id: version-0.5-removing-default-permissions

title: Removing Default Permissions

original_id: removing-default-permissions

By default, some permissions are added to your Android APK.

The default permissions that get added are:

* android.permission.INTERNET - Required for debug mode.

* android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW - Required for debug mode.

* android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE - Not required for debug or production.

* android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE - Not required for debug or production.

* android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE - Not required for debug or production.

1. Let's start by removing `READ_PHONE_STATE`, `WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE`, and `READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE` from both production and debug APKs, as it is not required in either. These storage permissions are still not needed if `AsyncStorage` module is in use, so it is safe to remove from both production and debug.

2. Open your `android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml` file.

3. Even though these three permissions are not listed in the manifest they get added in. We add the three permissions with `tools:node="remove"` attribute, to make sure it gets removed during build. Note that the package identifier will be different, for below it is "com.myapp" because the project was created with `react-native init myapp`.

```diff

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

package="com.myappid"

+ xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"

>

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

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

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

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

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

<application

android:name=".MainApplication"

android:label="@string/app_name"

android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"

android:allowBackup="false"

android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

<activity

android:name=".MainActivity"

android:label="@string/app_name"

android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize"

android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">

<intent-filter>

<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

</intent-filter>

</activity>

<activity android:name="com.facebook.react.devsupport.DevSettingsActivity" />

</application>

</manifest>

```

4. Now let's remove `SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW` from the production APK only.

5. Go to the `android/app/src/` directory. Create a new directory inside this directory, called `release`. (path: `android/app/src/release/`)

6. Inside this `android/app/src/release/` directory create a `AndroidManifest.xml` file. (path: `android/app/src/release/AndroidManifest.xml`)

7. Inside this file paste the following conents. Note, make sure to update your package identifier from "com.myapp" to what yours is.

```diff

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

package="com.myapp"

xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

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

</manifest>

```

That's it. We did not remove the `INTERNET` permission as pretty much all apps use it. Now whenever you create a production APK all these 4 permissions will be removed. When you create a debug APK (`react-native run-android`) it will install the APK with only the three permissions removed, and `SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW` will remain.