The direct answer is to open the phone's privacy or permission settings after installation, inspect microphone and camera access for the new app, and deny any permission that is not required for a feature you intentionally use. Then test the app one feature at a time and check recent-access records or privacy indicators for unexpected use.
Review the grant on Android
On Android, open Settings, choose Apps, select the app, and open Permissions. Android's permission-management instructions explain that permissions can be reviewed either by app or by permission type. Menu names and available choices vary with the Android version and device maker, but microphone and camera should appear as separate permissions.
Choose the narrowest option that supports the feature. If you installed a note-taking app only to type notes, it should not need microphone or camera access. If you use voice notes, allow the microphone only while using the app when that choice is available. A video-call app may need both, but you can still deny access and grant it later when you actually test the calling feature.
Android's Privacy Dashboard guidance says the dashboard shows which apps accessed permissions and when. On Android 13 it can show seven days of activity; Android 12 shows 24 hours. Use this history after the first day of normal use to compare actual access with the features you used.
Review the grant on iPhone
On iPhone, open Settings, choose Privacy & Security, and select Microphone or Camera. Apple's privacy access guide lists categories of information and hardware features that apps can request and says you can change access later. Review the new app in both lists rather than assuming one setting controls the other.
Turn off access that has no clear purpose. Reopen the app and try the feature that supposedly needs it. A well-behaved app should explain the missing permission and let you continue with unrelated features. If the whole app refuses to work even though the permission is unrelated to its main function, pause and check the developer's support documentation before restoring access.
Test with a purpose, not a guess
Create a simple test sequence and write down the result:
- Deny both microphone and camera access.
- Open the app and use a feature that should need neither permission.
- Start an audio feature and grant only microphone access.
- Start a photo or video feature and grant camera access only when prompted.
- Close the feature and review the phone's recent-access history or privacy indicator.
- Revoke the permission again and confirm the feature stops cleanly.
Do not use private conversations, customer records, or sensitive locations as test material. A few seconds of neutral audio and a photo of a blank surface are enough to verify behavior. Delete the test media afterward if the app uploads or stores it.
Investigate unexpected access
Unexpected access does not by itself prove malicious activity; an app may use a background communication feature or a feature you forgot was active. Start by recording the time, the permission, and what you were doing. Close the app, revoke access, and repeat the same activity. Check the app's own settings for voice activation, scanning, video effects, support recording, or background calling.
If you cannot connect the access to a feature you chose, leave the permission off. Update the app from the official store, review the developer's current privacy explanation, and contact support if the behavior remains unclear. Uninstall the app if it cannot perform its core function without an unjustified grant.
Make the review repeatable
Record the app name, version, review date, permissions allowed, feature tested, and next review date. Recheck after a major app or operating-system update because features and permission prompts can change. Also review unused apps periodically; a permission that made sense for a one-time scan or call may no longer be necessary.
The practical standard is simple: the app should have microphone or camera access only when you understand the feature, intentionally use it, and can verify the access matches that use.
Sources
- Change app permissions on your Android phone — Google Android Help
- Manage permissions from the privacy dashboard — Google Android Help
- Control access to information in apps on iPhone — Apple Support