Why Smartphones Track Our Location and How to Stop Them
Learn how modern smartphones track your location and discover simple steps to prevent your device from collecting location data to protect your privacy.
Modern smartphones have the capability to track the locations their users visit, storing this information in a dedicated log. This guide will show you how to prevent your device from gathering such location data.
You might not have considered this before, but if your smartphone is equipped with a GPS module and you haven't adjusted the location settings, your device actively records the places you visit. This applies whether you use an iPhone or any Android smartphone.
You grant permission for this data collection yourself when you accept the terms of service during device setup.
Both Apple and Google explain that the collected location information is used to provide more relevant services. For instance, on iOS, location data enhances weather updates, map routing, and geotagging photos. On Android, location history helps Google offer optimized routes and more accurate search results.
How to View Your Location History
To check your recent location history on iOS, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations. In the History section, you'll see the places you visit most frequently. Each entry can be opened to view coordinates on a map.
Android devices also maintain similar statistics. You can access this data under Location > Location History in your device settings.
Additionally, your recently visited locations appear on the web version of Google Maps, regardless of which device you use to access Google services. This platform offers detailed statistics, displaying locations as points on a map, organized by date. When enabled, it allows you to pinpoint exactly where you were on any given day.
How to Disable Location Data Collection and Delete Existing Data
Despite companies assuring anonymous use of this data, you can easily prevent your smartphone from tracking your whereabouts. Here's how:
- On iOS, turn off the Significant Locations toggle within the System Services section. You can also tap Clear History to remove all stored location data.
- On Android, disable the toggle found under Location History in your location settings. To delete existing data, tap Delete Location History and confirm the action.
After completing these steps, your smartphone will stop recording your visits and will no longer maintain a history of your locations.
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