How to Stop Apps Tracking Your Location on iPhone and Android in the UK

Your phone probably knows where you have been today better than you do. That is not just because of maps. Dozens of apps quietly ask for your location, and many keep collecting it long after you have stopped using them. Some of it is useful, like a delivery app finding your door. A lot of it is not. Weather apps, games, shopping apps, and social networks often collect location data to build a picture of your habits. The good news is that both iPhone and Android now give you strong controls, and a ten minute tidy up can cut most of the tracking at the source.

Start with a location audit

Before changing anything, take a quick look at which apps actually have location access. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Location Services. On Android, go to Settings, then Location, then App location permissions, where apps are grouped by the level of access they hold.

Look for surprises first. A torch app, a photo filter, or a game has no good reason to know where you are all the time. Any app set to Always deserves a hard look, because that setting lets it collect location in the background, even when you are not using it. You do not need to turn location off completely. Your phone still needs it for maps, emergency calls, and finding your device. The goal is to give each app only the access it genuinely needs.

Change permissions on iPhone

On iPhone, the cleanest option for most apps is While Using the App. That lets a maps or taxi app work when it is open, but stops it tracking you once you switch away. To change a setting, tap the app in the Location Services list and choose While Using the App, or Never if the app has no need for location at all.

Also check Precise Location. When this is switched on, an app can see your exact spot. When it is off, the app only gets an approximate area, which is plenty for a weather forecast or a local news app. You can switch Precise Location off for individual apps in the same screen. That one toggle is worth using widely, because approximate location is far less revealing than a pin on your street.

Two more iPhone settings are worth a look. In Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Location Services, scroll down to System Services and review what is switched on there. You can switch off options such as Location-Based Suggestions and Significant Locations if you do not want your phone learning your routine.

Change permissions on Android

Android gives you similar choices, with a useful extra. In Settings, then Location, then App location permissions, tap an app and choose Allow only while using the app, Ask every time, or Do not allow. As on iPhone, Allow only while using the app is the right default for most apps. Reserve Allow all the time for the small handful that genuinely need background location, such as a trusted family safety app you chose yourself.

Next, check Google Location History. On many Android phones, this record of places you have been is found under your Google Account settings and in Google Maps Timeline controls. If you do not want that history, pause it and delete past entries from the same screen. You can also turn off Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning in Location settings, which stop your phone using nearby networks and devices to work out where you are even when location itself is off.

Photos, widgets, and sneaky settings

Photos are a common leak. When you take a photo, your phone can stamp it with the place it was taken. That is handy for sorting holiday snaps, but it means a photo you share online can reveal your home address or a child’s school. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Location Services, then Camera, and set it to Never. On Android, open the Camera app settings and switch off location tags, sometimes labelled Save location.

Widgets and lock screen features can leak location too. A weather widget needs your area, not your exact address, so give it approximate location only. Social apps deserve special attention. If you post with a location tag switched on, you are broadcasting your movements to anyone who sees the post. Turn location tags off by default in each social app, and add a place manually only when you choose to.

Finally, remember that turning off location for one app does not stop your mobile network or your internet provider knowing roughly where you are. What these settings do stop is the quiet, app by app collection that builds the detailed picture advertisers and data brokers value most. That alone is a big win.

A quick monthly habit

Location settings drift over time. Every new app you install will ask for location, and it is easy to tap Allow without thinking. Once a month, spend two minutes repeating the audit at the top of this guide. Look for any app that has crept back to Always or Allow all the time, and knock it back to While Using. Delete apps you no longer use, because an app you forgot about can still collect location in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I turn location off completely on my phone?

Usually not. Maps, emergency services, and finding a lost phone all need location to work. The better approach is to keep location switched on at system level but limit each app to While Using, and switch off Precise Location for apps that only need your general area.

What is the difference between precise and approximate location?

Precise location lets an app see your exact position, down to a specific building. Approximate location only tells it a broad area, such as your neighbourhood or town. For weather, news, and shopping apps, approximate location is almost always enough.

Can apps still track me if I turn location off for them?

An app with location permission switched off cannot use your phone’s GPS directly, but it may still infer a rough area from your internet connection or from content you post with a place attached. That is why it also helps to switch off location tags on photos and posts, and to review Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning settings on Android.