Google has previously introduced a new photo picker in the Android system. With the photo picker, users do not need to grant applications the ability to access all photos. This can also prevent some applications from stealing photos, videos or other files that may contain users’ private content.

The photo picker gives users the ability to select specific photos, that is, the user can only grant access permissions to specific photos to the application, which can greatly reduce the scope of the application's access to photos and protect user privacy.


However, there are still a large number of applications that do not use the latest API to use the photo picker, that is, they continue to use the old version of the API to obtain authorization from the user to access all photos. In this case, the user either refuses the authorization, or exposes the entire library to the application.

At GoogleI/O2024, Google stated that it would prohibit applications from using old API permissions on Android 13 and higher. It was not until September that Google began to strictly implement this policy.

Some developers reported that in September, Google began to reject update applications for certain applications that still use the old version of the API. Developers can prepare the necessary materials to explain why they want to access the entire gallery. In this case, Google will review the actual functions of the application and the application instructions to see if it is necessary to provide access to all photos.

This new policy will take full effect from January next year. By then, most apps that only require occasional or one-time access must use the photo picker. For example, when an app sets a profile picture, it only needs to access a specific photo in the gallery once. In this case, it is unreasonable for the app to access the entire gallery.

So which apps will continue to get broad access to the Gallery? Examples given by Google include:

  • Social applications: Users may often need to post their latest photos/videos

  • Communication applications: Users may often need to send the latest photos/videos taken

  • Photo and video editing category: Users may often need to select different photos/videos for editing and processing

  • Utility Category: Photo-based search application, which requires granting full access permissions to quickly search photos

    • Therefore, starting next year, most applications that are no longer on the exception list must adopt the new Android photo picker. If developers still use the old version of the API, they may be refused to update or be listed on the shelves by Google.

    Of course, this policy may not have much to do with domestic users. After all, Google’s policy can only govern the Google Play app store. Various OEM app stores used by domestic users currently do not have such policies.