Limited Access To Wallpaper

Recent Android updates (starting from September 2023) introduced new privacy restrictions that prevent apps from accessing the system wallpaper, unless they’ve been granted a permission that Google Play no longer allows us to request in-app.

Because of this, some Smart Launcher features may no longer work out of the box, including:

• UI Blur: The blur effect relies on reading the wallpaper to render the background

• Screenshot Previews: We can’t include the wallpaper in screenshots without access

• Wallpaper Backup: Backups may not include your current wallpaper

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Can I still use these features?

Yes, absolutely! there are several solutions:

Option 1: Set your wallpaper using Smart Launcher

If you set your wallpaper directly through Smart Launcher (e.g. from the wallpaper gallery), the app can access it immediately, and all features will work as expected.

Option 2: Take a screenshot of your wallpaper when prompted

If you're using a wallpaper that Smart Launcher can’t access, the app may ask you to take a screenshot of your current home screen. This allows the app to "see" your the wallpaper from the screenshot. It’s fast and semi-automated, but you’ll need to repeat it if you change your wallpaper again.

Option 3: Manually grant wallpaper access

To restore full functionality regardless of how you set your wallpaper, you can manually grant the required permission using ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This is a safe one-time setup.

How to grant permanent wallpaper access in Smart Launcher

Once done, Smart Launcher will retain the permission permanently (until you uninstall the app), and all affected features will work as before.