WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS permission error even when added in Manifest

Solution 1:

Firstly, as you have read before, WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS is NOT available to applications! So you cannot use this permission regardless whether you are on rooted or production builds.

So, if you wish to enable this setting, create your own firmware that does what you need and load that firmware on whatever devices you wish. Or, contribute your changes to existing firmware mods (e.g., Cyanogen).

Some other applications use techniques like Reflection using Java to gain access to functions not exposed via API, you can probably try the same.

Secondly, adb remount does not work as is with production builds unless the phone is rooted or firmware enables it by default.

Solution 2:

I would like to add that WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS permission can be granted over adb and this approach does NOT require root. Here is a command:

adb shell pm grant your.package.name android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

Solution 3:

I recently struggled with this very thing. My client wanted an app that would turn NFC off when the device was charging (wireless charger) and then on when it was removed from the charger. I was running KitKat on my Nexus 7, and even though I had WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS in the Manifest, and the app in /system/app/, it would not work.

Turns out, that in 4.4 they added additional security. In 4.3 however, it works if three things are true:

1. Manifest has WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
2. App is in /system/app/
3. The package is signed by a key (any key)

I rooted the device using the awesome Nexus Root Toolkit (NRT) from http://www.wugfresh.com/nrt/ then installed BusyBox and system app mover from:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=stericson.busybox https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.j4velin.systemappmover

I installed my custom signed APK and moved it into place using system app mover, which then restarted the device. It worked perfectly. Hope this helps.

Solution 4:

For the api that I used, which required WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS privileges, I had to include this in the manifest:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
...
coreApp="true"
android:sharedUserId="android.uid.system">

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

ref: https://github.com/android/platform_packages_apps_settings/blob/master/AndroidManifest.xml

I also had to run the application as a system app (under: /system/app). Here is an how to: http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-install-any-app-as-system-app-on-android/