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Android React Native App asking for permissions that are not defined within android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

I have a Android build of a react native app that I have uploaded to the Google Play console.

I am having issues with the build of the app requesting more permissions than I have defined inside my apps android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

I am having troubles with the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission in particular which Google says my app is not compliant with.

The permissions defined inside my app android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml are the below:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.vending.BILLING"/>

I then did a global search for QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES in my project and found it was defined in several places like:

android/app/build/intermediates/merged_manifests/release/AndroidManifest.xml



  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_BIOMETRIC" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_FINGERPRINT" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" /> <!-- Required to access Google Play Licensing -->
    <uses-permission android:name="com.android.vending.CHECK_LICENSE" /> <!-- Required by older versions of Google Play services to create IID tokens -->
    <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE" />

and the android/app/build/intermediates/bundle_manifest/release/bundle-manifest/AndroidManifest.xml

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_BIOMETRIC" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_FINGERPRINT" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" /> <!-- 
Required to access Google Play Licensing -->
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.vending.CHECK_LICENSE" /> <!-- Required by 
older versions of Google Play services to create IID tokens -->
<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE" />
<uses-permission 
android:name="com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE" 
/>

What are these files and why are they requiring permissions I have not set inside my android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml

How would I go about removing a permission requested by these files like the android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Best, Matt

Solution

  • By default, some permissions are added to your Android APK. To remove them, just add few lines in android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml file

    <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.myappid"
+   xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    >

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

    Also you can find the reference here in the official documentation : https://reactnative.dev/docs/0.62/removing-default-permissions