Have you ever wondered about how your phone uses the “Location” service? Do you think that it uses your current location only when you allow it? If you would say yes, then I am really sorry to break it to you that you are just misguided regarding the feature. Yes, I know it has probably helped you to locate your favorite restaurant at a new location or a gas station, but at what cost? Your privacy? No, it is totally wrong, and the apps that you are using for free are not really free, and it uses your personal data to earn revenue, and therefore, it gets creepy and creepy when we try to dig deeper. So, what can be done to prevent tracking? How to block my phone from being tracked?
Let’s try to crack the hack out of it!
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How to Block my Phone from being Tracked?
So, if you want to block your phone from being tracked, you can always turn off the location tracking service, specified app permissions, Bluetooth services. Additionally, you should practice using a trusted premium VPN service, to avoid any tracking nuisance from your ISP or Government agencies.
Want to get your hands on how to block your phone from being tracked in a detailed step-by-step format?
Then I suggest you read the entire article.
Block your phone from getting tracked by turning off the location services:
GPS or location service is a key part of every mobile device, which helps in calculating the correct directions when a user enters a location into the Maps.
But, did you know that your phone constantly keeps sending and receiving these signals, even if you are not using it?
Sounds scary right?
I mean who must have imagined that the feature which was made for our convenience, can also be used against us.
So, the question lies, what can be done?
The answer is simple, just turn off the location-based service feature on your phone, so that your device won’t be able to share your GPS data with any of the apps that you have installed on your phone.
So, if you are up for this solution, just disable the GPS feature on your phone by following these simple steps.
On Android:
- Go to the settings menu.
- Scroll to the “Locations” option.
- Now, if the toggle switch is on, turn it off to disable the “Location” feature.
Similarly, you can also swipe down the quick settings panel and long-press the “Location” option (usually with an upside-down water droplet symbol) to access the Location service option.
On iOS:
- Go to Settings Menu.
- Now, tap on Privacy.
- Then, tap on “Location services.”
- Finally, toggle the switch off, if it is turned on.
Although, many apps can determine your location even if the “Location Service” option is disabled; therefore, you should follow the solution mentioned below.
Block location permission on app-level:
Did you know, that certain apps require your location to function properly? Yes, it is 100% true, as the apps like Google Maps or say Uber requires your current location to function properly.
Although, some apps like a random flashlight app or calculator app fetches your location unnecessarily. Therefore, it is essential to filter out the app permission settings to avoid your phone from getting tracked by an app or advertising company.
And to do that just follow these simple steps:
On iOS:
- Go to the settings menu.
- Now, select “Privacy.”
- From the menu select “Location Services.”
- Finally, you can toggle off the “Location services” option to disable the entire app list from accessing your location, or you can toggle off the switch besides certain apps to personalize your location permission manually.
On Android:
- Go to the settings menu.
- Then, select the “Apps” or “Advanced” menu.
- Now, click on the three-dotted menu in the right-hand side corner.
- Select the “App permissions” option.
- Now scroll down, and select the “Location” option.
- You will see the list of apps that are installed on your phone.
- Finally, toggle the switch to off, besides the app that you don’t think needs location permission.
Done, you have disabled location permission on the app-level.
Block your phone from getting tracked by turning off Bluetooth service:
Bluetooth as a feature was a real blessing in the early 2000s for all mobile phone users, as it allowed the easy transfer of files from one phone to another. Seems nostalgic right? Alas, no one uses it now.
Although, Bluetooth as a feature can also be helpful to connect Bluetooth devices, as well as track down your location at a short distance, and therefore, I recommend turning it off when not in use to stay assured that no one tracks your current location.
Steps to turn off Bluetooth:
- Open the quick settings menu by swiping down (android) or swiping up from the bottom (iOS).
- Now, just find the Bluetooth option and then tap on it to turn it off.
OR
- Go to the settings menu (for both android and iOS).
- Scroll to the “Bluetooth” option.
- Now, toggle off the Bluetooth switch.
Done, you have successfully turned off the Bluetooth feature, hence saving yourself from getting tracked.
Switch to airplane mode:
Switching to airplane mode is an instant move to block all the location-based services like; GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or your mobile network.
Although, this is something that I recommend only if you are sure that you won’t be getting any important calls or texts from anyone.
So, now that you are aware of the fact and still want to enable Airplane mode, you can simply do it by tapping on the Airplane Mode option from the quick settings panel or menu, or just navigating to Settings >Airplane mode and toggle the switch to on.
Get a VPN service:
This is yet another effective remedy to block all the tracking activity from your phone. Using a VPN comes in handy when you want to go full incognito, because a VPN service simply creates a tunnel between the client and the server and also allots a virtual IP address, so that no hacker can breach the data or track down your location.
Therefore, I recommend you get a premium VPN service today and take a step towards safe and better internet.
Get yourself a Faraday Bag:
So, this one is something really out of the box and blew my mind away. So here is the story, I was searching for some badass things that can help me block all the transmitting signals without switching the device off, and guess what, I came across this invention called “Faraday Bag.”
After some good digging, I came to know that the “Faraday Bag” works by blocking all the signals including GPS and mobile signals, thus giving you full control over your privacy. You just need to place your mobile phone inside the “Faraday Bag”, and the rest will be done by the bag.
I know, it sounds gimmicky, but believe me, it isn’t, it is pure science as it is made with conducting materials that help a user to block out all the external electric field. Thus, when an electric signal like mobile radio signal tries to travel through this pocket, it gets evenly distributed on it, without penetrating inside.
Therefore, I strongly recommend you to get this unique yet effective invention, if you are more concerned about your privacy than anything else in the world, as it will block each-and-every signal including your cellular signal.
Final Remarks:
Smartphone as an invention has made our life super easy as we can easily search for our favorite restaurants or pubs with the help of GPS or location services features.
Although, these tracking services can also be used by a hacker, a company, or some government agency to keep an eye on the user’s activity, thus causing concern of privacy. Additionally, the apps which are claimed as free are not usually free, because everything has a cost, and in this case, it is you, the “user.”
Hence, it is much better to disable all the location tracking services like GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc, when not in use, or start using a VPN service or Faraday Bag to ensure full online privacy.
Note: With Google, it is impossible to win over the tracking business as 84% of its revenue is generated through ads, therefore don’t be shocked if you get ad recommendations, even after following these solutions. Also, you can follow this article, if you want a detail solution on how to remove location history from your Google account.
