Reset Android App Permissions After a System Update (No Root)

After a major Android system update, many users notice that some apps suddenly stop working as expected. Frequently the culprit is a change in app permissions – the update may have reset, revoked, or altered the permissions that the app relied on. This tutorial shows you how to identify which permissions are affected and how to restore them without rooting your device.

Before you start

• Charge your phone to at least 50 % to avoid interruptions.
• Connect to a stable Wi‑Fi network – you’ll need to download the ADB binary if you choose the command‑line method.
• Enable Developer options and USB debugging (Settings > About phone > Tap Build number 7 times, then Settings > System > Developer options > USB debugging).
• If you plan to use ADB, install the adb tool on your computer. The official Android SDK Platform‑Tools package works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Back up any critical data. Resetting permissions does not erase data, but it’s good practice before using ADB commands.

Method 1 – Using the Android UI (All devices)

This method works on any Android version that supports runtime permissions (Android 6.0 Marshmallow and later). It requires no computer.

1. Open Settings. Swipe down from the top, tap the gear icon.
2. Navigate to Apps & notifications. On some OEMs this may be called Applications or App manager.
3. Find the affected app. You can use the search bar at the top of the screen. Tap the app name to open its info page.
4. Tap Permissions. On Pixel‑style Android this appears directly; on Samsung it may be under App permissions or Permission manager.
5. Review each permission category. Permissions that are set to Denied but you know the app needs (e.g., Location, Camera, Microphone) should be toggled to Allow. If you see a permission listed as Ask every time and the app misbehaves, you may also set it to Allow for smoother operation.
6. Confirm the change. Some devices will ask for confirmation – tap Allow again.
7. Repeat for each affected app. Common culprits after an update are messaging apps, camera apps, and any app that uses background location.
8. Test the app. Open the app and verify the feature that previously failed (e.g., sending a photo, receiving a call). If it still doesn’t work, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2 – Using ADB to Reset Permissions in Bulk (No Root)

When many apps are affected, toggling each permission manually can be tedious. ADB lets you query and reset permissions with a few commands. This works on any device that accepts USB debugging connections.

Step 1 – Install ADB on your computer

1. Download the Android SDK Platform‑Tools from the official Android developer site.
2. Extract the zip file to a folder you can access from the command line (e.g., C:\adb on Windows or ~/adb on macOS/Linux).
3. Add the folder to your system PATH variable, or navigate to it each time you run a command.

Step 2 – Verify the device connection

1. Connect your phone to the computer via USB.
2. On the phone, a prompt will appear asking to allow USB debugging. Tap Allow and optionally check Always allow from this computer.
3. Open a terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, Terminal) and run:

   adb devices

   You should see a line with your device’s serial number and the word device. If it says unauthorized, re‑check the prompt on the phone.

Step 3 – List apps with denied runtime permissions

Android’s pm (package manager) command can report permission states. Run:

adb shell pm list packages -3

The -3 flag limits the output to third‑party apps (excluding system apps). To see denied permissions for a specific package, replace com.example.app with the actual package name:

adb shell dumpsys package com.example.app | grep denied

If you prefer a quick overview of all denied permissions across apps, use:

adb shell pm dump | grep "denied" | grep "runtime"

Note: The exact grep pattern may vary between Android versions; the goal is to locate lines that contain runtime and denied.

Step 4 – Grant a specific permission

Once you know the package name and the permission you need (e.g., android.permission.CAMERA), grant it with:

adb shell pm grant com.example.app android.permission.CAMERA

Repeat this command for each missing permission.

Step 5 – Reset all runtime permissions for an app (use with caution)

If you want Android to prompt you for every runtime permission again (useful when you’re unsure which ones are broken), you can revoke all and let the app request them on next launch:

adb shell pm reset-permissions com.example.app

After running this, open the app; Android will show the standard permission dialogs.

Step 6 – Bulk‑grant common permissions

For power users who want to restore a typical set of permissions across many apps, you can script it. Below is a safe example that grants Camera, Location, and Microphone to every third‑party app:

for pkg in $(adb shell pm list packages -3 | cut -f2 -d:); do
  adb shell pm grant $pkg android.permission.CAMERA || true
  adb shell pm grant $pkg android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION || true
  adb shell pm grant $pkg android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO || true
done

The || true ensures the loop continues even if a particular app does not request a permission (the command will fail silently).

Troubleshooting

• ADB reports “device unauthorized”. Re‑connect the USB cable, check the debugging prompt on the phone, and make sure you selected “Always allow”.
• Permission command fails with “Security exception”. Some OEMs (e.g., Huawei, Xiaomi) restrict pm grant for certain permissions unless the app is a system app. In that case, fall back to the UI method.
• App still crashes after granting permissions. Check the app’s logcat output for clues: adb logcat | grep com.example.app. Look for “SecurityException” or “Permission denied”.
• Permissions revert after the next OTA update. Android may re‑apply its default permission set. To avoid repeating the process, create a small .bat or .sh script with the grant commands and run it after each future update.

Best‑practice checklist after a system update

1. Open Settings > Privacy > Permission manager and glance at the Denied list.
2. Launch your most used apps (messaging, camera, navigation) and note any missing functionality.
3. If you encounter a problem, first try the UI method (Section 1). If multiple apps are affected, switch to ADB (Section 2).
4. Document any custom scripts you create for future reference.
5. Consider enabling Automatic permission reset (Settings > Privacy > Permission manager > Auto‑reset) only if you are comfortable with Android revoking unused permissions after a few months.

When to consider rooting

The methods above work for the vast majority of users. Root access would allow you to edit the packages.xml file directly, but that carries significant security and warranty risks. If you find yourself repeatedly battling permission resets and you are comfortable with advanced Android internals, you might explore rooting. Otherwise, the UI and ADB approaches are safe and sufficient.

Wrap‑up

System updates improve security, but they can also disrupt the permission landscape of your installed apps. By following the UI steps you can quickly fix a single misbehaving app, and by using ADB you can reset or grant permissions across the board without ever rooting your device. Keep this guide handy, especially after major OTA releases, and you’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time using your phone the way you expect.