Your Phone's Apps Could Have More Permissions Than They Need – Here's How To Check

Both Android and iOS now provide built-in settings that let users review and revoke the permissions apps hold for sensitive data and hardware, including camera, location, messages and files, according to Engadget's Adnan Ahmed. Ahmed notes that a permission request is not inherently unsafe, but users should question why an app needs access unrelated to its core function. The review matters because apps with unnecessary access to sensitive information or device features can still pose a risk even when platform security measures block outright malicious software. Users can, for example, restrict location access to only while an app is in active use rather than allowing background tracking. The takeaway is periodic permission audits as a routine data-security habit, with the next step being to check each app's settings and downgrade or revoke access that lacks a clear purpose.