Help Permissions Issue with AndroidLost App

[DrewInc]

I'm trying to resolve an issue with the Android Lost app, and unfortunately the developer's forum page is closed. I'm hoping someone here may be able to help me troubleshoot.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled, cleared cache and data, but every time I reinstall Android Lost v3.26 on my wife's Google Pixel 3a running Android 12, I get the same following issues:

First, it opens and says Personal Notes, PIN code required. It will only take the old PIN, which I'm curious how it's remembering the old PIN if I have completely uninstalled, deleted its data, rebooted the phone, etc.? (Yes, I removed the Administrator permissions)

After entering the correct PIN, I get a popup, "Use Your Location", which I click OK.

It then instantly pops up the next window:

"Some Permissions are missing. For this app to work as expected you must accept the permissions. Let us go through them one by one."
I click OK. (It does not provide me any permissions to select from.)

Once again, instantly, another window pops up:

"Not all permissions were accepted. Most likely you have clicked deny and never ask again. To allow permissions you must go to your phone's settings menu and set it manually."
I click OK.

I'm sure these permissions are the crux of the problem since they need to be allowed, yet, they are not being requested for some reason through the app. I'm assuming it has to do with Android 12, as it worked fine on Android 11. Though, others have stated that it works for them on Android 12, so I'm not sure what is going on.

Since it seems to be a permissions issue, I thought if I root the phone, maybe it would help somehow. Nope, still doing the same thing. I've even went into the phone's settings and allowed all permissions for the app, yet it's still not working. When I run the troubleshooter from the app, I get the following results:

Test no: 12
Testing permissions granted
Missing permissions:
[android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION,
android.permission.READ_CONTACTS,
android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO,
android.permission.CALL_PHONE,
android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE,
android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
android.permission.CAMERA,
android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION,
android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION]​

Why is it still saying all these permissions are missing, when I have clearly enabled all of them under the app's settings manually? I do not understand why this is happening.

I have attached the app log file that is generated when running the troubleshooter from the app. Hopefully, someone can make sense of it.

 

[Unforgiven]

Android has limited or restricted what permissions can be used and how they can be called in recent versions. I believe location specifically has been tightened up. It hasn't been eliminated, but I think the implementation changed so abate some developer abuse. Apps needed to be updated to the new method or ultimately would stop working. That looks like what has happened here.

I'm sure someone can refine and expand on my answer, especially a developer or someone that is much more versed in the technicalities of Android, but I think that's the short answer.

 

[DrewInc]

Android has limited or restricted what permissions can be used and how they can be called in recent versions. I believe location specifically has been tightened up. It hasn't been eliminated, but I think the implementation changed so abate some developer abuse. Apps needed to be updated to the new method or ultimately would stop working. That looks like what has happened here.

I'm sure someone can refine and expand on my answer, especially a developer or someone that is much more versed in the technicalities of Android, but I think that's the short answer.

I was concerned something to that nature was likely the cause. Though while scouring the net, I seen where a few with Android 12 claimed they weren't having any problems with AndroidLost, so I thought it may just be something with my phone. Don't guess you might know of anyway to get around these changes, since I now have root access on this phone? I really wish I could get through to the developer, but due to the numerous emails he receives, you only get a canned response, and his webpage states he is looking for a new place for his forum since Google closed his, as stated below:

Sorry
It appears that google has closed my forum. I will create my own in the near future.

If you know of any good forums you can recommend please send me an email at contact@androidlost.com. Please note that I am just one guy making this app so I may not have time to reply to the many mails I receive - I do apologize.

 

[Unforgiven]

Don't guess you might know of anyway to get around these changes, since I now have root access on this phone?

I'm sorry I don't, but I did move this to the 3a forum where other device owners may be able to help. Knowing you have root, it could be possible there is a workaround to granting the permissions via a Linux shell or other root enabled process. Again, above my skill level.