How To Sign Off Google Location Services On Android

Location tracking tin be very handy — it's convenient when an app can tell you, say, where the nearby restaurants or gas stations are — merely it's also a privacy result. Do you want all your wanderings registered by Google? Are you comfortable knowing that Mark Zuckerberg's minions know where y'all are at all times? (Well, non that Mark Zuckerberg has minions, just you know what I hateful.)

In this article, nosotros'll accept a look at how to stop location tracking on your Android phone (and your Google business relationship) and how to delete your location history from your OS and from some of the more than popular apps. As always, note that versions of Android tin can differ, and many manufacturers use overlays likewise, which can modify the locations of various commands — but they should be similar enough for you to exist able to detect your style. For these instructions, I've used a Pixel six phone running Android 12, simply I've included some directions for those with before versions of Android.

Stop Google from tracking y'all, period.

Y'all probably know that Google tin rail your location and movements through its Google Maps app. But you may not realize that your Android phone is also tracking your movements and activities through several other congenital-in apps.

If y'all really don't want your telephone to be tracking any of your movements and activities, there is a way to plough tracking off for all (well, most) of them. Y'all only need to be aware that you're probably going to render many of your apps (such as ride-share apps, atmospheric condition apps, and, of grade, mapping apps) less usable — or in some cases, completely unusable.

Stop Google tracking using a browser

First, we're going to terminate Google from saving your data.

Go to https://myactivity.google.com/.
Under "My Google Activity" you'll see the buttons for 3 types of activeness: Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History. Y'all tin can visit each individually by selecting the appropriate push.

*Under "My Google Action" you'll see the buttons for 3 types of action: Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History.*

A more than efficient way, though, may be to go to Activity Controls, institute in the left-paw bill of fare. This folio volition bear witness you all three controls on the same page; in addition, you can command ad personalization.

Google's activity controls lets you turn off tracking. — *Google'southward activity controls permit you turn off tracking.*

"Spider web & App Activity" covers anything you've done on Google apps and services. You can plough tracking off completely, or choose to keep information technology on but cease information technology from saving your history or activity when you lot utilise your Chrome browser. You lot can besides turn off "Include sound recordings," which determines if all your audio interactions with Google and / or Google Assistant are saved.
The other relevant category is, of form, "Location History," which saves data about where you've gone with your device. Also, expect for "Devices on this business relationship" and click the down icon to the right; you'll become a listing of all the devices that you have that are currently following your location — since that may include old phones that you are no longer using, this is a proficient thing to bank check.
We might as well mention that you can also disable your "YouTube History," which includes both your search and watch history, and "Ad personalization," which uses your history to choose which ads you lot'll see.

Okay — you've now prevented whatever more data from existence gathered. But yous may want to delete all or some of the data that's already been collected.

Go back to the My Action page and click on "Delete activeness by" in the left-paw carte du jour.
Yous'll get a popular-up window that lets you delete your activity based on fourth dimension period: the last hour, terminal day, "All time" (in other words, all dates), or "Custom range" for a specific date range.

A pop-up window that lets you delete your activity based on time period. — *A pop-upwards window lets you delete your activity based on time menses.*

If you lot choose "Custom range," you'll be able to choose a engagement range. If you cull "All fourth dimension," you can then filter that info depending on services (such as ads, Chrome, Google Play Store, etc.). When you're fix, click on "Next."

you can then filter that info depending on services — *You can filter your info depending on services.*

You'll then get a preview of some of the activities that will be deleted. If you lot're okay with that, select "Delete."

The last step before you delete your activity. — *The final step before you delete your activity.*

Incidentally, if y'all want to make sure that nobody simply you tin delete your histories, then select the "Manage action" link under each category in Activity Controls, and look for "Manage My Activity verification." If yous enable that feature, Google will ask for a password whatsoever fourth dimension you lot want to look at or delete whatsoever history in your account.

And if yous don't desire to worry well-nigh manually deleting your stuff, you can enable auto-delete in each category (you lot'll see the option inside each category on the Action Controls folio). You'll have the option to automatically delete your activity subsequently either three, xviii, or 36 months.

You can now auto-delete your location history. — *You lot can now auto-delete your location history.*

Cease Google tracking on an Android device

Go to Settings. In the search box on acme, type in "Activity controls" and tap it when it comes upward.
If you take more than one Google account, select the one you want to manage.
Here, equally with the browser version, you tin can plow off or pause the monitoring of various activities, including setting machine-delete and managing a timeline of your activity.

Turn location tracking on and off from the Quick Settings tray

If you desire to be able to plow location tracking on or off as you need information technology, you tin can do that, also. One way to arrange this is to use the Quick Settings tray (which is what you lot see when you swipe down from the top of your screen). The tray holds a variety of icons for the most oftentimes-used Android features; in that location is a "Location" icon that lets you toggle the location feature on and off.

Swipe downwards from the top of the screen. If you lot're using Android 12, you'll encounter a series of bubbling for things like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, flashlight, etc. If you're using Android eleven or earlier, information technology will exist a line of icons. Either way, that's your Quick Settings tray. Await for the Location icon (usually, it looks like an upside-down driblet of water).
Not there? With Android 12, swipe across to come across more than bubbling; otherwise, swipe down.
Still missing? Look for a pencil icon; on a Pixel, it will exist on the bottom of the tray, merely some Android interfaces will have it on tiptop. Tap on the pencil, and the menu will open further. You can now see all the icons that are available. What yous want to do is brand sure the Location icon is in the hands visible function of the tray.
If your Location icon is in the bottom department, concur and drag it up to the visible group.

You'll now be able to apace swipe down from the top of your screen and toggle Location on and off — for example, if you want to apply Google Maps for directions, yous can toggle Location on, and so plough it back off when you lot're finished.

End location tracking on Android devices

If you don't feel the need to block Google from recording all your activities, and simply want to stop the telephone from recording your location, it'due south easy to do — as long as you pay attention to the details:

Swipe down from the pinnacle of the screen so that you come across your Quick Settings menu, and long-printing on the Location icon — or swipe downwardly, tap the Settings icon, and choose "Location."
You're now on the Location folio. Find the "Employ location" feature at the superlative and toggle it off.

You'd think that would exist it, wouldn't you? But you'd be incorrect. What is meant by "Use location" in Android depends on which sensors are following the location of the device: besides GPS, it could be Wi-Fi, mobile networks, or other sensors. So before you get out this folio, look a little further downward. If you're using Android 12, look for the "Location services" push button, otherwise, look for the "Advanced" push and tap on that.

Either way, you'll take several categories that you tin toggle on or off. These tin can be (depending on your Android version and your phone's manufacturer):

Google Emergency Location Service. This tells emergency services where you are if in that location'southward a trouble; for example, if your car goes off the route and the ambulance needs to discover yous. You can turn this off if you want, but read the fine print: "If ELS is off, your mobile carrier may still send device location during an emergency call."
Google Location Accuracy. This uses Wi-Fi and other services to assist pinpoint your location. If you want to plow off "Use location," yous demand to make sure this is turned off also. Any app that requires "precise location" (which I'll explain in a bit) needs this to exist turned on.
Google Location History. This leads you to a page where you tin can pause your device's collection of your location history. That doesn't go rid of what'south already been saved; in that location are instructions for that a footling later in this commodity.
Google Location Sharing. If you're sharing your location with family members or friends, you tin manage it here.
Wi-Fi scanning. This lets apps and services scan for local Wi-Fi networks, even if y'all have Wi-Fi turned off.
Bluetooth scanning. This lets apps and services search for Bluetooth devices even if Bluetooth is off. Both this and the Wi-Fi scanning are meant to meliorate location features.

If you can't encounter these last two, go back to the Location page and look for a "Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning" link.

Disable location tracking for whatsoever specific app

You can detect out which apps actually use location tracking and merely disable it for those that you feel don't demand it.

Go to the Location page (by long-pressing the Location icon in your Quick Settings tray).
Tap on "App permission" (or, if you're using Android 12, await for "App location permissions").
You'll discover here a listing of all your current apps that accept permission to admission your location either all of the fourth dimension or only while in apply. Tap on any to modify the permission to either allow all of the time, allow only while in use, inquire every time, or deny. You can also decide whether the app will be allowed to employ "precise location" — in other words, utilize more than GPS to determine where yous are. For that, "Google Location Accurateness," also found on the Location page.

Sometimes when you turn off permissions in the Android Settings, the app itself will continually try to go you lot to restore that permission. It'due south irritating, but unless the app lets yous say, "No, get out me lone," y'all will either have to alive with it or get a different app.

Delete your location history

While you can turn off location tracking from your Android phone's settings, once a service has nerveless your location info, getting rid of that history takes a lilliputian work. If you want to delete your location history, the commencement identify yous need to go is Google; afterwards that, apps that collect this information include Facebook and Twitter.

Delete your Google location history on Android

While you can delete location history collected for your Google timeline in the My Action surface area (run across above), you lot can also become rid of it easily in Google Maps.

Become to your Google Maps app.
Tap on your profile icon in the upper left corner.
Tap on "Your Timeline."
Select the three dots in the upper correct corner. Tap on "Settings and Privacy."
Ringlet down to "Delete all Location History." You lot'll go a popular-upward window that asks you to check a box saying that you understand that some of your apps may not work properly. Cheque the box and select "Delete."
You lot besides take the option of deleting your location history inside a date range or setting the app to automatically delete your location history after three, 18, or 36 months.

Delete your Google location history on a browser

Get to https://www.google.com/maps.
Tap on the three parallel lines in the upper left corner of the side console. (If you don't see the console, look for the minor arrow in the upper left corner and click on it.) Select "Your timeline."
Look for the gear icon on the lower right side of the screen. Click on it, and and then on "Delete all Location History." Y'all tin also set the automatic deletion feature here.

Look for the gear in your Timeline to delete your location history. — *Expect for the gear in your Timeline to delete your location history.*

As with the mobile app, you'll go a popular-upward window that asks you to check a box saying that you lot empathise that some of your apps may not work properly. Bank check the box and select "Delete Location History."

You'll be asked to confirm the history deletion. — *Y'all'll be asked to confirm the history deletion.*

Delete your location history on Facebook

Facebook does go on a separate history of your locations, and if you want to delete that history, you can do information technology through the mobile app or the browser.

Using the Android app

In the Facebook app, tap the hamburger (iii parallel lines) in the top right corner.
Scroll downwards and tap on "Settings & Privacy."
Tap on "Settings."
Whorl downwardly and tap on "Location" (which is under the "Permissions" subhead). This will accept you to the "Location Services" page.
Yous can now choose to allow Facebook access your phone'southward location all the time, while using the app, or never.
If you want to permit Facebook to salvage a history of your locations (or end information technology from doing so), tap on "Location History" to toggle it on or off. It's here that you can likewise delete your existing location history.

Using a browser

In Facebook, click on the small pointer next to the Notifications icon in the upper right corner. Click on "Settings & Privacy" > "Privacy Shortcuts."
Click on "Manage your location settings."

*Select "Manage your location settings" under the "Privacy" category.*

On the "Location Settings" page, click on the "View your Location History" push button.

*The "Location Settings" page lets you view your history, delete information technology, and stop recording it.*

Then click on the gear in the upper left corner. As with the mobile app, you can now either delete that specific solar day or delete your entire location history.

You can delete that day's history, or all your history. — *You can delete that day'due south history or all your history.*

On the "Location Settings" page, y'all can also turn your location history on or off for your mobile devices.

Delete your location history on Twitter

Twitter makes it relatively simple to turn off its location tracking inside the Android app.

Tap on your personal icon in the upper left of the homescreen.
Tap on "Settings and privacy."
Tap on "Privacy and safety."
Roll down until y'all see "Location information" and tap on it. You lot can then toggle off the boxes that give Twitter permission to collect your GPS and other location information. And don't forget to tap on "Explore settings," which gives Twitter the pick to show nearby content.

You lot tin can delete your Twitter location history also, merely just from your browser.

Become to your Twitter account, click on "More than" in the left column and on "Settings and privacy."
In the left-hand menu, click on "Privacy and safe." Scroll down and select "Location information."

Uncheck "Personalize based on places you lot've been." Then click on "Add together location information to your Tweets."

Uncheck "Add location data to your Tweets." Then click on "Delete all location information." And if it asks: yes, you are sure.

Update August 25th, 2020, 2:37PM ET: This article was originally published on Apr 12th, 2019; it has been updated to include the update from Android 9 to Android 10, along with changes to various spider web-based applications.

Update November 30th, 2021, 3:55PM ET: Updated to reflect changes in the Android operating organisation and in Google, Facebook, and Twitter apps.