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Location Service Permission Requirements

VREM Software Development edited this page Dec 9, 2023 · 6 revisions

Location Service Permission Requirements

Since the latest release of Android OS 9 (Pie), location services permission is required for WiFi scanning to function. As a result, we had to update the application to request these permissions. As always, we will not store or transmit your location information at any time - privacy is important! However, for those users who wish to remain using the old version of the application, it will be available for any Android device using Android 8 (Oreo) and lower OS for a period of time.

Play Store Instructions:

To install old version, just uninstall the latest version of the application from your device, go to the play store and install the application. It will automatically install old version, as long as device is not running Android 9 (Pie). Do not forget to disable automatic update.

F-Droid Instructions:

To install old version, just uninstall the latest version of the application from your device. F-Droid website has different versions of APK available for download directly, select version 1.9.3 of the application, download and install it. Do not forget to disable automatic update.

GitHub Instructions:

And last but not least, APK files are available in the release section of the application in the GitHub.

Android Wi-Fi scanning overview documentation references

Request permission to access nearby Wi-Fi devices

Android 13 (API level 33) or higher additional permissions requirements

  • NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES
  • Android documentation reference: Permissions

Android 10 (API level 29) and higher Wi-Fi scanning permissions requirements

  • ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
  • CHANGE_WIFI_STATE
  • ACCESS_WIFI_STATE
  • Location services must be enabled on the device
  • Android documentation reference: Permissions

Android OS 9 Wi-Fi scanning permissions requirements

  • ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION or ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
  • CHANGE_WIFI_STATE
  • ACCESS_WIFI_STATE
  • Location services must be enabled on the device
  • Android documentation reference: Permissions

Android OS 8 Wi-Fi scanning permissions requirements

  • ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION or ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION or CHANGE_WIFI_STATE
  • ACCESS_WIFI_STATE
  • Location services must be enabled on the device
  • Android documentation reference: Permissions

Android OS 6 may require Location Service to be switched on

Some users running Android OS 6+ (Marshmallow) have reported that the location service must be enabled for the application to see WiFi networks. Users using the the above versions of Android OS may need to turn on the location service, even though WiFi Analyzer does not explicitly require it. This appears to be attributed to permission model changes since Android Marshmallow, the knowledge of nearby WiFi access points is regarded as containing location information and is protected by location permission.