act as a double-edged sword. Improperly managed app permissions may create openings for malicious use, leading to sensitive personal information leakage and serious threats to privacy and data security. Randomly installing and authorizing unknown software can even infect a handset with malware. Beyond these security risks, overly permissive apps often flood users with unnecessary notification interruptions that derail daily flow.
For enterprises, the stakes are higher. Improper application permission settings on company devices can threaten network security and expose sensitive enterprise information—an urgent concern in regulated industries such as finance and healthcare. Misconfigured permissions can also trigger data processing that fails to meet stringent regulatory requirements, causing legal problems. If employees arbitrarily modify permissions, application functions may become abnormal or unusable, hampering productivity. Worse, inconsistent settings across devices increase the IT department’s management burden.
This article guides you through understanding and mastering app permissions on Android devices.
You can manage app permission settings on Android. Android provides inbuilt functionality to help you manage app permissions based on your needs.
In the case of Samsung devices, it lets you manage app permissions using either the Allow only while using the app, Ask Every Time, or Don’t Allow option. Let’s take a peek into how you can manage app permissions on your Samsung device:
1Give App permissions
One of the common ways to manage your app permissions on Android is by giving app permissions when downloading and installing a new app on your device.
During the app installation process, you will often be prompted to choose preferred app permission settings as default app usage settings.
However, there might be many permissions you don’t really need when using the app. To check and maybe edit these permissions during installation, navigate as follows:
Step 1.Open the target app on Google Play and scroll down to the “Data Safety” section.
Step 2.Tap the arrow next to this data safety feature and subsequently select the “Data Collected” option. This should give you a list of personal data the app will collect as well as respective permissions.
Step 3.Simply tap on the data type to reveal the permissions related to that app. If you see “Optional” next to it, it means the app doesn’t need that permission to function/run.
2Change App Permissions
Sometimes, you might be fed up with the frequent prompts asking you whether you want to enable permissions every time you want to use the respective app. Additionally, you could probably have made the wrong permission choices when you downloaded the app and these permissions are annoying.
If you are experiencing these scenarios, you should consider changing app permission settings on Android to reflect your needs.
For Samsung users, you can change the app permissions on already installed apps as follows.
Step 1.Open your Samsung phone and tap the “Settings” icon to access its menu. From the menu, select the app you want to change its permissions then choose the “Permissions” option.
Step 2.You should now enter the “App Permissions” screen. Here, choose the specific app permission you want to change and you will see three permission options.
Option 1:
Select a suitable permission and it will be affected. From now on, you won’t see those annoying pop-ups asking you how you want to use your app every time you open it.
Option 2:
If you want to change app permission settings on Android for all your apps at the same time, you can change them as follows.
Step 1.On your Samsung device, head to the “Settings” icon then choose the “Apps” option from the menu displayed. Now, go to the top-right corner of the subsequent screen and click the three vertical dots.
Step 2.From the options given, select “Permission Manager”. You should now see a list of permissions offered by your Samsung device.
Select the permission you want to edit then choose a suitable permission option. You can choose the allow all the time, allow only while using the app, ask every time, or deny options.
It is important to note that these steps might vary depending on the model or software version of the Samsung device you are using. Nevertheless, the differences are not that huge and you can easily translate these procedures to various models with ease.
3Check Allowed Permissions on Android
Another way to manage permissions on your Samsung device is by checking the permissions you have allowed on your device.
Checking the allowed permissions gives you a full view of the permissions on your devices and lets you know whether your device/data runs any privacy/security risks. You can then decide to change the settings (if you feel it is necessary) to improve your device security/privacy.
If you are using a Samsung phone, follow the steps below to check all the allowed permissions on your Android phone.
Step 1.On your Samsung phone, go to the “Settings” tab followed by “Security & Privacy”.
Step 2.In the subsequent screen, select “Privacy” then “Permission Manager”. You should now see a list of permissions alongside the number of apps attached to that particular permission.
Step 3. Now, select a permission and you should see specific apps that have been given and those that have not been given that permission. You can then choose to change the permission settings based on your needs.
2How to Manage App permissions on Android in Bulk?
Managing app permission settings on Android for one or a few devices might not be challenging.
However, if you have multiple devices, say for your enterprise, then managing app permissions across these multiple devices can be a hassle. It is even worse if these devices are located in different geographical locations.
Luckily, there are solutions like going for an enterprise-grade MDM solution like AirDroid Business that gives you a seamless and effective platform to manage app permissions on Android in bulk.
AirDroid Business lets you conveniently manage app permissions across different Android devices from a single console. You can manage specific apps on multiple devices or multiple apps on different Android devices at once without touching the end device.
Method 1: Configure App Permissions from Managed Google Play Store
Step 1:
Download the App from the Managed Google Play Store to the Samsung
In the first step, the only action you need to perform is to release the applications from the Google Play Store to the business devices (Only work for GMS devices). The applications can be downloaded to the company-owned Samsung device groups. This can be done by selecting app library >> Managed Google Play store >> Add app >> Select app.
Step 2:
Open "Settings"
When you are done with the release of the app from the Google Play Store, you can then manage the app permissions settings for the existing applications. For that, you need to go to the “settings”. These permissions can include many permissions such as location, Camera, Calendar, Contacts, Microphone etc. It then depends upon you if you allow the permission, deny it, or allow the user of the device to be able to give that permission to the application.
Method 2: Utilizing Knox Service Plugin (KSP) with an MDM Solution for Samsung Devices
For organizations that deploy Samsung hardware, Samsung Knox supplies a robust security and management framework. Pairing the Knox Service Plugin (KSP) with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform such as AirDroid Business lets IT administrators enforce app permissions consistently through Android’s managed configurations.
Step 1:
Enroll Your Devices
Bring all Samsung units into the MDM via Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME), Android Enterprise (AE) enrollment, or Device Owner (DO) enrollment so every handset starts from a unified baseline.
Step 2:
Deploy Knox Service Plugin (KSP)
Managed Google Play: In most KME or AE cases, open the Managed Google Play store inside the console and add Knox Service Plugin. OEMConfig path: For DO environments, navigate to Policy & Kiosk Config Files → Policy → OEMConfig and attach the APK.
Step 3:
Configure App Permissions
Inside the KSP pane, set Enable device policy controls and Application management policies → Enable application management controls to True. Under Permission Controls, create “Configuration 1,” select Allow, Deny, or Ask, and assign each rule to the correct package or packageName/componentName for special rights.
Step 4:
Save and Apply
After the profile syncs, every enrolled device follows one identical map. A quick remote reboot helps stubborn apps adopt the new policy.
Even with careful bulk management, users sometimes hit snags when altering permissions. Keep this checklist on hand:
App crashes or freezes after modifying permissions
Open Settings → Apps → [App] → Permissions and enable only rights crucial for functionality, then reopen the app.
Visit Google Play, tap Manage apps & device, and install any available updates; developers frequently patch permission bugs.
Still stuck? Go to Settings → Apps → Storage, tap Clear data and Clear cache, then restart the phone.
App cannot access a specific feature
Recheck the related permission in the same menu.
Some special rights—overlay display, notification access—reside in Advanced Settings. Enable them there and test again.
Permission prompts fail to reappear after denial
In Settings → Apps → [App] → Permissions revoke the denied right, reopen the app, and, if the dialog stays silent, restart the device or clear cache to reset states.
Need to restore default settings after accidental denials
Go to Settings → Apps, tap the three-dot menu, and select Reset app preferences. This resets all app permissions, notifications, and background data restrictions to factory values.
Extra troubleshooting steps
Confirm global options such as Auto-revoke permissions for unused apps are not undoing your changes.
If issues persist, open the app’s Google Play page, choose Developer contact, and send detailed steps to reproduce the error. Prompt feedback often yields a swift fix.
4The Impact of Permission Minimalism
Permission Minimalism stresses granting applications only essential rights, limiting exposure while keeping core functions intact.
Security and privacy: Fewer permissions shrink the attack surface. A weather widget that cannot see contacts cannot leak contact data in a breach. Enterprises lower the risk of sensitive enterprise information leakage and strengthen compliance in regulated industries.
Battery life: Rights like precise location or unrestricted background activity wake hardware repeatedly. Stripping those privileges allows more sleep cycles, extending runtime for field workers who need every percent.
Network usage: Excess rights often power silent telemetry. Restricting them curbs unnecessary data transfers, easing mobile data costs for both users and businesses.
Functionality trade-offs: Tightened rights sometimes disable premium features. A map app without location cannot show turn-by-turn navigation. Balance needs by role: field technicians may merit live GPS, office staff may not.
Best Practices
Follow the Least Privilege Principle – Developers request only vital permissions; users grant only those.
For Regular Users – Before installing, inspect the Data Safety panel in Google Play or review the system’s Permission Management section. Reject any unnecessary request.
For Enterprise IT/Administrators – Use an MDM such as AirDroid Business to distribute a least-privilege baseline, monitor apps that suddenly demand new rights, and require justification before approval.
By weaving Permission Minimalism into everyday policy, organisations gain stronger security, longer battery life, and predictable device behaviour without blocking essential tools.
Conclusion
Managing app permissions is no longer a task for specialists; it is everyday digital hygiene. Combining strong tools like Knox Service Plugin with a culture of Permission Minimalism helps individuals guard privacy and allows enterprises to protect network security and meet stringent regulatory requirements. Regular audits, quick profile tweaks through the MDM, and a habit of questioning every new permission request keep Android fleets stable and secure. Stay vigilant, and your devices will repay you with fewer alerts, longer battery life, and greater peace of mind.
Frequent Asked Questions
Why Some Apps Can't Function After Permissions Are Denied?
Maverick
Certain permissions may partly or fully affect the functionality of the app. When an app stops working after permissions are denied, it often means the app is entirely dependent on that denied permission to function. For example, if you disable location on maps, the maps app won’t run on your device.
When you open the app with Google Play and head to the “Data Collected” section, you can check whether that permission can make the app stop functioning or not. If the permission is classified as “Optional” then it cannot stop the app from functioning when disabled.
How to Restore Accidentally Changed Permission Settings?
Maverick
Navigate to Settings>Apps> App Name>Permissions. Here, you can edit the permissions to the initial settings.
Reset the app’s permission to default permission settings. To do so, go to Settings>Apps>Reset App Preferences. However, this method can reset the preferences you don’t want to be reset.
The Impact of Permission Management on Battery Life?
Maverick
Permission Management can prolong the battery life of your Android device especially when you deny/limit the usage of certain apps through permissions. This is useful especially when dealing with enterprise devices.
If you use an app permission management tool like AirDroid Business, for example, you can deny permissions to certain power-hungry apps on multiple enterprise devices to prolong their battery life and encourage productivity.
For more than 8 years, Maverick has dig deep into IT and mobile device management. He delivers practical MDM solution tips and strategies for various endpoints management.
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