Tech Reference

How to turn off location tracking on your Android device

Written by Steven John
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
You can prevent apps from tracking your location on your Android device by changing your location settings. Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
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Feeling hungry for a burger, in the mood for a beer, or in need of the nearest location that sells diapers? There's no need to stay peckish, thirsty, or dealing with that potty-related emergency when your Android phone can quickly help you find a nearby diner, bar, or supermarket. And how can it do that? Why, thanks to its location tracking abilities, of course.

Your phone always knows where you are, and it shares your location with all sorts of apps that can help you find stores, restaurants, track your run or bike ride, help give you driving directions, and so much more.

On the other hand, for myriad reasons, you may at times wish to roam about without being monitored. In those cases, just turn location tracking off and move about in anonymity. 

Here's how to turn off location tracking on your Android device.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $899.99 at Best Buy)

How to turn off location tracking on an Android device

1. Open the Settings app on your Android and look for either the "Connections" tab or, depending on your phone, the "Privacy" tab.

2. Tap "Location" and toggle the switch to off.

How to turn off location on Android
Toggle off the "Location" tag to prevent location tracking entirely.  Steven John/Business Insider

3. You can also tap "Emergency Location Service" and "Google Location Sharing" to switch off location-tracking features there as well.

How to turn off location on Android
You can go to Google settings directly from the Settings app and turn off certain location trackers there.  Steven John/Business Insider

 

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.