Understanding Android Location Permissions in Android/ Flutter Apps ~ Fun Programming

When building a location-based app in Flutter, especially for Android, you need to declare certain permissions in your AndroidManifest.xml file. Below are three important permissions commonly used in tracking or location-aware apps:


<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION"/>

1. ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

This permission allows the app to access precise location using GPS and other location sources. It’s suitable when your app needs high-accuracy location, such as:

Real-time tracking (e.g., delivery or sales agents)
Navigation apps
Check-in or attendance based on exact coordinates

2. ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION

This permission gives access to approximate location, usually determined by Wi-Fi or mobile networks (cell towers). It's less accurate (typically within 100–1000 meters) but uses less battery power.

Use this when your app only needs to know the general area or city where the user is located.

3. ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION

This permission allows the app to access the user's location even when the app is running in the background.

It’s essential for apps that need to track users continuously, such as:

Employee tracking
Geofencing and background logging
Fitness or travel logs

Note: Since Android 10 (API level 29), this permission must be requested separately and may require the user to manually enable it in system settings.

Runtime Permission Is Also Required!

Declaring the permission in the manifest is not enough. Starting from Android 6.0 (API 23), you also need to request location permissions at runtime in Flutter. You can use the permission_handler package:


import 'package:permission_handler/permission_handler.dart';

Future<void> requestLocationPermission() async {
  await [
    Permission.location,
    Permission.locationAlways,
  ].request();
}

When to Use Each

Use Case	Permissions Needed
Location only while app is in use	ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION or ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
High-accuracy tracking (e.g., GPS)	ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
Background location tracking	ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION (plus runtime request)

Make sure to handle permissions properly to avoid crashes or unexpected behavior. Always guide the user if extra steps are needed, especially for background location access.

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