Permissions

Permissions

Ava works without root, but some features benefit from elevated permissions. This page covers Shizuku, Root, and Device Admin setup.

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Overview

Method	Purpose	Root Required
Shizuku	Elevated permissions without root	No
Root	Full system access	Yes
Device Admin	Lock screen without root	No

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Shizuku

Shizuku is an open-source permission management tool that grants apps elevated permissions without root, using ADB or wireless debugging.

Setup

1. Download and install Shizuku from GitHub
2. Enable Shizuku via wireless debugging or ADB
3. Open Ava, go to Settings -> Permissions -> Shizuku Authorization
4. Tap Authorize

Shizuku Status

Status	Description
Authorized	Shizuku is running and Ava has access
Waiting for authorization	Shizuku is running, tap Authorize
Not running	Start Shizuku first
Not installed	Download and install Shizuku

What Shizuku Enables

• Screen brightness control
• Display resolution adjustment
• Screen orientation lock
• Intent execution
• Other system-level operations

Note: Shizuku requires Android 7.0 (API 23) or higher. On Android 5-6, the Shizuku card is auto-hidden.

Auto-Start Shizuku on Reboot (Without Root)

The official Shizuku does not survive device reboots — it must be manually restarted each time. For kiosk devices and always-on panels, this is impractical. A community fork solves this:

1. Download and install the Shizuku fork by thedjchi (or pixincreate's fork)
2. Open the forked Shizuku, go to Settings and enable Start on boot
3. Turn off battery optimizations for Shizuku when prompted
4. Set up Shizuku via wireless debugging (or ADB)
5. Connect the device to a PC with USB debugging enabled and run:

adb shell pm grant moe.shizuku.privileged.api android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

6. Reboot the device — Shizuku will start automatically within a few seconds

This grants the forked Shizuku the WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS permission, allowing it to modify system settings and auto-start on boot. After reboot, Ava will detect Shizuku automatically — no manual intervention needed.

Tip: For kiosk devices that reboot on power loss (e.g., car head units, smart mirrors), this ensures Ava regains elevated permissions without someone physically tapping the screen.

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Root

Root access provides the most stable operation for 24/7 panel use.

Root Status

Check root status in Settings -> Permissions -> Root Status:

• Granted: Root access available
• Not granted: Root not available or not granted

What Root Enables

• Better background protection
• Boot scripts
• Screen control (lock/unlock)
• Reboot device
• Stable Bluetooth proxy on low-end devices
• Automatic permission handling for mods (e.g., Meta Portal Support)

Recommended for

• Wall-mounted panels running 24/7
• Devices with aggressive battery optimization (MIUI, EMUI, ColorOS)
• Bluetooth proxy on low-end BLE chips (compatibility mode)
• Facebook Portal devices with Meta Portal Support mod

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Device Admin

Device Admin allows Ava to lock the screen without root.

Setup

1. Go to Settings -> Permissions
2. Find Device Admin
3. Tap to enable
4. Confirm in system dialog

What Device Admin Enables

• Lock screen control from Home Assistant
• Screen lock entity in HA

Note: On some devices (e.g., Facebook Portal), Device Admin cannot be granted through the UI. Use ADB-assisted permission paths instead.

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ADB Permission Grants

For devices where the system UI fails to grant permissions normally (Android 8 and below, Facebook Portal, etc.):

GeckoView Engine Package

adb shell appops set com.example.ava.gecko SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW allow
adb shell settings put system kill_background_services_list "com.example.ava,com.example.ava.gecko"

Meta Portal Support

Use the provision.sh script:

cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x provision.sh
adb devices
./provision.sh com.example.ava

See Mod Store for Meta Portal Support details.

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Permission Summary

Permission	Purpose	Required
Microphone	Voice input	Yes
Overlay	Display screensaver, notifications, floating windows	Yes
Foreground Service	Keep service running	Yes
Camera	Photos and video	Optional
Bluetooth	Presence detection and BLE proxy	Optional
Location	Bluetooth scanning	Optional
WRITE_SETTINGS	Screen brightness	Optional (Shizuku/Root)
WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS	Display resolution	Optional (Shizuku/Root/ADB)

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FAQ

Shizuku not working?

1. Ensure Shizuku is installed and running
2. Enable via wireless debugging or ADB
3. Go to Settings -> Permissions -> Shizuku Authorization
4. Tap Authorize
5. If status shows "Not running", start Shizuku first

Shizuku card not showing?

Shizuku requires Android 7.0 (API 23) or higher. On Android 5-6, the Shizuku card is auto-hidden.

Root status shows "Not granted"?

1. Ensure the device is rooted
2. Grant root access to Ava in your root manager (Magisk, etc.)
3. Restart Ava

Device Admin cannot be granted on Facebook Portal?

On some devices, Device Admin cannot be granted through the UI. Use ADB-assisted permission paths:

1. Install the Meta Portal Support mod from Mod Store
2. Use the provision.sh script with ADB
3. Or use Shizuku authorization

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