Getting Started & Your Account
App permissions, explained
Every device permission is optional. Here's what each one unlocks and what happens if you say no.
Actually Hangout asks for a few device permissions during onboarding, and you can skip any of them. Saying no never blocks you from using the app. It just limits the specific feature that permission powers. You can change your mind anytime in your device's Settings.
What each permission does
- Notifications: so you never miss a hangout. Invites, reminders, and updates from friends.
- Location (only while using the app): powers nearby experiences, PinDrops, and local suggestions. Without it, you can still drop a pin manually by pressing anywhere on the map.
- Contacts: used only to find friends who are already on the app. A consent screen always appears before anything is uploaded, only names and phone numbers are used for matching, and your contact information is never sold.
- Calendar: shows your device's events next to your hangouts and warns you when you set yourself as available during a busy time. With "Add hangouts to my calendar" on (Settings → Security), the app can also write hangouts you accept or create to your device calendar. Events read from your calendar stay on your phone and are never uploaded.
- Photos and Camera: requested on demand when you add a profile photo or attach a photo to a post.
If you denied a permission
Open your device's Settings, find Actually Hangout, and switch the permission on. The related features start working right away.