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      1 page.title=Runtime Permissions
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     19 <div id="qv-wrapper">
     20   <div id="qv">
     21     <h2>In this document</h2>
     22     <ol id="auto-toc">
     23     </ol>
     24   </div>
     25 </div>
     26 
     27 <p>The Android 6.0 application permission model is designed to make permissions
     28 more understandable, useful, and secure for users. The model moves Android
     29 applications that require dangerous permissions (see
     30 <a href="#affected-permissions">Affected permissions</a>) from an
     31 <em>install</em> time permission model to <em>runtime</em> permission model:</p>
     32 
     33 <ul>
     34 <li><strong>Install Time Permissions</strong> (<em>Android 5.1 and earlier</em>).
     35 Users grant dangerous permissions to an app when installing or updating the app.
     36 OEMs/carriers can pre-install apps with pre-granted permissions without
     37 notifying the user.</li>
     38 <li><strong>Runtime Permissions</strong> (Android <em>6.0 and later</em>). Users
     39 grant dangerous permissions to an app when the app is running. Applications
     40 decide when to request permissions (such as when the app launches or the user
     41 accesses a specific feature), but must allow the user to grant/deny application
     42 access to specific permission groups. OEMs/carriers can pre-install apps but
     43 cannot pre-grant permissions (see <a href="#creating-exceptions">Creating
     44 exceptions</a>).</li>
     45 </ul>
     46 
     47 <p>Runtime permissions provide users additional context and visibility into the
     48 permissions applications are seeking or have been granted. The runtime model
     49 also encourages developers to help users understand why applications require the
     50 requested permissions and to provide greater transparency about the benefits and
     51 hazards of granting or denying permissions.</p>
     52 <p>Users can revoke application permissions using the Apps menu in Settings.</p>
     53 
     54 <h2 id="affected-permissions">Affected permissions</h2>
     55 
     56 <p>Android 6.0 requires only dangerous permissions to use a runtime permissions
     57 model. Dangerous permissions are higher-risk permissions (such as
     58 <code>READ_CALENDAR</code>) that grant requesting applications access to private
     59 user data or control over the device that can negatively impact the user. To
     60 view a list of dangerous permissions, run the command:</p>
     61 <pre>
     62 adb shell pm list permissions -g -d
     63 </pre>
     64 
     65 <p>Android 6.0 does not change the behavior of normal permissions (all
     66 non-dangerous permissions including normal, system, and signature permissions).
     67 Normal permissions are lower-risk permissions (such as
     68 <code>SET_WALLPAPER</code>) that grant requesting applications access to
     69 isolated application-level features with minimal risk to other applications, the
     70 system, or the user. As in Android 5.1 and earlier releases, the system
     71 automatically grants normal permissions to a requesting application at
     72 installation and does not prompt the user for approval. For details on
     73 permissions, refer to
     74 <a href="http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/permission-element.html">&lt;permission&gt;
     75 element documentation</a>.</p>
     76 
     77 <h2 id="requirements">Requirements</h2>
     78 
     79 <p>The runtime permission model applies to all applications, including
     80 pre-installed apps and apps delivered to the device as part of the setup
     81 process. Application software requirements include:</p>
     82 <ul>
     83 <li>Runtime permission model must be consistent across all devices running
     84 Android 6.0. Enforced by Android Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) tests.</li>
     85 <li>Apps must prompt users to grant application permissions at runtime. For
     86 details, see <a href="#updating-apps">Updating applications</a>. Limited
     87 exceptions may be granted to default applications and handlers that provide
     88 basic device functionality fundamental to the expected operation of the device
     89 (i.e. the device's default Dialer app for handling <code>ACTION_CALL</code> may
     90 have Phone permission access). For details, see
     91 <a href="#creating-exceptions">Creating exceptions</a>.</li>
     92 <li>Pre-loaded apps with "dangerous permission" must target API level 23 and
     93 maintain the runtime permission model (i.e. the UI flow during app installation
     94 should not deviate from the AOSP implementation of PackageInstaller, users can
     95 revoke dangerous permissions of pre-installed apps, etc.).</li>
     96 <li>Headless applications must use an activity to request permissions or share a
     97 UID with another application that has the necessary permissions. For details,
     98 see <a href="#headless-apps">Headless applications</a>.</li>
     99 </ul>
    100 
    101 <h2 id="permissions-migration">Permissions migration</h2>
    102 
    103 <p>Permissions granted to applications on Android 5.x remain granted after
    104 updating to Android 6.0, but users can revoke those permissions at any time.</p>
    105 
    106 <h2 id="integration">Integration</h2>
    107 
    108 <p>When integrating the Android 6.0 application runtime permissions model, you
    109 must update pre-installed applications to work with the new model. You can also
    110 define exceptions for apps that are the default handlers/providers for core
    111 functionality, define custom permissions, and customize the theme used in the
    112 PackageInstaller.</p>
    113 
    114 <h3 id="updating-apps">Updating applications</h3>
    115 
    116 <p>Applications on the system image and pre-installed applications are not
    117 automatically pre-granted permissions. We encourage you to work with
    118 pre-installed app developers (OEM, Carrier, and third party) to make the
    119 required app modifications using
    120 <a href="https://developer.android.com/training/permissions/index.html">developer
    121 guidelines</a>. Specifically, you must ensure that pre-installed applications
    122 are modified to avoid crashes and other issues when users revoke permissions.</p>
    123 
    124 <h4 id="preloaded-apps">Pre-loaded applications</h4>
    125 <p>Pre-loaded apps that use dangerous permissions must target API level 23 and
    126 maintain the Android 6.0 AOSP permission model (i.e. the UI flow during an app
    127 installation should not deviate from the AOSP implementation of
    128 PackageInstaller, users can even revoke the dangerous permissions of
    129 pre-installed apps, etc.).</p>
    130 
    131 <h4 id="headless-apps">Headless applications</h4>
    132 <p>Only activities can request permissions; services cannot directly request
    133 permissions.</p>
    134 <ul>
    135 <li>In Android 5.1 and earlier releases, headless applications can request
    136 permissions when installed or pre-installed without the use of an activity.</li>
    137 <li>In Android 6.0, headless applications must use one of the following methods
    138 to request permissions:<ul>
    139 <li>Add an activity to request permissions (preferred method).</li>
    140 <li>Share a UID with another application that has the necessary permissions. Use
    141 this method only when you need the platform to handle multiple APKs as a single
    142 application.</li>
    143 </ul></li>
    144 </ul>
    145 <p>The goal is to avoid confusing users with permission requests that appear out
    146 of context.</p>
    147 
    148 <h3 id="customizing-package-install">Customizing PackageInstaller</h3>
    149 <p>If desired, you can customize the Permissions UI <strong>theme</strong> by
    150 updating the default device themes (<code>Theme.DeviceDefault.Settings</code>
    151 and <code>Theme.DeviceDefault.Light.Dialog.NoActionBar</code>) used by
    152 PackageInstaller. However, because consistency is critical for app developers,
    153 you cannot customize the placement, position, and rules of when the Permissions
    154 UI appears.</p>
    155 <p>To include <strong>strings</strong> for additional languages, contribute the
    156 strings to AOSP.</p>
    157 
    158 <h3 id="creating-exceptions">Creating exceptions</h3>
    159 <p>You can pre-grant permissions to applications that are default handlers or
    160 providers for core OS functionality using the
    161 <code>DefaultPermissionGrantPolicy.java</code> in PackageManager. Examples:</p>
    162 
    163 <code>
    164 <p>ACTION_CALL (Dialer) Default</p>
    165 <ul>
    166 <li>Phone, Contacts, SMS, Microphone</li>
    167 </ul>
    168 <p>SMS_DELIVER_ACTION (SMS/MMS) Default</p>
    169 <ul>
    170 <li>Phone, Contacts, SMS</li>
    171 </ul>
    172 </code>
    173 
    174 <h3 id="defining-custom-perms">Defining custom permissions</h3>
    175 <p>You can define custom permissions and groups as <em>normal</em> or
    176 <em>dangerous</em> and add OEM/Carrier-specific permissions to existing
    177 permissions groups, just as you could in Android 5.x and earlier releases.</p>
    178 
    179 <p>In Android 6.0, if you add a new dangerous permission, it must be handled in
    180 the same way as other dangerous permissions (requested during app runtime and
    181 revocable by users). Specifically:</p>
    182 
    183 <ul>
    184 <li>You can add new permissions to a current group, but you cannot modify the
    185 AOSP mapping of dangerous permissions and dangerous permissions group (e.g. you
    186 cannot remove a permission from a group and assign to other group).</li>
    187 <li>You can add new permission groups in applications installed on the device,
    188 but you cannot add new permissions groups in the platform manifest.</li>
    189 </ul>
    190 
    191 <h2 id="testing-perms">Testing permissions</h2>
    192 <p>Android 6.0 includes Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) tests that verify
    193 individual permissions are mapped to the correct Groups. Passing these tests is
    194 a requirement for Android 6.0 CTS compatibility.</p>
    195