diff --git a/core/java/android/provider/Settings.java b/core/java/android/provider/Settings.java
index 86f48214db005..f4842c6ca6c57 100644
--- a/core/java/android/provider/Settings.java
+++ b/core/java/android/provider/Settings.java
@@ -10386,6 +10386,14 @@ public final class Settings {
         public static final String STORAGE_SETTINGS_CLOBBER_THRESHOLD =
                 "storage_settings_clobber_threshold";
 
+        /**
+         * Exemptions to the hidden API blacklist.
+         *
+         * @hide
+         */
+        public static final String HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS =
+                "hidden_api_blacklist_exemptions";
+
         /**
          * Settings to backup. This is here so that it's in the same place as the settings
          * keys and easy to update.
diff --git a/core/proto/android/providers/settings.proto b/core/proto/android/providers/settings.proto
index ef6eb0913da41..f78ebcaa1f79b 100644
--- a/core/proto/android/providers/settings.proto
+++ b/core/proto/android/providers/settings.proto
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ message GlobalSettingsProto {
     SettingProto uninstalled_instant_app_min_cache_period = 290;
     SettingProto uninstalled_instant_app_max_cache_period = 291;
     SettingProto unused_static_shared_lib_min_cache_period = 292;
+    SettingProto hidden_api_blacklist_exemptions = 293;
 }
 
 message SecureSettingsProto {
diff --git a/core/tests/coretests/src/android/provider/SettingsBackupTest.java b/core/tests/coretests/src/android/provider/SettingsBackupTest.java
index ee276ef119571..757a70ca834e0 100644
--- a/core/tests/coretests/src/android/provider/SettingsBackupTest.java
+++ b/core/tests/coretests/src/android/provider/SettingsBackupTest.java
@@ -413,7 +413,8 @@ public class SettingsBackupTest {
                     Settings.Global.WTF_IS_FATAL,
                     Settings.Global.ZEN_MODE,
                     Settings.Global.ZEN_MODE_CONFIG_ETAG,
-                    Settings.Global.ZEN_MODE_RINGER_LEVEL);
+                    Settings.Global.ZEN_MODE_RINGER_LEVEL,
+                    Settings.Global.HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS);
 
     private static final Set<String> BACKUP_BLACKLISTED_SECURE_SETTINGS =
              newHashSet(
diff --git a/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProtoDumpUtil.java b/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProtoDumpUtil.java
index d256b12fe2850..d32db8491b3a1 100644
--- a/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProtoDumpUtil.java
+++ b/packages/SettingsProvider/src/com/android/providers/settings/SettingsProtoDumpUtil.java
@@ -923,6 +923,9 @@ class SettingsProtoDumpUtil {
         dumpSetting(s, p,
                 Settings.Global.CONTACTS_DATABASE_WAL_ENABLED,
                 GlobalSettingsProto.CONTACTS_DATABASE_WAL_ENABLED);
+        dumpSetting(s, p,
+                Settings.Global.HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS,
+                GlobalSettingsProto.HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS);
         dumpSetting(s, p,
                 Settings.Global.MULTI_SIM_VOICE_CALL_SUBSCRIPTION,
                 GlobalSettingsProto.MULTI_SIM_VOICE_CALL_SUBSCRIPTION);
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
index 3fc4f5e7b642d..1cce46cf74f02 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/ActivityManagerService.java
@@ -1733,6 +1733,9 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
 
     final ActivityManagerConstants mConstants;
 
+    // Encapsulates the global setting "hidden_api_blacklist_exemptions"
+    final HiddenApiBlacklist mHiddenApiBlacklist;
+
     PackageManagerInternal mPackageManagerInt;
 
     // VoiceInteraction session ID that changes for each new request except when
@@ -2676,6 +2679,42 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Encapsulates the globla setting "hidden_api_blacklist_exemptions", including tracking the
+     * latest value via a content observer.
+     */
+    static class HiddenApiBlacklist extends ContentObserver {
+
+        private final Context mContext;
+        private boolean mBlacklistDisabled;
+
+        public HiddenApiBlacklist(Handler handler, Context context) {
+            super(handler);
+            mContext = context;
+        }
+
+        public void registerObserver() {
+            mContext.getContentResolver().registerContentObserver(
+                    Settings.Global.getUriFor(Settings.Global.HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS),
+                    false,
+                    this);
+            update();
+        }
+
+        private void update() {
+            mBlacklistDisabled = "*".equals(Settings.Global.getString(mContext.getContentResolver(),
+                    Settings.Global.HIDDEN_API_BLACKLIST_EXEMPTIONS));
+        }
+
+        boolean isDisabled() {
+            return mBlacklistDisabled;
+        }
+
+        public void onChange(boolean selfChange) {
+            update();
+        }
+    }
+
     @VisibleForTesting
     public ActivityManagerService(Injector injector) {
         mInjector = injector;
@@ -2705,6 +2744,7 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
         mUiHandler = injector.getUiHandler(null);
         mUserController = null;
         mVrController = null;
+        mHiddenApiBlacklist = null;
     }
 
     // Note: This method is invoked on the main thread but may need to attach various
@@ -2837,6 +2877,8 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
             }
         };
 
+        mHiddenApiBlacklist = new HiddenApiBlacklist(mHandler, mContext);
+
         Watchdog.getInstance().addMonitor(this);
         Watchdog.getInstance().addThread(mHandler);
     }
@@ -3906,9 +3948,9 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
                 runtimeFlags |= Zygote.ONLY_USE_SYSTEM_OAT_FILES;
             }
 
-            if (!app.info.isAllowedToUseHiddenApi()) {
-                // This app is not allowed to use undocumented and private APIs.
-                // Set up its runtime with the appropriate flag.
+            if (!app.info.isAllowedToUseHiddenApi() && !mHiddenApiBlacklist.isDisabled()) {
+                // This app is not allowed to use undocumented and private APIs, or blacklisting is
+                // enabled. Set up its runtime with the appropriate flag.
                 runtimeFlags |= Zygote.ENABLE_HIDDEN_API_CHECKS;
             }
 
@@ -14177,6 +14219,7 @@ public class ActivityManagerService extends IActivityManager.Stub
                 NETWORK_ACCESS_TIMEOUT_MS, NETWORK_ACCESS_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT_MS);
         final boolean supportsLeanbackOnly =
                 mContext.getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(FEATURE_LEANBACK_ONLY);
+        mHiddenApiBlacklist.registerObserver();
 
         // Transfer any global setting for forcing RTL layout, into a System Property
         SystemProperties.set(DEVELOPMENT_FORCE_RTL, forceRtl ? "1":"0");