Disable automatic removal of permissions?

Richard53

Google Pixel 3a (2020) running Android v12.

Every couple of weeks I get a notification saying that some little-used apps have had certain permissions (usually location, and access to microphone and photos) removed for security or power management reasons. I get why this is done, and it's easy to go into the apps and change the settings back if necessary. But one of the apps is my car breakdown service. It's a brilliant little thing that sends your location to the recovery service with a single button press, but of course it needs constant access to my location to be of any use. I've never needed to use it, so the phone thinks it is redundant, I suppose. But it isn't. It's a bit annoying to have to go into the app settings every 2-3 weeks to re-enable it. My problem is that I can't find a way of stopping this happening in the Android settings. I've Googled the question and the impression I get is that it is not possible, either for just one app or as a generic action for all apps. Unless anyone here knows any different?

k_man

To enable/disable for a specific App:

https://support.google.com/android/answer/9431959?hl=en-GB#zippy=,automatically-remove-permissions-for-unused-apps

Automatically remove permissions for unused apps

On your phone, open the Settings app.

Tap Apps.

Tap the app that you want to change.

If you can't find it, tap See all apps. Then, choose your app.

Under 'Unused apps', turn on Remove permissions and free up space.

Richard53

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I have tried this: I disabled the 'remove permissions and free up space' option a few weeks ago and the slider is greyed out. It seems not to have had any effect and the permissions are still being removed, hence the query.

[Deleted User]

You don't actually need to do anything. When you breakdown and press that button in your app, Android will ask you to give a one time permission for the app to get your location.

In the meantime, there is no need for the app to know your location so you can leave it as it is.

k_man

[Deleted User] said:

You don't actually need to do anything. When you breakdown and press that button in your app, Android will ask you to give a one time permission for the app to get your location.

In the meantime, there is no need for the app to know your location so you can leave it as it is.

I have had some apps (older ones) that only ask on first use, and then just fail or error if not enabled outside of the app itself.

But worth a try.

Richard53

[Deleted User] said:

You don't actually need to do anything. When you breakdown and press that button in your app, Android will ask you to give a one time permission for the app to get your location.

In the meantime, there is no need for the app to know your location so you can leave it as it is.

Yes, I guessed that would be the fall-back position. It's not a big problem, but I'd prefer it to be ready to rock and roll if I were stuck on a rainy motorway in the dark *Just in case* 

Thank you.

Neil_Jones

Richard53 said:

[Deleted User] said:

You don't actually need to do anything. When you breakdown and press that button in your app, Android will ask you to give a one time permission for the app to get your location.

In the meantime, there is no need for the app to know your location so you can leave it as it is.

Yes, I guessed that would be the fall-back position. It's not a big problem, but I'd prefer it to be ready to rock and roll if I were stuck on a rainy motorway in the dark *Just in case* 

Thank you.

Any decent modern app that is aware of this "problem" will already have plans in place for this situation.  Which is to ask to Android to request one time permission.

Older apps that haven't been updated in a month of Sundays will freak out that they've lost all their permissions when they're launched again.

Re: "stuck on a rainy motorway in the dark", remember you're only ever half a mile at most from a motorway emergency telephone.

k_man

Neil_Jones said:

Re: "stuck on a rainy motorway in the dark", remember you're only ever half a mile at most from a motorway emergency telephone.

And the mobile's illuminated screen will mitigated this somewhat 😉

Neil_Jones

k_man said:

Neil_Jones said:

Re: "stuck on a rainy motorway in the dark", remember you're only ever half a mile at most from a motorway emergency telephone.

And the mobile's illuminated screen will mitigated this somewhat 😉

Yeah, that too.  Until it runs out of juice