Android permission doesn't work even if I have declared it

Question

I'm trying to write code to send an SMS from an Android app, but when I try to send the SMS it sends me back the error:

09-17 18:37:29.974  12847-12847/**.**.****E/AndroidRuntime﹕ FATAL EXCEPTION: main

Process: **.**.****, PID: 12847

java.lang.SecurityException: Sending SMS message: uid 10092 does not have android.permission.SEND_SMS.

        at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1599)

        at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1552)

        at com.android.internal.telephony.ISms$Stub$Proxy.sendTextForSubscriber(ISms.java:768)

        at android.telephony.SmsManager.sendTextMessageInternal(SmsManager.java:310)

        at android.telephony.SmsManager.sendTextMessage(SmsManager.java:293)

        at **.**.****.MainActivity$3.onClick(MainActivity.java:70)

        at android.view.View.performClick(View.java:5198)

        at android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:21147)

        at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:739)

        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:95)

        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:148)

        at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5417)

        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)

        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:726)

        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:616)

I checked but I have the permissions in the manifest, as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS"/>

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.telephony"

    android:required="true"/>

<application

    android:exported="true"

    android:allowBackup="true"

    android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"

    android:label="@string/app_name"

    android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

    <activity

        android:name=".MainActivity"

        android:label="@string/app_name"

        android:screenOrientation="portrait">

        <intent-filter>

            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

        </intent-filter>

    </activity>

</application>

I searched the internet but all the errors were about the <uses-permission/> syntax, could you help me please?

Answer 1

The big reason for not getting your permission nowadays is because your project has a targetSdkVersion of 23 or higher, and the permission that you are requesting is "dangerous". In Android 6.0, this includes:

• ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
• ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
• ADD_VOICEMAIL
• BODY_SENSORS
• CALL_PHONE
• CAMERA
• GET_ACCOUNTS
• PROCESS_OUTGOING_CALLS
• READ_CALENDAR
• READ_CALL_LOG
• READ_CELL_BROADCASTS
• READ_CONTACTS
• READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
• READ_PHONE_STATE
• READ_SMS
• RECEIVE_MMS
• RECEIVE_SMS
• RECEIVE_WAP_PUSH
• RECORD_AUDIO
• SEND_SMS
• USE_SIP
• WRITE_CALENDAR
• WRITE_CALL_LOG
• WRITE_CONTACTS
• WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

For these permissions, not only does your targetSdkVersion 23+ app need to have the <uses-permission> element(s), but you also have to ask for those permissions at runtime from the user on Android 6.0+ devices, using methods like checkSelfPermission() and requestPermissions().

As a temporary workaround, drop your targetSdkVersion below 23.

However, eventually, you will have some reason to want your targetSdkVersion to be 23 or higher. At that time, you will need to adjust your app to use the new runtime permission system.

Want to learn about Android? Check out the Android App Development course from Intellipaat.