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Review and reduce app permissions on your phone
Check which apps have access to your location, camera, microphone, and contacts, and remove any permissions that are not needed. Many apps request more access than they actually need to function.
Why this matters
Apps frequently request access to your location, camera, microphone, and contacts — even when those permissions have nothing to do with the app's function. A torch app does not need your location. A game does not need your contacts. Unnecessary permissions create privacy risks and can allow data to be collected and sold without your knowledge. Reviewing permissions takes twenty minutes and is a meaningful improvement.
How to do it
- On iPhone: go to Settings → Privacy & Security. Review each category — Location Services, Camera, Microphone, Contacts — and tap each one to see which apps have access.
- On Android: go to Settings → Privacy → Permission Manager. Review each permission type and see which apps have access.
- For each app, ask: does this app genuinely need this permission to do its job? A navigation app needs location. A photo editor needs the camera. Most other apps do not.
- Remove permissions that are not needed by setting them to 'Never' or 'Ask Next Time.' The app will still work for its core function.
- Pay particular attention to location permissions — set apps to 'Only While Using' rather than 'Always On' unless the app specifically requires background location (such as a navigation app).
Need a more detailed walkthrough?
Our step-by-step guide explains each action in full detail, with confirmation steps and related tasks.
View full step-by-step guide →Cyber Essentials framework
This task falls under the User Accesscontrol, one of five areas assessed in the UK's Cyber Essentials scheme. Completing it counts toward your Cyber Essentials alignment. Create a free account to track your progress across all five areas.
On an Android phone? See our full guide to Android app permissions →
Need step-by-step instructions? How to review app permissions on Android →
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