With Android 13, restricted permissions arrived as an additional protective measure against phishing and various scams based on the installation of malicious apps that abuse sensitive permissions, like accessibility. Android 15 takes this protection further.
The problem is that the protection makes life impossible for those who install APKsince applications installed from their APK and not through a store like Google Play or alternatives are limited in the use of certain permissions. It is possible to unprotect these applications, but this involves manual action which, in the long run, ends up becoming tedious.
Restricted settings for (almost) everything
Since Android 13, the system distinguishes between apps installed from an app store like Google Play, Galaxy Store or similar and those that come from other sources, such as an APK that you downloaded with the browser or that was sent to you via Telegram. Applications installed this way some permissions are restricted. You cannot enable them unless you unprotect them first.
This happens, for example, if you download ACR Phone Helper from its official website to help you record ACR calls. This app requires accessibility permission, but if you try to grant it after installing it, the system tells you that this parameter is restricted. To grant permission, you must first remove the restriction, which you must do manually.
The problem is that under Android 15 The list of restricted authorizations has grown for apps installed outside of Google Play, now including accessibility permissions, access to notifications, system administration, display over other apps, default phone app, SMS app by default and access to SMS.
There are many protected permissions, and what's more, Google wants manufacturers to not let you remove all these restrictions at once, but rather allow each permission. must be extracted and approved manually. This means extra steps for those who test a lot of apps via APK because they like to tinker with their Android phone or have a ROM. Any apps that do not come from an app store known and approved by Google are considered “second-tier” apps without access to certain permissions.
A curse for experienced users but a blessing for the massesbecause this protection should be effective in stopping malware that spreads through fake apps from links via SMS, email or chat. It's common for malware to disguise itself as a trusted app (like your banking app), but end up asking for some of your sensitive permissions to steal your data.
If you really like to install the APKThere's not much you can do except resign yourself and learn how to unprotect an app's restricted permissions, because you'll likely have to repeat the process frequently.
By | Android Font
In Xataka Android | The three permissions that open the door to malware on your Android and how to avoid them
