# 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**.

{% content-ref url="limited-access-to-wallpaper/how-to-grant-permanent-wallpaper-access-in-smart-launcher" %}
[how-to-grant-permanent-wallpaper-access-in-smart-launcher](https://docs.smartlauncher.net/faq/personalization/limited-access-to-wallpaper/how-to-grant-permanent-wallpaper-access-in-smart-launcher)
{% endcontent-ref %}

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