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Limiting Location Tracking on Your Mobile Device

Location data can reveal much more than just where you are in the moment. Over time, it can show travel routines, home and work locations, frequently visited places, and other personal patterns. Phones can store this information by default unless you adjust your settings.

Author(s):
Kayla Young

Why Location Settings Matter 

When apps and system services access your location, they may store or share this data in the background. Location history features can create long‑term records of where you go. Reviewing these settings helps limit ongoing tracking and reduces how much location information is stored on your device. 

How to Adjust Location Settings 

iPhone 

  1. Open Settings, then select Privacy and Security, and then Location Services.

  1. Set each app to Never or While Using based on what it needs. 

  1. Scroll to System Services.

  1. Turn off Significant Locations. 

  1. Review and turn off Location-Based Alerts, Location-Based Suggestions, and HomeKit if it is not used. 

  1. Open Settings, then Maps or other navigation apps.

  1. Set Location to While Using instead of Always. 

Android 

  1. Open Settings and select Location. 

  1. Set each app to Allow Only While Using or Don’t Allow.

  1. Open Location, then Google Location History. 

  1. Turn off Location History. 

  1. Open Location, then Google Location Sharing. 

  1. Turn off any active sharing sessions. 

  1. Open the Google Maps app, select Your Profile, then Settings, then Personal Content. 

  1. Turn off Web and App Activity if applicable. 

These steps help reduce long-term storage of your location information and limit background tracking. 

Summary 

Your device collects location data that can reveal personal habits and daily routines. Adjusting your location permissions and disabling location history features gives you greater control over how this information is stored and used.