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React Native permissions generator

React Native camera permission

A React Native or Expo app that captures photos, records video or scans a barcode needs the camera permission on both platforms: android.permission.CAMERA in the Android manifest, and an NSCameraUsageDescription string in the iOS Info.plist that the consent prompt shows the user word for word.

With Expo, expo-camera's config plugin writes both declarations during prebuild and its useCameraPermissions hook performs the runtime request. In the bare workflow the same two entries are edited by hand. Either way the usage description must say what the app does with the camera — App Review rejects a missing one immediately and a boilerplate one often.

Camera at a glance

Android grants
android.permission.CAMERA
iOS Info.plist key
NSCameraUsageDescription
Expo package
expo-camera
Config plugin
expo-camera
What it enables
Capture photos or video, or scan a barcode.
What the user agrees to
Take pictures and record video

The declarations, for Expo and the bare workflow

Expo config

app.json
{
  "expo": {
    "ios": {
      "infoPlist": {
        "NSCameraUsageDescription": "TODO: say why this app needs the camera — App Review rejects a missing or boilerplate reason."
      }
    },
    "android": {
      "permissions": [
        "android.permission.CAMERA"
      ]
    },
    "plugins": [
      "expo-router",
      "expo-camera"
    ]
  }
}

Prebuild writes these into the native projects; the config plugin is what makes the package's native code part of the build.

Bare workflow, Android

android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

Bare workflow, iOS

ios/<App>/Info.plist
<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>TODO: say why this app needs the camera — App Review rejects a missing or boilerplate reason.</string>

The TODO is deliberate: the usage description is shown in the consent prompt and App Review rejects boilerplate.

Install the library

terminal
npx expo install expo-camera

Camera permission, answered

The longer version is in the guide React Native permissions that satisfy both stores.

What permission does React Native need for camera?
On Android, declare android.permission.CAMERA in AndroidManifest.xml (or expo.android.permissions in app.json). On iOS, add NSCameraUsageDescription to Info.plist (or expo.ios.infoPlist) with a sentence explaining why — the user reads it in the consent prompt. expo-camera exposes the runtime request.
Do I still have to request camera at runtime?
Yes. The declaration only makes the request possible. The first time the feature is used, call the request API from expo-camera; the operating system shows the prompt ("Take pictures and record video") and remembers the answer. A declared but never requested permission does nothing, and a requested but never declared one fails.
Why was my app rejected over the camera permission?
Most often the NSCameraUsageDescription string: App Review rejects a missing one at once and a vague or boilerplate one frequently. Write what the app does with the data in your own words. Google Play reviews the declaration against the app's visible features, so a grant no screen uses is also a finding.

Declare every feature the app uses

The React Native permissions generator builds the complete set from the same catalogue — tick each device feature and copy the paired Android grants and iOS usage descriptions, the Expo app.json fragment and the install line together. In the Nodlume workspace the declarations come from the screens themselves: a screen that uses the camera is what adds the camera permission to the Expo Router project it exports.

Open the generator

Other React Native permissions

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