Query to Android developers who is using QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission

user_4060773 0
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I'm a developer of an Android library which requires QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission at app targets Android 11 or higher.

There was a new policy from the Google Play store 2 years ago, they would enforce developers to submit a reason for using QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission. But the policy was postponed for 2 years, and now they restarted this policy.

Related Link: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/10158779

In this document, Google says this policy will block app updates from 12th July 2022, if there is no declaration. But one of my customers got alert mail from Google, their app will be blocked from 4th May 2022 if they don't declare the reason for this permission usage.

My team is not managing the Android app, just managing the library, so we have not received similar mail at all. And also my other customers are not received similar mail yet.

Is there Android developers who have received a similar mail from the Google team? If you are, would you share the due dates of declaration to use the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission mentioned in your mail?

android-permissions google-play android
2 Answers

For security reasons you cannot ask for QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission. This will allows you to check or you can get all installed app in Phone.

If your app is like cleaner app or have feature like app manager, so for this kind of feature you can add QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES. You will need to show video of that feature which is using QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES or need to give specific reason.

If your app only required to check any specific app installed or not then you can add like below.

//remove QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission and add like below
<queries>
    <package android:name="com.whatsapp" /> <!-- replace with your packagename --!> 
    <package android:name="com.whatsapp.w4b" />
</queries>

I need to check whatsapp and business whatsapp installed or not. Same way you can added. And I think there no limit to check like above.

Same mail I also received, Before deadline date you need to give reason or update your app with I explained above.

I hope you understand.

user_99618280

I also received an email about this policy, but the paradox is that I do not need or use that permission, at least explicitly stated in the Manifest

user_35650450
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