App permissions
Photos, location, camera: every piece of access an app asks for, which the stores expect to be justified, kept minimal and explained to the user.
Updated October 2026 · with examples from our own builds
What does app permissions mean in practice?
Phones ask the user before an app can read photos, use the camera or track location, and the stores check that each request matches a visible feature. iOS also needs a written purpose string for each protected resource, shown in the permission prompt.
Asking for more than a feature needs puts users off and can get a release rejected, while modern alternatives, such as the system photo picker, often need no broad permission at all. Treat each request as a small trust decision as well as a technical one.
The rules move with each OS release. A request that passed review last year can fail under a newer policy, so permissions belong on every release checklist.
App permissions at a glance
- Rule of thumb
- Ask for the narrowest access, when it is needed
- iOS requires
- A purpose string for each protected resource
- Check each release
- New OS versions and store policies change the rules
Where has app permissions come up in our builds?
The customer and driver apps asked for access to all photos for one-off picks, which Play's photo policy rejects; they now use the system photo picker. It was one of two release-blocking defects found in the pre-Play QA pass.
Getting the iOS build to TestFlight meant adding six privacy purpose strings Apple required, alongside fixing the bundle identifier.
Common questions about app permissions
Does my app need full photo library access to let users upload a picture?
Usually not. The system photo picker lets a user choose specific photos without the app being granted the whole library, and Google Play expects apps that only pick photos occasionally to use it.
When should an app ask for location?
At the moment a feature needs it, with a clear reason on screen, and only at the precision the feature needs. Asking for everything at first launch tends to get refused.
Related terms
Sources
Planning a product and not sure where app permissions fits? Ask us, or browse all 116 terms in the glossary.