Uses Permissions

Go Up to Project Options Dialog Box

Project > Options > Uses Permissions

Use this dialog box to specify the permissions that your Android application requires to work. RAD Studio adds the permissions you specify in the AndroidManifest.xml file.

Caution: Carefully review the list of permissions that are configured for your Android application. You should disable permissions that your application does not need, because:

• Android devices prompt your users to accept every requested permission when they run your application for the first time.
• Application stores such as Google Play may use permissions to filter out applications.

  For example, if your application requires the Call phone permission (which is required by default), application stores might not let users install your application on tablets.

For example:

• InterBase requires certain permissions:
  • Internet: Allows applications to access network sockets. If you are building Client/Server apps accessing remote InterBase databases, this permission is a must-have. This permission is also required by InterBase "call home" silent license registration.
  • Read external storage/Write external storage: Allows access to the external storage location where InterBase files, including your database files, are delivered. This permission is required for applications to perform read/write operations.
• Some FireMonkey components require certain permissions. For example:
  • TCalendarEdit requires Read calendar and Write calendar permissions.
  • TLocationSensor requires Access coarse location and Access fine location permissions.
    
    

Some Basic Android Permissions are Set for All FireMonkey Android Apps

New Android applications have the following required permissions set by default:

• Access coarse location
• Access fine location
• Call phone
• Camera
• Internet
• Read calendar
• Read external storage
• Write calendar
• Write external storage
• Read phone state

INTERNET Permission Is Always Set for the Development Configuration

Your Android apps have several Uses Permissions that are set by default, including the INTERNET permission.

• When you build an Android app with the Configuration set to Development (in the Project Manager), the INTERNET permission is always implicitly set, even if you disable the INTERNET permission on Uses Permissions. This is because the RAD Studio debugger requires the INTERNET permission.
• For the Application Store configuration, however, you can disable the INTERNET permission using Project > Options > Uses Permissions.

Here is the Project Manager with the Development configuration node set for an Android app:

Dialog Box Field Descriptions

Options	Description
Target, Apply, Save	See Target Options.
Common items	See Common Items on Project Options Pages.

Basic Uses Permissions

The following uses permissions can be used as required for most Android applications. Some of the most commonly used basic permissions are preset by RAD Studio when you create an Android app.

Permission Symbol	Permission	Description
ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION	Access coarse location	Allows an app to access approximate location derived from network location sources such as cell towers and Wi-Fi.
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION	Access fine location	Allows an app to access precise location from location sources such as GPS, cell towers, and Wi-Fi.
ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS	Access location extra commands	Allows an application to access extra location provider commands.
ACCESS_MOCK_LOCATION	Access mock location	Allows an application to create mock location providers for testing.
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE	Access network state	Allows applications to access information about networks.
ACCESS_WIFI_STATE	Access wifi state	Allows applications to access information about Wi-Fi networks.
ADD_VOICEMAIL	Add voicemail	Allows an application to add voicemails into the system.
AUTHENTICATE_ACCOUNTS	Authenticate accounts	Allows an application to act as an AccountAuthenticator for the AccountManager.
BATTERY_STATS	Battery stats	Allows an application to collect battery statistics.
BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE	Bind accessibility service	Must be required by an AccessibilityService, to ensure that only the system can bind to it.
BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN	Bind device admin	Must be required by device administration receiver, to ensure that only the system can interact with it.
BIND_INPUT_METHOD	Bind input method	Must be required by an InputMethodService, to ensure that only the system can bind to it.
BIND_REMOTEVIEWS	Bind remoteviews	Must be required by a RemoteViewsService, to ensure that only the system can bind to it.
BIND_TEXT_SERVICE	Bind text service	Must be required by a TextService.
BIND_VPN_SERVICE	Bind vpn service	Must be required by an VpnService, to ensure that only the system can bind to it.
BIND_WALLPAPER	Bind wallpaper	Must be required by a WallpaperService, to ensure that only the system can bind to it.
BLUETOOTH	Bluetooth	Allows applications to connect to paired Bluetooth devices.
BLUETOOTH_ADMIN	Bluetooth admin	Allows applications to discover and pair Bluetooth devices.
BROADCAST_STICKY	Broadcast sticky	Allows an application to broadcast sticky intents. These are broadcasts whose data is held by the system after being finished, so that clients can quickly retrieve that data without having to wait for the next broadcast.
CALL_PHONE	Call phone	Allows an application to initiate a phone call without going through the Dialer user interface for the user to confirm the call being placed.
CAMERA	Camera	Required to be able to access the camera device.
CHANGE_CONFIGURATION	Change configuration	Allows an application to modify the current configuration, such as locale.
CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE	Change network state	Allows applications to change network connectivity state.
CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE	Change wifi multicast state	Allows applications to enter Wi-Fi Multicast mode.
CHANGE_WIFI_STATE	Change wifi state	Allows applications to change Wi-Fi connectivity state.
CLEAR_APP_CACHE	Clear app cache	Allows an application to clear the caches of all installed applications on the device.
DISABLE_KEYGUARD	Disable keyguard	Allows applications to disable the keyguard.
EXPAND_STATUS_BAR	Expand status bar	Allows an application to expand or collapse the status bar.
FLASHLIGHT	Flashlight	Allows access to the flashlight.
GET_ACCOUNTS	Get accounts	Allows access to the list of accounts in the Accounts Service.
GET_PACKAGE_SIZE	Get package size	Allows an application to find out the space used by any package.
GET_TASKS	Get tasks	Allows an application to get information about the currently or recently running tasks.
GLOBAL_SEARCH	Global search	Allows the global search system to access the data of specific content providers. Typically Global search is used when the provider has some permissions protecting it (which global search would not be expected to hold), and is added as a read-only permission to the path in the provider where global search queries are performed. The Global search permission cannot be held by regular applications; it is used by applications to protect themselves from all other applications except for global search.
INTERNET	Internet	Allows applications to open network sockets.
KILL_BACKGROUND_PROCESSES	Kill background processes	Allows an application to call killBackgroundProcesses(String).
MANAGE_ACCOUNTS	Manage accounts	Allows an application to manage the list of accounts in the AccountManager.
MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS	Modify audio settings	Allows an application to modify global audio settings.
NFC	NFC	Allows applications to perform I/O operations over NFC.
PROCESS_OUTGOING_CALLS	Process outgoing calls	Allows an application to monitor, modify, or abort outgoing calls.
READ_CALENDAR	Read calendar	Allows an application to read the user calendar data.
READ_CALL_LOG	Read call log	Allows an application to read the user call log.
READ_CONTACTS	Read contacts	Allows an application to read the user contacts data.
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE	Read external storage	Allows an application to read from external storage.
READ_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS	Read history bookmarks	Allows an application to read (but not write) the user browsing history and bookmarks.
READ_PHONE_STATE	Read phone state	Allows read only access to phone state.
READ_PROFILE	Read profile	Allows an application to read the user personal profile data.
READ_SMS	Read SMS	Allows an application to read SMS messages.
READ_SOCIAL_STREAM	Read social stream	Allows an application to read from the user social stream.
READ_SYNC_SETTINGS	Read sync settings	Allows applications to read the sync settings.
READ_SYNC_STATS	Read sync stats	Allows applications to read the sync stats.
READ_USER_DICTIONARY	Read user dictionary	Allows an application to read the user dictionary.
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED	Receive boot completed	Allows an application to receive the ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED that is broadcast after the system finishes booting.
RECEIVE_MMS	Receive MMS	Allows an application to monitor incoming MMS messages, to record or perform processing on them.
RECEIVE_SMS	Receive SMS	Allows an application to monitor incoming SMS messages, to record or perform processing on them.
RECEIVE_WAP_PUSH	Receive WAP push	Allows an application to monitor incoming WAP push messages.
RECORD_AUDIO	Record audio	Allows an application to record audio.
REORDER_TASKS	Reorder tasks	Allows an application to change the Z-order of tasks.
SEND_SMS	Send SMS	Allows an application to send SMS messages.
SET_ALARM	Set alarm	Allows an application to broadcast an Intent to set an alarm for the user.
SET_TIME_ZONE	Set time zone	Allows applications to set the system time zone.
SET_WALLPAPER	Set wallpaper	Allows applications to set the wallpaper.
SET_WALLPAPER_HINTS	Set wallpaper hints	Allows applications to set the wallpaper hints.
SUBSCRIBED_FEEDS_READ	Subscribed feeds read	Allows an application to allow access the subscribed feeds ContentProvider.
SUBSCRIBED_FEEDS_WRITE	Subscribed feeds write	Allows an application to allow write the subscribed feeds ContentProvider.
SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW	System alert window	Allows an application to open windows using the type TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT, shown on top of all other applications.
USE_CREDENTIALS	Use credentials	Allows an application to request authtokens from the AccountManager.
USE_SIP	Use SIP	Allows an application to use SIP service.
VENDING_BILLING	Vending billing (In-app Billing)	Allows using the In-app Billing service. See the Android documentation for additional information.
VIBRATE	Vibrate	Allows access to the vibrator.
WAKE_LOCK	Wake lock	Allows using PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming.
WRITE_CALENDAR	Write calendar	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user calendar data.
WRITE_CALL_LOG	Write call log	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user contacts data.
WRITE_CONTACTS	Write contacts	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user contacts data.
WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE	Write external storage	Allows an application to write to external storage.
WRITE_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS	Write history bookmarks	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user browsing history and bookmarks.
WRITE_PROFILE	Write profile	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user personal profile data.
WRITE_SETTINGS	Write settings	Allows an application to read or write the system settings.
WRITE_SMS	Write SMS	Allows an application to write SMS messages.
WRITE_SOCIAL_STREAM	Write social stream	Allows an application to write (but not read) the user social stream data.
WRITE_SYNC_SETTINGS	Write sync settings	Allows applications to write the sync settings.
WRITE_USER_DICTIONARY	Write user dictionary	Allows an application to write to the user dictionary.

The documentation in the Description column of the table above is licensed under Apache 2.0. Copyright © Android Open Source Project.

Advanced Uses Permissions

The following uses permissions are only necessary for advanced Android features, and most applications should not need any of them.

Item Symbol	Items	Description
ACCESS_CHECKIN_PROPERTIES	Access checkin properties	Allows read/write access to the "properties" table in the checkin database, to change values that get uploaded.
ACCESS_SURFACE_FLINGER	Access surface flinger	Allows an application to use SurfaceFlinger's low level features.
ACCOUNT_MANAGER	Account manager	Allows applications to call into AccountAuthenticators.
BIND_APPWIDGET	Bind appwidget	Allows an application to tell the AppWidget service which application can access AppWidget data.
BRICK	Brick	Required to be able to disable the device (very dangerous!).
BROADCAST_PACKAGE_REMOVED	Broadcast package removed	Allows an application to broadcast a notification that an application package has been removed.
BORADCAST_SMS	Broadcast sms	Allows an application to broadcast an SMS receipt notification.
BROADCAST_WAP_PUSH	Broadcast WAP PUSH	Allows an application to broadcast a WAP PUSH receipt notification.
CALL_PRIVILEGED	Call privileged	Allows an application to call any phone number, including emergency numbers, without going through the Dialer user interface for the user to confirm the call being placed.
CHANGE_COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE	Change component enabled state	Allows an application to change whether an application component (other than its own) is enabled or not.
CLEAR_APP_USER_DATA	Clear app user data	Allows an application to clear user data.
CONTROL_LOCATION_UPDATES	Control location updates	Allows enabling/disabling location update notifications from the radio. Not for use by normal applications.
DELETE_CACHE_FILES	Delete cache files	Allows an application to delete cache files.
DELETE_PACKAGES	Delete packages	Allows an application to delete packages.
DEVICE_POWER	Device power	Allows low-level access to power management.
DIAGNOSTIC	Diagnostic	Allows applications to RW to diagnostic resources.
DUMP	DUMP	Allows an application to retrieve state dump information from system services.
FACTORY_TEST	Factory test	Run as a manufacturer test application, running as the root user. Only available when the device is running in manufacturer test mode.
FORCE_BACK	Force back	Allows an application to force a BACK operation on whatever is the top activity.
HARDWARE_TEST	Hardware test	Allows access to hardware peripherals. Intended only for hardware testing.
INJECT_EVENTS	Inject events	Allows an application to inject user events (keys, touch, trackball) into the event stream and deliver them to ANY window.
INSTALL_LOCATION_PROVIDER	Install location provider	Allows an application to install a location provider into the Location Manager.
INSTALL_PACKAGES	Install packages	Allows an application to install packages.
INTERNAL_SYSTEM_WINDOW	Internal system window	Allows an application to open windows that are for use by parts of the system user interface.
MANAGE_APPLICATION_TOKENS	Manage application tokens	Allows an application to manage (create, destroy, Z-order) application tokens in the window manager. This is only for use by the system.
MASTER_CLEAR	Master clear	Allows you to call CheckinService.masterClear(), which resets the device settings to factory defaults and removes any user data.
MODIFY_PHONE_STATE	Modify phone state	Allows modification of the telephony state - power on, mmi, etc. This is only for use by the system.
MOUNT_FORMAT_FILESYSTEMS	Mount format filesystems	Allows formatting file systems for removable storage.
MOUNT_UNMOUNT_FILESYSTEMS	Mount unmount filesystems	Allows mounting and unmounting file systems for removable storage.
READ_FRAME_BUFFER	Read frame buffer	Allows an application to take screen shots and more generally get access to the frame buffer data.
READ_LOGS	Read logs	Allows an application to read the low-level system log files.
REBOOT	Reboot	Required to be able to reboot the device.
SET_ACTIVITY_WATCHER	Set activity watcher	Allows an application to watch and control how activities are started globally in the system.
SET_ALWAYS_FINISH	Set always finish	Allows an application to control whether activities are immediately finished when put in the background.
SET_ANIMATION_SCALE	Set animation scale	Modify the global animation scaling factor.
SET_DEBUG_APP	Set debug app	Configure an application for debugging.
SET_ORIENTATION	Set orientation	Allows low-level access to setting the orientation (actually rotation) of the screen.
SET_POINTER_SPEED	Set pointer speed	Allows low-level access to setting the pointer speed.
SET_PROCESS_LIMIT	Set process limit	Allows an application to set the maximum number of (not needed) application processes that can be running.
SET_TIME	Set time	Allows applications to set the system time.
SIGNAL_PERSISTENT_PROCESSES	Signal persistent processes	Allows an application to request that a signal be sent to all persistent processes.
STATUS_BAR	Status bar	Allows an application to open, close, or disable the status bar and its icons.
UPDATE_DEVICE_STATS	Update device stats	Allows an application to update device statistics.
WRITE_APN_SETTINGS	Write apn settings	Allows applications to write the apn settings.
WRITE_GOOGLE_SERVICES	Write Google services	Allows an application to modify the Google service map.
WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS	Write secure settings	Allows an application to read or write the secure system settings.

The documentation in the Description column of the table above is licensed under Apache 2.0. Copyright © Android Open Source Project.

See Also

• Application page
• Version Info page
• Preparing an Android Application for Deployment
• Configuring Your System to Detect Your Android Device
• Android Mobile Application Development
• Creating an Android App