In recent years, Apple got a lot more strict with third-party apps and the permissions they require. Still, don’t be surprised if some apps ask for seemingly unrelated permissions like Contacts. The good thing is that you can revoke the permission in a few simple steps if you allowed access by mistake. If you want to see what apps are accessing contacts on iOS 16, check the instructions we provided below.
Can an app access my contacts without permission?
Only stock apps that directly require Contacts access like Phone or Messages in order to work won’t ask you for permission. So, to answer your question, no third-party app can access your contacts unless you specifically allowed it. And if you did grant Contacts permission to a certain app, you can revoke it with ease in system settings.
Unlike Phone or Messages, apps like Facebook don’t require access to your contacts so we suggest revoking permission. Apps like WhatsApp or Telegram need it for obvious reasons. Some users even report that there are listed apps that are unknown but have access to Contacts. Don’t worry, this is not a virus or anything of sorts. The most likely scenario is that you’re running a Beta version and that some essential system service has access to Contacts. Nothing to worry about.
So, without further ado, here’s how to revoke Contacts permission on your iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Select Contacts.
- Revoke Contacts access for any app you deem unnecessary.
We also suggest checking other permissions like Microphone, Camera, or Motion & Fitness. Don’t forget about Tracking. Not allowing any third-party app to track you is more than recommended. With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
