Storage Questions

gos-storage-questions

I have read https://grapheneos.org/usage#storage-access.

They say apps can have permissions such as READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO, READ_MEDIA_AUDIO, MANAGE_MEDIA, MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, etc.

Q1: Where can I find out if one of my app has one of those permissions?

Q2: Or is e.g. READ_MEDIA_AUDIO fully equivalent to the "Music and audio" permission that we can find in the permissions list of an app? I will assume so for the rest of this post but could you please confirm?

Q3: If so, is there a "conversion table" somewhere between those labels in https://grapheneos.org/usage#storage-access> and the user friendly fully equivalent permission names?

For privacy reasons, I'd like to control which app has read access to any file in my shared storage.

Q4: To achieve that goal, is it enough (or is there more to do than) to go to:

Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy controls > Permission manager and check:
- files. I guess this represent any kind of file in the shared storage?
- Music and audio. I guess this corresponds to READ_MEDIA_AUDIO?
- Photo and video. I guess this corresponds to READ_MEDIA_IMAGES, READ_MEDIA_VIDEO?
Settings > Apps > Special App access > All files access. I don't know exactly what label this corresponds to. MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE?

Q5: Why are there two different labels -- READ_MEDIA_IMAGES & READ_MEDIA_VIDEO -- if we can activate them only both together? (via the "Photo and video" permission)

I use the "Voice" app to listen to audiobooks, which I store in Documents/audiobooks/.
Permissions for this app are only:

Network --> Don't allow
Sensors --> Don't allow

NB: Consequently, there is no "Music and audio" permission listed for this "Voice" app.

On first use, the app asked me in which folder my audiobooks are stored and I pointed to Documents/audiobooks/.

Q6: There is an icon in the Voice app that lets me know which folder (Documents/audiobooks/) I configured. If the app did not give me that info and I had forgotten what I had configured, how could I know which folders the app has access to?

Thank you for you help and answer to those 6 questions. Much appreciated!

raccoondad

gos-storage-questions 99% of what you are asking are apart of the android docs...

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission especially

Johnnyloans

Where can I find out if one of my app has one of those permissions?

Any apk file, open it like a zip file and right there is AndroidManifest.xml . You can see the permissions. It'll look like android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Or view the github/gitlab files if its an open source app. You should be able to find it at: /app/src/main/AndoidManifest.xml

Why are there two different labels -- READ_MEDIA_IMAGES & READ_MEDIA_VIDEO -- if we can activate them only both together? (via the "Photo and video" permission)

Principle of least privilege: access only the information and resources that are necessary for its legitimate purpose.
To not clutter with a ton of permissions.
Transparency by the app dev

I use the "Voice" app to listen to audiobooks, which I store in Documents/audiobooks/.
Permissions for this app are only:
Network
Sensors

Q6:

It's a bug sometimes storage permission doesn't show up. The app should show up in Settings > apps > special access > all files access
Check all of the apps that say do not allow if you want because they could still have storage scopes to 1+ folders

gos-storage-questions

Thanks for your answers!!

Johnnyloans Any apk file, open it like a zip file and right there is AndroidManifest.xml

I understand there is no simpler way to see all the permissions? (I mean, using the GOS user interface and menus)

Johnnyloans It's a bug sometimes storage permission doesn't show up.

OK, thanks!

Johnnyloans

gos-storage-questions I understand there is no simpler way to see all the permissions? (I mean, using the GOS user interface and menus)

Well, the simple way is the permissions menu.

you can see them at the bottom of the fdroid store page.
In aurora store.
In google play store > about this app > permissions