The Expert Crew

Menu
  • Home
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Linux
  • Windows
  • Reviews
  • How To
  • Gaming
    • Xbox
    • PS
    • Nintendo Switch
  • Web

Binance: Buy BTC & 600+ Crypto Ethereum, USDC, XRP and Altcoins with USD Securely

Join Now & Claim Free Bitcoin
Home
Android
How to disable Location Tracking On Your Android

How to disable Location Tracking On Your Android

October 20, 2021
Some apps will almost certainly require location tracking, but not all apps will. Here, How to disable Location Tracking On Your Android ?

How to Stop Your Android and Its Apps From Tracking Your Location

Nobody wants their smartphones to spy on them, much to the chagrin of big tech companies. Our mobile devices, on the other hand, track our every move by default and share that information with other apps and services. Fortunately, as with most things on Android, you don’t have to stick with the default settings. Rather, you can tailor your location services to your privacy preferences.

How to disable Location entirely on Android

On Android, you can turn off Location so that no location data is shared with Google or any of your other apps. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then long-press Location (the icon will appear as a “location arrow”). If Location isn’t listed, tap “Edit” or “Settings,” then drag it into your Quick Settings.

While this is the most secure way to protect your Android location privacy, it isn’t particularly convenient. With this setting disabled, any apps that require location data, such as Google Maps, will simply not work. You can have a location-free Android experience if you can live with that. For the most part, however, we’d be better off fiddling with other location settings.

Related: How to Use Your Phone as a Wireless Webcam (iPhone & Android)

How to disable location permissions for apps

Instead of turning off Location on Android completely, you’ll probably find that managing permissions for each of your apps is more useful. Of course, not all apps are created equal, so you’ll probably want to give some apps more location access while denying it to others.

Go to Settings > Location > App permission. There are three types of categories: Allowed all the time, which includes apps that can access your location at any time; Allowed only while in use, which includes apps that can only use your location while you’re using them; and Ask every time, which includes apps that must ask permission to use your location every time you use them. To see the apps that have those permissions, tap any of these categories. To change a permission for a specific app, tap it and select a new option.

Alternatively, you can change each app’s location permissions individually. Long-press the app you want to uninstall on your phone’s home screen, then tap the uninstall button (i). Choose Permissions > Location, then select one of the three categories listed above, or Deny to prevent that app from accessing your location data.

How to disable Location Accuracy on Android

Android uses Location Accuracy to determine your exact location; it uses information from your GPS, wifi, mobile network, and phone sensor to provide location-based suggestions and display your exact location on-screen. This is useful for some apps, but you may be concerned that Google and its connected apps and services will have access to your data.

Go to Settings > Location > Advanced > Google Location Accuracy, then disable Improve Location Accuracy to turn off Location Accuracy. When you turn off this feature, Google will only be able to determine your location using GPS. Not only is it not completely private, but it is also significantly less accurate than the default.

Related: How to Avoid Getting Caught by the Android ‘FlyTrap’ Malware

How to delete & disable Location History on Android

Google saves a record of the places you go with your smartphone to power things like recommendations, helping you find your phone, and real-time traffic updates, among other things. However, for many of us, it’s a little creepy.

To disable Location History, head to your Google Account’s Activity controls. Sign in if you aren’t already. View Location History, and choose “Turn off.” On the pop-up, choose “Pause,” and a new pop-up will appear. Choose “Delete old activity,” and Google will launch a Location History map; here, you can see pinpoints for all locations you’ve been with Google. To delete this info, just click the trash can in the bottom right, click the checkbox on the pop-up, then click “DELETE LOCATION HISTORY.”  

You can also choose to have Google delete your Location History after a specified amount of time. Select the option under Auto-delete, then select the option under Auto-delete activity older than, then choose 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months from your Activity controls page. To save your selection, select Next.

How to disable Location sharing

If you have Location sharing turned on but don’t want to share your location with your contacts, you can easily disable it. Open Google Maps, tap your profile icon, and then select Location sharing from the drop-down menu. Tap the profile of the contact with whom you no longer want to share your location, then tap Stop to confirm.

Related: How to Install Android 12 on Your Phone Right Now

How to disable location permissions for web browsing

Google allows you to choose which websites have access to your location data. Go to a website’s location permissions page in your browser to disable it. Turn Location off for that website by tapping the Lock to the left of the address bar, then Permissions.

Of course, you can disable location permissions for your entire browser; simply follow the steps outlined above to disable location permissions for specific apps (in this case, a browser like Chrome or Firefox).

Share
Tweet
Pinterest
Reddit
Tumblr
Vkontakte
Prev Article
Next Article

Related Articles

How to Finally FaceTime Your Non-Apple Friends
Finally, you can invite Android and Windows users to join …

How to Finally FaceTime Your Non-Apple Friends

How to Change Date and Time Format in Windows 11
The date and time are displayed in the bottom right …

How to Change Date and Time Format in Windows 11

How to Keep The Scrollbars Visible in Windows 10
The interface of Windows 10 makes extensive use of transient …

How to Keep The Scrollbars Visible in Windows 10

How to Disable Print Spooler Service on Windows 10
If you’re getting error messages like “Print Spooler Error” or …

How to Disable Print Spooler Service on Windows 10

How to Change Downloads folder Location in Windows 11
We’ll learn how to change the default Downloads folder Location …

How to Change Downloads folder Location in Windows 11

Win an iPhone 13 Pro Max!

Related Posts

  • How to create Emoji in Windows 11 With Moji Maker
    How to create Emoji in Windows 11 With Moji Maker

Featured Products

  • Hostinger Web Hosting Review
    Hostinger Web Hosting Review
  • HostGator Web Hosting Review
    HostGator Web Hosting Review
  • Bluehost Web Hosting review
    Bluehost Web Hosting review
  • Best Web Hosting Services: The Top Web Hosts of 2022
    Best Web Hosting Services: The Top Web …
  • Binance Review 2022 – Should You Use It?
    Binance Review 2022 – Should You Use …

The Expert Crew

Linux & Windows 10/11 & Android Tips, Tricks, Help, Support, Downloads, Features
Copyright © 2022 The Expert Crew
About us | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service