Android paused an unused app: restore its permissions

In brief

Android can limit an app you have not used for a long time and remove its permissions. If an old app suddenly stops working as expected, inspect its app-info page before treating the account or installation as broken.

An app can remain installed while its permission to use the camera, storage or notifications has changed. Reinstalling may lose local data without addressing why Android paused it.

Confirm that the app was actually paused

Open Settings > Apps, select the affected app and look for an unused-app or pause-activity setting. Labels vary by manufacturer and Android version. Google explains that unused-app optimisation can revoke permissions, stop background running and stop notifications.

First open the app normally. Check whether it resumes and asks for a permission it previously had. Grant only what the feature needs; a missing permission is not a reason to approve every request.

Documentation for these steps: Google — Unused Android apps ↗

Restore one feature and test it

If a scanner no longer sees the camera, inspect the app’s Camera permission and retest a harmless scan. If notifications are missing, review the app’s notification permission and the specific notification category. Ask someone to send a non-sensitive test message where that makes sense.

Write down what changed. A notification problem after weeks of non-use differs from delays in an app you use daily, which may involve battery or background restrictions instead.

Decide whether this app needs an exception

For an important app that you rarely open but rely on, consider turning off its Pause app activity if unused setting when your device provides it. This does not grant all permissions or override every battery restriction. Avoid making exceptions for all installed apps.

For an app you no longer trust or need, keeping the unused-app protection may be preferable. If the app was archived, follow the store’s restore route rather than installing a similarly named copy from a search ad.

Keep account recovery separate from app permissions

Re-enabling an app does not restore a forgotten password or a lost authentication method. If it asks you to sign in, use the genuine service and your established recovery process. Do not uninstall first when the app may hold local-only data. If the issue remains, record the Android version, app version and exact missing function before asking for support.

What to do next

1. Open Settings > Apps and select the affected app.
2. Find the unused-app or Pause app activity if unused setting; the label varies by device.
3. Open the app and check which permission its current task requests.
4. Allow only the needed access, then test one action such as attaching a file or receiving a test alert.