Publishing status: Rejected After review, your app has been rejected and wasn't published due to a policy violation

Question

I'm publishing an Android app on Google Play Store and I have enabled sms permission in the manifest. After publishing it, Google rejected the app with the below information:

Issue: Violation of Permissions policy After reviewing your app, we found that it doesn’t qualify to use the requested permissions for the following reason(s):

Based on our review, we found your app’s expressed user experience did not match your declared core functionality {Default SMS handler (and any other core functionality usage while default handler), Default Phone handler (and any other core functionality usage while default handler)}. Please remove these permissions from your app.

Default handler capability was listed on your declaration form, but your app does not appear to have default handler capability. Please submit a revised declaration form.

Answer 1

If you still need the sms permission to be declared in your manifest, you can fill the Permissions Appeal Form by clicking on the link below:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contact/permissions

Answer 2

If you still need the sms permission as well as other sensitive permission declaration in you manifest, You can also Fill and submit a Permissions Declaration Form for your app and create a new case during the process. Google will review your reasons for requesting those permissions and get back to you. Do not rollout a new update until you've received a reply from Google else, your app will be rejected again.

Answer 3

There are two answers to this question

Answer 1.

If you roll out a release using the Google Play Developer Publishing API and Google Play has not previously approved your APK or App Bundle's use of high risk or sensitive permissions, you will receive an error.

To continue managing releases using the Publishing API, you must either remove any high risk or sensitive permission requests from your app and create a new release with the revised APK or App Bundle or prepare and roll out your release using the Play Console web UI, following these steps:

Upload your APK or App Bundle with high risk or sensitive permissions requested

Complete the Permissions Declaration Form as above

Complete the rollout of the release using the Play Console web UI

Answer 4

You can remove this permission from manifest and remove run-time asking permissions and after updating your version code and version name. you have to push your app on alpha,beta or Internal test track first and then move it to production.

just add sms call permission in your manifest with tools:node="remove" tag and remove it from asking at run-time.

 <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS" tools:node="remove" />

after adding this Google play console will not ask you to fill up the permission declaration form.

if you still faces any issues you can chat live with google play console team or communicate with them through mail

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/7218994?hl=en

Wait for some time if you get message like "Chat support is currently not available." it will update after some time.

Answer 5

As of the recent change to the application privacy policy, to view sms messages, your application must be the default sms handler. As stated in this reminder by Google.

You can submit a declaration for outlining why your app uses the sms permissions but it's unlikely that they will accept it, only a few use cases get approved.

Answer 6

If you're using any SMS or CALL_LOG related permission you need to submit a Permissions Declaration Form for your app.

check this and this for more info