9 Phone Settings to Change Today to Stop Being Tracked

Your smartphone knows where you sleep, where you work, who you talk to, and what you search for at midnight. Much of that information flows quietly to apps, advertisers, and data brokers. You do not need to give up your phone to take back control. Spend fifteen minutes on these nine settings and you will noticeably reduce how much of your life is collected.

1. Review location permissions

Open your phone’s privacy settings and look at which apps can see your location. Many apps do not need it at all. For the ones that do, such as maps or ride-hailing, choose “only while using the app” instead of “always.” Turn off precise location for apps that only need your general area, like weather.

2. Reset your advertising ID

Both iPhone and Android assign your device an advertising identifier that lets companies link your activity across apps. You can reset it or delete it, depending on your device, and you can opt out of personalized ads. This will not remove ads, but it makes them less tailored to your behavior.

3. Audit app permissions

Check which apps can access your microphone, camera, contacts, photos, and files. A flashlight app has no reason to read your contacts. Remove permissions that do not match what the app actually does, and uninstall apps you no longer use. Fewer apps means fewer data collectors.