Apps on your devices can track your location in various ways. For one, many apps use location tracking for GPS navigation, local news, finding nearby restaurants, weather updates, and much more. Apps may also use your location to show you offers for nearby services or businesses. While location tracking can be beneficial to your device’s security (such as a lost phone tracking app that allows you to remotely lock a target device) or to your safety (such as a family tracking app which is designed to provide real time location tracking and exact location to family members, such as for a child’s device or parental control features), location tracking apps are notorious for collecting data and compromising security on your cell phone or device.
Turning off location tracking on apps that don’t need it can improve your data security and give you more peace of mind. It can also keep your business and office setting more secure, especially if your employees use corporate devices. Read on to learn more about how to turn off tracking and other advanced features on various platforms.
Begin with Google
Did you know that your Google account is connected to various apps and services? Location History saves your location wherever you take your phone, not just when you use Google Maps. By default, it’s turned off – but many people unknowingly turn it on and then forget about it. To turn location history back off, follow these instructions:
- Sign into your account through the Google app or visit myaccount.google.com.
- Go to Data & Privacy and then Location History.
- Tap Turn Off and confirm your selection.
- While you are here, ensure that Auto-Delete is on.
You can also open up Devices on this account to access a location history report and a list of devices that are saving your past locations. You can select Turn Off to disable these devices from tracking you.
Location Sharing on Google
Location Sharing allows you to share your real time location with people you know from your device. To stop sharing your location with someone, you can follow these steps:
- Sign into your account through the Google app or visit myaccount.google.com.
- If you are sharing your location with anyone, they will be listed here.
- Tap Stop next to the name of the person you want to stop sharing your location with.
Location Tracking on iPhone
Location Services has a global setting that allows you to stop sharing your real time location with Apple, as well as individual settings for each app you have installed on your iPhone.
To access Location Tracking, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings> Privacy & Security> Location Services
- Next, switch off Location Services completely.
- You can turn off Location Services for individual apps by scrolling down the list and clicking the ones you want to change.
Location Sharing on iPhone
Location sharing allows you to share location with friends and family in Messages, Find My, and other apps. To turn it off, do the following:
- Go to Settings> Privacy & Security> Location Services> Share My Location.
- If you share location with anyone, you’ll see their names here.
- Switch off Share My Location.
Location Tracking on Your Android Phone
On Android devices, you can choose between turning off location tracking completely or fine-tuning each app’s settings. To do this:
- Go to Settings> Location and then toggle Off the Use Location selection.
- If you leave the settings on, scroll down and change the settings for each app by tapping on them.
Contact Us
These are just a few examples of how to turn off your location sharing, location history, and location tracking on various platforms. It’s important to understand the importance of privacy and safety when it comes to your technology and devices in order to keep your information safe. These are just a few quick ways you can reclaim your data privacy and ensure some extra security for your iOS devices or Android phone.
AD Solutions is committed to ensuring that your printing and copying solutions are protected at all times from those who wish to steal your information. To learn more about our Sharp devices and the steps we take to keep your information safe, contact us today.
