Why lock screen vocabulary apps ask for so many permissions
Short answer: an app that replaces your lock screen has to run all the time, draw over other apps and react to every screen-on, so it asks for permissions and battery a word app does not need. A vocabulary app that shows words as a notification needs just one permission: notifications.
What each permission is used for
- Display over other apps lets the app draw its own screen on top of your lock screen.
- Location is usually for a weather line on that custom lock screen.
- Phone lets the app pause itself during calls.
- Foreground service / run at startup keeps the app alive so it can appear on every unlock.
- Full-screen notifications are meant for alarms and calls, and some apps use them to pop up over everything.
Why the battery drains
A service that never stops, wakes on every screen-on and loads images and ads on the lock screen adds up over the dozens of times a day you check your phone.
What a word app actually needs
To show you a word when you glance at your phone, a normal notification is enough. A home-screen widget adds another quick look with no extra permission.
How to check an app
Open Settings → Apps → the app → Permissions, and Settings → Battery for its usage. Deny anything that isn't needed for learning words.
Doing it with Glimword
Glimword asks only for notifications. No location, no phone access, no drawing over other apps. It works offline, keeps your words on your device, and shows words as a notification card and a widget you can turn off anytime.
FAQ
Does a vocabulary app need location permission?
No. Location is usually requested for a weather widget on a custom lock screen, not for learning words. You can deny it.
Why does the app keep running after I close it?
Apps that replace the lock screen run a foreground service so they can show up every time the screen turns on. That service is what keeps them alive and uses battery.
What permissions does a word-of-the-day app actually need?
Only notifications, so it can show a word card. Everything else is optional.
Get Glimword, lock screen vocabulary you can turn off anytime (Google Play)
← How Glimword teaches words with notification cards, a widget, parts of speech and a review box