How to Review and Control What Your Apps Can Access

Apps often request access to your camera, microphone, location, and contacts — here's how to see and change those permissions on iPhone and Android.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Review location access on iPhone
2.Review camera and microphone access on iPhone
3.Review permissions on Android
4.Review which apps have access to your photos

Review location access on iPhone

~38s

Go to SettingsPrivacy & SecurityLocation Services. You will see a list of every app that has requested your location. Tap each app to see its current setting: "Never," "Ask Next Time," "While Using the App," or "Always." For most apps, "While Using the App" is the right choice — it means the app can only see your location when you have it open, not in the background 24 hours a day. Only navigation apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps need "Always."

Quick Tip

Scroll down in Location Services to see "System Services" — this controls whether Apple can use your location for things like iPhone analytics. Turning off "iPhone Analytics" here does not affect any app.

Review camera and microphone access on iPhone

~29s

Go to SettingsPrivacy & SecurityCamera to see which apps have requested camera access. Toggle off access for any app that has no reason to need it. Then go to Settings → Privacy & SecurityMicrophone and do the same. A social media app you use only to read posts has no need for your microphone. If you turn off access for an app that genuinely needs it, the app will ask you to re-enable it when you next try to use that feature.

Review permissions on Android

~22s

On Android, go to SettingsPrivacyPermission Manager (on some Samsung phones: SettingsApps → choose an app → Permissions). The Permission Manager shows a category view — tap "Camera," "Microphone," "Location," etc. to see which apps have access to each. Tap any app in the list to change its permission. You can set most to "Only while using the app" or remove access entirely.

Review which apps have access to your photos

~33s

On iPhone, go to SettingsPrivacy & SecurityPhotos. You will see apps listed with their level of access: "None," "Add Photos Only," "Selected Photos," or "All Photos." Consider changing apps like social media or shopping apps to "Selected Photos" — they can only see the specific photos you choose to share rather than your entire photo library. On Android, go to SettingsPrivacyPermission ManagerPhotos and Videos for the same review.

Quick Tip

Do this review once a season — every three months. App updates sometimes request new permissions, so a quick review keeps things tidy.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Review and Control What Your Apps Can Access

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When you install an app, it can request permission to access various parts of your phone — your camera, microphone, contacts, location, photos, and more. Some of these permissions make sense (a map app needs your location) and some do not (a flashlight app does not need your contacts). Reviewing and tightening up these permissions takes about 10 minutes and is one of the most effective things you can do for your privacy.

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app permissions

privacy

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location

microphone

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