Updated September 2026: in 2020 my iPhone 6 finally died after a fall, and I used my wife's Android phone for months while waiting for the next iPhone. I found Android's app permissions confusing. I have rewritten it into a guide for iPhone users using Android temporarily, and to managing app permissions.
My ageing iPhone 6 had slowed down, and after my daughter dropped it and cracked the screen, it stopped turning on. I could buy an iPhone 11 at a premium, or use my wife's Android phone until the next iPhone launched. I chose to wait. Using Android after years on iPhone was frustrating, especially the stream of permission requests from each app.
How do Android app permissions work?
Apps ask for access to things like location, camera, contacts and notifications when they first need them. You can allow, allow only while the app is in use, or deny. Android also removes permissions from apps you have not used for a while. It is similar in principle to iPhone, but the prompts and settings look different.
How do you review permissions on Android?
- Open Settings, then Security and privacy, then the Privacy dashboard, to see which apps used sensitive permissions recently.
- Use the Permission manager to see, by permission, which apps have access.
- Choose "Allow only while using the app" for location wherever possible.
- Turn off notifications for apps that send promotions.
Menu names vary a little between phone makers.
How do you move contacts and photos between iPhone and Android?
Contacts sync through a Google account on Android; on iPhone you can add the same Google account for contacts. Photos can move through Google Photos on both platforms. WhatsApp offers official tools for transferring chat history between iPhone and Android, with some conditions.
What should you set up first on a borrowed phone?
A separate user or at least your own apps signed in carefully, a screen lock, and your banking apps only if the phone is secured. Remember to sign out of your accounts before returning it.
Should you wait for the next iPhone?
If your temporary phone works, waiting a few months for a launch or a sale saves money, as I hoped. If it is causing daily frustration, the previous-generation iPhone at a reduced price is a sensible middle path.
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