Network Access Control

Android's ability or inability to block app internet access, GrapheneOS and custom ROM features, differences between Pixel, OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi implementations of network toggles

While privacy-focused platforms like GrapheneOS and custom ROMs offer granular per-app network toggles, the availability of these controls varies significantly across mainstream Android manufacturers. Users report that brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi provide integrated settings to block data access, yet stock Android on Google’s Pixel and Samsung’s OneUI notably omit these specific permissions. This inconsistency sparks debate over whether Google intentionally limits native network blocking to protect ad revenue, ultimately driving many users toward third-party workarounds like NetGuard to reclaim control over their data.

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Related, GrapheneOS has a handy feature to disable network access for individual apps.

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Also non-GrapheneOS Android. I'm on CrDroid (Android 16), ans if I go into "Settings -> Apps -> Some App -> Mobile data usage", there's a toggle for "Allow internet access", and a few more to control network access on Wi-Fi, cellular, background, and VPN.

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That's another pet peeve of mine: Why the hell can't we block internet access for apps in (native) Android? Everything else is a permission, but this is not, somehow.

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Maybe Google doesn't want users blocking ads from getting loaded.

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Wait, we can in Android. In my OnePlus 12 in the app settings under "data usage" there are two toggles for "disable mobile data" / "disable wifi"

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Not present with a Pixel with Android 16, my effective choices are:

1. App can't use mobile data in background

2. App can use mobile data in background except in Data Saver mode

3. App can use mobile data in background regardless of Data Saver mode

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For anyone doing comparisons, the literal settings appear under "Mobile Data Usage" as:

* [X] Background Data ("Enable usage of mobile data in the background")

* [ ] Unrestricted mobile data usage ("Allow unrestricted mobile data access when Data Saver is on")

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I have an S25 Ultra with the latest version of Android, and these options don't seem to be there at all. I don't have a "data usage" under Permissions for any apps. I do have a Mobile Data section under App Info for any given app, but there's no way to toggle the options you mentioned.

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Wow, thought it was GrapheneOS only, but no.

Confirmed these settings on One+15 on OOS16 (based on Android 16).

Is it also the case for other Android brands?

P.S. I did use it before to turn off ads.

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Google's Pixel phones (near stock Android) famously do NOT have the option.

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Xiaomi phones also have it but you can block Wi-Fi only for user (non system) apps. However you can block mobile data access to all apps.

None of the Samsungs I have owned so far had this feature and neither did my last Pixel.

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If you're feeling skeptical and just want to be sure,
you can use this NetGuard https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard
to block internet access for any app.

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Great tool. Additionally, some Android forks (ColorOS) allow you to do this without apps, directly in the system settings of the app

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