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Whenever I go to change app permissions for on app on my Android, I do it after it has already been installed. Is there any way I can modify those permissions before I do the installation?

Update:

With the traditional way a period of time passes, however small, between the time you install the app and the time you update/restrict its permissions. During this period the app could be accessing the data (and uploading to its server) that you are trying to restrict (contacts, identity, etc.). Right?

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    How can it modify permissions for a non existent app?
    – Moab
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 19:07
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    The permissions would be applied as it is being installed.
    – gmancoda
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 21:42
  • To my knowledge there's no way to apply that "before" or "during" install – but there definitely is for "on access" (i.e. whenever the app tries to access something, but before it succeeded). But those solutions I know in this context require root access on the device. Is that available?
    – Izzy
    Commented Apr 18, 2018 at 6:07

2 Answers 2

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You can't change app settings before the app has been installed.

However if you are concerned about data leakage I would do the following:

  1. Download the apk to your device
  2. Disable all network connections
  3. Install the app
  4. Change the app permissions according your preferences
  5. Open the app manager and select the just installed app
  6. Force the app to quit and delete the app data and caches (just to make sure)

Afterwards you can safely re-enable network access

Anyway, for common permissions the app have to ask before it can be used the first time. Therefore it is unclear to me what permissions you are referring to that could be directly used without that you have explicitly granted access to.

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  • The "offline" installation is not the quickest method (and might not accomplish the task). As for the prompts for first time access, I do not feel like I have been getting them consistently (or accurately?) during use - could be just what the app is doing at that time. This is what's confusing and leaves me wondering, and wishing I could set it and get it over with at installation time. Hopefully Google will introduce this feature in near future.
    – gmancoda
    Commented Apr 19, 2018 at 0:37
  • Some apps still target older Android versions where the permission model was not yet introduced. Such apps don't have to ask for a permission they just get it. But in November 2018 this will change. Then targeting an old Android version will be no longer allowed..
    – Robert
    Commented Apr 19, 2018 at 7:15
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Android permissions are anarchy. You can disable in newer Android versions, but between installation and permission settings adjustment, all your data can be accessed and uploaded to the app's server.

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