Your device logs contain information recorded by the system and apps on your device. These logs are stored temporarily and are deleted continuously.
By default, all apps have access to the app logs that they create. Google and your device manufacturer may also have access to information needed for purposes, like system performance, updates, maintenance, and security.
Some apps and services can also access “all device logs,” which is a more expansive set of logs that can help device manufacturers and app developers improve the quality and reliability of their devices and apps. For example, your device manufacturer may ask for ongoing access to all device logs so that they can provide device quality and reliability improvements.
What device logs may contain
Important: Only allow apps that you trust to access all device logs.
Device logs generally contain limited technical information. It’s possible that these logs could contain information such as the apps you’ve installed on your device when you use those apps, user or device identifiers, or other app activity information.
On Android 13, if an app tries to access all device logs for approved use cases, like app feedback or bug reporting, the system will ask you if you want to provide the app with one-time access to this more expansive set of logs.
Even if you don’t provide access to all device logs when the system prompts you, Google, your device manufacturer, or app developers may still have access to some logs or similar information. For example, if your device’s usage and diagnostics setting is turned on, your device sends info to Google about how you use it and how it works. Learn how to share usage and diagnostics with Google.
Technical details
The phrase “all device logs'' refers to the entire contents of the log buffers managed by the system process logd. Even if you don't provide access to all device logs, apps may still access a subset of logs, such as the event log.
Manage device logs on your Android device
To access all your device logs, you can allow or decline an app’s request.
Android 12 & later
If an app requests access to all device logs, you can approve or deny the access request.
- To provide access to all device logs, tap Allow one-time access.
- To decline access to all device logs, tap Don’t allow.