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Published Oct 21, 2026, 5:01 PM EDT

Jon is a seasoned journalist who has written definitive coverage of consumer tech at publications like Engadget, Android Authority, and BetaKit. He's an expert on making tech accessible ranging from mobile and PCs to emerging platforms like wearables. When he's not writing, he's going on adventures with ihis family and is an avid photographer.

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There's good news if you've ever had Android apps scramble your contact list, or change contacts behind your back. Google has outlined how the upcoming Android 17 QPR2 update will limit how apps can modify contacts.

The new approach prevents most apps from making broad, direct changes to your contacts. They'll have limited permission to edit or insert contact details using a standardized editor. There's a new permission if an app's "core purpose" is to manage contacts, Google says.…