Permissions & Play Policy

Runtime permissions, the system photo picker, and Google Play Data safety - the Android compliance cookbook for Expo SDK 57 apps. Manifest entries tell the OS what you might request; runtime prompts and Play Console forms must reflect what you actually do.

Recipe

Quick-reference recipe card - copy-paste ready.

npx expo install expo-image-picker expo-camera

// features/media/pickAvatar.ts - photo picker without broad storage access
import * as ImagePicker from "expo-image-picker";
import { Alert, Linking, Platform } from "react-native";
 
export async function pickAvatar(): Promise<ImagePicker.ImagePickerAsset | null> {
  const { status } = await ImagePicker.requestMediaLibraryPermissionsAsync();
  if (status !== "granted") {
    Alert.alert(
      "Photos access needed",
      "Enable photo access in Settings to choose a profile picture.",
      [
        { text: "Cancel", style: "cancel" },
        { text: "Open Settings", onPress: () => Linking.openSettings() },
      ],
    );
    return null;
  }
 
  const result = await ImagePicker.launchImageLibraryAsync({
    mediaTypes: ["images"],
    allowsEditing: true,
    aspect: [1, 1],
    quality: 0.8,
    // Android 13+ uses system photo picker when available - no READ_MEDIA_IMAGES for one-off pick
  });
 
  if (result.canceled) return null;
  return result.assets[0] ?? null;
}

// app.config.ts - declare only what modules need; block accidental permissions
export default {
  expo: {
    android: {
      package: "com.example.shopapp",
      permissions: [
        "CAMERA", // expo-camera
        // Avoid legacy WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE - not needed for picker flows
      ],
      blockedPermissions: [
        "READ_MEDIA_VIDEO", // example: app never reads video library
      ],
    },
    plugins: [
      [
        "expo-image-picker",
        {
          photosPermission:
            "Allow ShopApp to access your photos for profile and receipt uploads.",
          cameraPermission: "Allow ShopApp to take photos for support tickets.",
        },
      ],
    ],
  },
};

When to reach for this:

• Play Console rejects the build for undeclared or overbroad permissions.
• Users see permission prompts at launch instead of in context.
• You are filling the Data safety questionnaire and need to map SDKs to collected data types.
• Android 14+ devices deny READ_MEDIA_IMAGES - picker-first flows still work.

Working Example

Step 1 - Contextual camera permission

import { CameraView, useCameraPermissions } from "expo-camera";
import { Button, Text, View } from "react-native";
 
export function ScanReceiptScreen() {
  const [permission, requestPermission] = useCameraPermissions();
 
  if (!permission) return <View />; // hook loading
 
  if (!permission.granted) {
    return (
      <View style={{ flex: 1, justifyContent: "center", padding: 24 }}>
        <Text>We need camera access to scan your receipt.</Text>
        <Button title="Continue" onPress={requestPermission} />
      </View>
    );
  }
 
  return <CameraView style={{ flex: 1 }} facing="back" />;
}

Step 2 - Notifications (Android 13+)

import * as Notifications from "expo-notifications";
import { Platform } from "react-native";
 
export async function ensureNotificationPermission(): Promise<boolean> {
  if (Platform.OS !== "android" || Platform.Version < 33) return true;
 
  const { status: existing } = await Notifications.getPermissionsAsync();
  if (existing === "granted") return true;
 
  const { status } = await Notifications.requestPermissionsAsync();
  return status === "granted";
}

Step 3 - Audit merged manifest after prebuild

npx expo prebuild --platform android
rg "uses-permission" android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

Step 4 - Data safety alignment checklist

What this demonstrates:

• Just-in-time prompts - explain why before requestPermission.
• Plugin permission strings - user-facing rationale on the system dialog.
• blockedPermissions - strip transitive permissions from dependencies.
• Data safety - map each Expo module to Play Console categories.

Deep Dive

How It Works

• Install-time permissions (INTERNET, VIBRATE) are granted at install - no runtime dialog.
• Dangerous permissions (CAMERA, ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, RECORD_AUDIO, POST_NOTIFICATIONS) require runtime request on Android 6+.
• Manifest merge - Expo modules and config plugins add <uses-permission> entries; npx expo prebuild produces the merged manifest.
• Photo picker (Android 13+) - ACTION_PICK_IMAGES / system picker returns URIs without persistent broad storage access - preferred for profile photo, attachment flows.
• Play policy - Google reviews permission use against declared features; "feature not core to app purpose" is a common rejection for location and SMS.

Permission Classes RN Apps Hit

Photo Picker vs Storage Permissions

// Prefer picker - do not request broad storage for a single upload
const result = await ImagePicker.launchImageLibraryAsync({
  mediaTypes: ["images"],
  selectionLimit: 1,
});

Data Safety Form Mental Model

1. Data types - location, photos, contacts, financial info, etc.
2. Collected vs shared - your servers vs third-party SDKs.
3. Purpose - app functionality, analytics, advertising (advertising triggers extra review).
4. Security practices - encryption in transit (HTTPS) at minimum.
5. Deletion - account settings or support email for erasure requests.

Cross-check against:

• Your privacy policy URL (required in Play Console).
• SDK privacy manifests / data collection docs (Sentry, Firebase, Stripe, etc.).
• Actual network traffic - undeclared analytics is a policy violation.

Android 14+ Partial Grants

• Users can grant selected photos instead of full library access.
• Handle permission.granted === false and canAskAgain === false - route to Settings.
• Re-request only after user taps an action that needs access - not on cold start.

import { Linking } from "react-native";
 
if (!permission.canAskAgain) {
  await Linking.openSettings();
}

Gotchas

• Requesting all permissions at splash - Play policy and UX both punish this. Fix: Just-in-time, with rationale UI before the system dialog.
• Transitive permissions from unused SDKs - Analytics SDK adds location. Fix: blockedPermissions + remove unused deps; verify merged manifest.
• Data safety says "no data collected" but Sentry ships - Automatic rejection risk. Fix: Declare diagnostics; link SDK docs in internal compliance sheet.
• Missing POST_NOTIFICATIONS on API 33+ - Push silently fails. Fix: Request before getExpoPushTokenAsync.
• Legacy WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE - Unnecessary for picker uploads on modern APIs. Fix: Remove from app.config permissions; use content URIs.
• iOS parity assumptions - iOS photo library wording differs; Android has picker + partial grants. Fix: Platform-specific copy in pre-permission screens.

Alternatives

FAQs

Related

• Android Basics for RN Devs - merged manifest inspection
• Signing & Play App Signing - release identity (separate from permissions)
• Internal Testing Tracks - policy fixes ship to internal track first
• ../deep-linking/android-app-links/android-app-links.md - verified links without extra permissions
• ../store-operations/google-play-console-workflow/google-play-console-workflow.md - full Play Console checklist
• ../native-modules/config-plugins/config-plugins.md - custom manifest permissions via plugins

Stack versions: This page was written for React 19.2.3, React Native 0.86.0, and Expo SDK 57 (expo ~57.0.4).