CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidandroid-studioandroid-permissionsuser-permissionsandroid-install-apk
Welcor
Welcor

Reputation: 3113

Why does removing permission from AndroidManifest.xml not work?

There is an app called bodyweight fitness on the play store without any permissions. It is available on git hub as well: https://github.com/mazurio/bodyweight-fitness-android

I used the files from git hub and compiled the apk myself with Android Studio (without changing the files). When I try to install the self compiled app apk, it tells me that it will use the INTERNET though the play store app did not. There is no reason why this app should need any internet connection. Thus I removed this line from the AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

After compiling and installing the app, it still tells me that it will use INTERNET. Does someone know why and how I can remove this permission?

PS: I asked the developer as well, but I got no response yet.

update:

Upvotes: 4

Views: 7272

Answers (3)

Andrew
Andrew

Reputation: 1413

Each android lib contains manifest file with package, permissions, acitivities etc so your app will show all permissions from dependencies. You may check final manifest creation log at {projectDir}/{moduleDir}/build/outputs/logs/manifest-merger-*-report.txt

This log will contain something like that

uses-permission#android.permission.INTERNET
ADDED from {myModulePath}/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:6:5-67
MERGED from [net.hockeyapp.android:HockeySDK:4.1.1] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/ce70c6f87efc05633a59a88fccdb712db509e22d/output/AndroidManifest.xml:12:5-67
MERGED from [com.crashlytics.sdk.android:crashlytics:2.6.8] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/424d420499b90aec0a26ab1b5f575e318d0342b9/output/AndroidManifest.xml:9:5-67
MERGED from [com.crashlytics.sdk.android:beta:1.2.5] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/be2498e53f6aa976b3927954da943b23f0a800f6/output/AndroidManifest.xml:9:5-67
MERGED from [com.crashlytics.sdk.android:crashlytics-core:2.3.17] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/e5b1b150113ac2f0789b76a886f379cdafa8af2b/output/AndroidManifest.xml:52:5-67
MERGED from [com.crashlytics.sdk.android:answers:1.3.13] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/c86f3a3daec296cb6a32deb0b3d0c3f1370a024f/output/AndroidManifest.xml:9:5-67
MERGED from [io.fabric.sdk.android:fabric:1.3.17] /Users/devindi/.android/build-cache/0a51b13dbc46dc870c598edab9d128bf8f26a8d4/output/AndroidManifest.xml:29:5-67

As you see I requested network permission at my manifest and hockeyapp, crashlytics, fabric libs requested same permission also. https://developer.android.com/studio/build/manifest-merge.html

To force permission remove just add tools:node=”remove” to your permission declaration like that:

<uses-permission android:name=”android.permission.INTERNET” tools:node=”remove” />

Upvotes: 8

Matt from vision.app
Matt from vision.app

Reputation: 497

There is a difference between apps installed during development via your Android Studio, apps installed from an APK and apps installed from Google Play Store. Some permissions are granted automatically in the latter case, like for example the Internet or drawing on top of other apps. You need to take this into account while planning your deployment strategy.

Upvotes: 1

Twometer
Twometer

Reputation: 1731

This is because the INTERNET permission is a "harmless" permission. This means that you don't have to ask the user for permission, and that it will not show in the Google Play Store

Since Android 5.0, permissions have a "protection level". Some are dangerous, and some are normal. Normal means that you as an app developer do not have to ask the user for permission, and that it will not show in Google Play. Dangerous means that Google Play displays it and that you have to ask the User for permission.

Source and further reading: Android Developers

Upvotes: 1

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