Key Takeaways
- Google is rolling out a new 7-day view within Android’s Privacy dashboard as part of the November Google Play system update.
- Users can easily switch between the 24-hour and 7-day options for a detailed timeline of the permissions accessed by apps and services.
- This 7-day view was first spotted in Android 16 DP1 last month but has now reached eligible Android 15 phones.
We learned a fair bit when Google released the first Android 16 developer preview recently, including an updated Privacy dashboard view (Settings > Security & privacy) that would show up to 7 days of permissions-related activity while retaining the 24-hour option. However, Google isn’t waiting until Android 16 to roll out this tweak, with the updated view going live with the latest Google Play system update on Pixel devices.
This discovery was first made by the folks at 9to5Google, and I could confirm its appearance within the Privacy dashboard on my dusty old Pixel 6a running Android 15 QPR1. It’s reaching eligible devices as part of the November 2024 Google Play system update. You can check if a Play system update is available on your Pixel by heading over to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates.
A welcome addition to Android’s Privacy dashboard
When available, users should be able to switch between the Privacy dashboard’s 24-hour view and the 7-day view from the three-dot menu on the top. You get the same pie chart view as before, while a more detailed timeline of the permissions can be viewed by tapping either Location, Camera, or Microphone.
It’s possible to switch between the 24-hour and 7-day views from this timeline as well (third image above). This is an important inclusion to Android’s Privacy dashboard as it lets users review apps or services that have accessed specific device permissions over a more extended period. If you spot an app that shouldn’t have access to your device’s location, camera, or microphone, tap the Manage permission floating pill at the very bottom of the timeline view.
Google has significantly hastened the development of its Android releases, with the first Android 16 developer preview going up recently, not long after Android 15 hit stable. By comparison, the first Android 15 developer preview landed only in mid-February this year. In any case, we’re not going to complain, and we will undoubtedly learn a fair bit more about Google’s next major software release over the coming weeks, with the first Android 16 betas expected to land next month.
