How to turn off location tracking on Android
Android devices come with location services. Some apps need access to location services to function properly. However, there may be reasons why you donβt want your device to be located, often because you donβt want to be found and the device is always with you.
Depending on who you are trying to hide your location from, there are several levels of hiding your location.
Disclaimer: the exact instructions for your make and model of Android device may look a bit different.
Turn off location for particular apps
There are apps active on most Android devices that could give away the location of the device. To check which apps have access to your deviceβs location:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Find the Location icon
- Touch and hold Location.
- Tap App location permissions.
- Under Allowed all the time, Allowed only while in use, and Not allowed, find the apps that can use your deviceβs location.
- To change the appβs permissions, tap it. Then, choose the location access for the app.
- If you see any apps that you donβt recognize, be sure to turn the permission off.
![location in main settings menu on Android](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Turn off location entirely
Alternatively, you can turn Location off entirely:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Find the location icon
- If itβs highlighted, tap it to turn it off.
- Youβll see a warning that some apps may not function properly. Confirm by tapping Close.
![No location access warning Android](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Turn off Find My Device
Find My Device is a service which makes your deviceβs most recent location available to the first account activated on the device. Find My Device is included with most Android phones, and itβs automatically turned on once you add a Google account to your device.
How to turn off Find My Device:
- Open Settings.
- Tap (Biometrics &) Security.
- Tap Find My Device, then tap the switch to turn it off.
Turning off Find My Device may backfire if you ever truly need to find your device because you lost it. But if someone may have the login credentials for the Google account associated with the phone, you may want to turn it off.
The last resort is to turn your phone off.
Even in airplane mode, GPS on your phone is still working. As long as a phone isnβt turned off, itβs possible to track the location because the device sends signals to nearby cell towers. Even when itβs turned off, the service provider or internet provider can show the last location once itβs switched back on.
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