What "Location Tracking" and "Activity Tracking" actually mean, and why you might want to turn them off
Location tracking means your device records where you are — either continuously or when you use certain apps — and stores that data. Activity tracking means your device logs what you do: which apps you open, how long you use them, what websites you visit, and sometimes what you type. Both happen by default on phones and computers, and both send data to the company that made your device or to apps you've installed.
You might want to turn these off because the data can be sold to advertisers, used to build a profile of your habits, or subpoenaed in legal cases. You might also want to turn them off straightforward because you don't want a record of everywhere you go or everything you do. The trade-off is usually minor: you lose some convenience features (like automatic location suggestions or app recommendations), but your device still works normally.
The steps differ depending on whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, Windows computer, or Mac. Each one has multiple places where tracking happens, so you'll need to check several settings.
Key Takeaways
- Location tracking and activity tracking are turned on by default on most devices and can be disabled in your settings without breaking core functions.
- On iPhones, you disable location tracking in Settings > Privacy > Location Services, and activity tracking in Settings > Privacy > Analytics.
- On Android phones, location tracking is in Settings > Location, and activity tracking is in Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Data & Privacy.
- On Windows computers, location tracking is in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location, and activity tracking is in Settings > Privacy & Security > General.
- On Macs, location tracking is in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, and activity tracking is in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics.
How to disable location tracking on an iPhone
Open Settings and tap Privacy. Tap Location Services. You'll see a toggle at the top — turn it off to stop all location tracking. If you want to keep location services for maps or emergency calls but stop individual apps from tracking you, leave Location Services on and scroll down to see each app listed. Tap each app and choose "Never" instead of "Always" or "While Using".
After you turn off Location Services, some features stop working: Apple Maps won't show your location, weather apps won't auto-detect your city, and Find My Friends won't work. Emergency services can still locate you through your carrier if you call 911. If you want to keep some of these features, the per-app approach (setting each one to "Never" or "While Using") gives you more control than the all-or-nothing toggle.
How to disable activity tracking on an iPhone
Open Settings and tap Privacy. Scroll down and tap Analytics. Turn off "Share iPhone Analytics" and "Share iCloud Analytics". This stops Apple from collecting data about how you use your phone and which apps you open.
You can also limit ad tracking. In Settings, tap Privacy, then tap Apple Advertising. Turn off "Personalized Ads". This doesn't stop ads — you'll still see them — but it stops Apple from using your activity to target them to you specifically.
How to disable location tracking on Android
Open Settings and tap Location. Turn off the toggle at the top. This stops apps and Google from recording your location. If you want to keep location services for maps but stop background tracking, leave the toggle on and tap "Location Services" or "Advanced", then turn off "Google Location Accuracy" and "Improve Location Accuracy".
Some Android phones also have a setting called "Location" under Google services. Open Settings, tap Google, tap Manage Your Google Account, tap the Data & Privacy tab, and look for "Web & App Activity". Turn this off to stop Google from logging which apps you use and which websites you visit on your phone.
How to disable activity tracking on Android
Open Settings, tap Google, then tap Manage Your Google Account. Tap the Data & Privacy tab. You'll see several options: "Web & App Activity" (which logs apps and websites), "Location History" (which we covered above), and "YouTube Search History" and "YouTube Watch History" (if you use YouTube). Turn off whichever ones you don't want.
You can also control what data Google collects about you by visiting myaccount.google.com on any browser and clicking Data & Privacy in the left menu. From there you can delete past activity, turn off future collection, and see what Google has stored about you.
How to disable location tracking on Windows
Open Settings and click Privacy & Security in the left menu. Click Location. Turn off the toggle at the top that says "Location". This stops Windows and apps from accessing your location.
You can also control which apps have permission to use location. In the same Location settings page, scroll down to see a list of apps. Turn off the toggle next to any app you don't want to have location access.
How to disable activity tracking on Windows
Open Settings and click Privacy & Security. Click General. Turn off "Tailored experiences" and "Improve inking & typing" — these send data about how you use your computer to Microsoft. Scroll down and turn off "Suggested content" if you don't want Windows to recommend apps or content based on your activity.
For more detailed control, click Diagnostics & optional diagnostic data (still in Privacy & Security). Choose "Required diagnostic data" instead of "Optional diagnostic data". This reduces the amount of information Windows sends to Microsoft, though some data collection cannot be turned off on Windows Home edition.
How to disable location tracking on a Mac
Click the Apple menu and open System Settings. Click Privacy & Security in the left menu. Click Location Services. Turn off the toggle at the top. This stops macOS and apps from accessing your location.
You can also control which apps have location permission. In the same Location Services page, you'll see a list of apps. Click each one and choose "Never" to revoke its location access.
How to disable activity tracking on a Mac
Click the Apple menu and open System Settings. Click Privacy & Security. Click Analytics. Turn off "Share Mac Analytics" and "Improve Siri & Dictation". This stops Apple from collecting data about how you use your Mac.
You can also limit ad tracking on a Mac the same way you do on iPhone. In System Settings, click Privacy & Security, then click Apple Advertising, and turn off "Personalized Ads".
What happens after you turn off tracking, and what you might notice
After you disable location tracking, maps and weather apps won't know where you are unless you manually enter a location. Apps that relied on location to work in the background (like fitness trackers or delivery apps) will ask for permission each time you open them. This is intentional — it gives you control over when apps can see where you are.
After you disable activity tracking, you may see fewer personalized ads and app recommendations. Some apps may load slightly slower because they can't use cached data about your habits. Siri and voice assistants may be less accurate because they have less data about your preferences. These are minor inconveniences for most people, and many find the privacy trade-off worth it.
If you change your mind about any setting, you can turn tracking back on the same way you turned it off. There's no penalty for switching back and forth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off location tracking stop my phone from working with emergency services?
No. If you call 911, emergency services can still locate you through your cellular carrier, even if location services are completely off. Location tracking settings only affect apps and the device maker — they don't interfere with emergency systems.
If I turn off activity tracking, will companies still see what I do online?
Activity tracking settings on your device only control what your device maker (Apple, Google, Microsoft) collects. They don't stop your internet service provider, your employer's network, or individual websites from seeing your activity. To limit what websites see, you need a separate tool like a VPN or a privacy-focused browser.
Can I turn off tracking for just one app instead of all apps?
Yes. On both iPhone and Android, you can go to each app's permissions and choose which data it can access. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy and tap each category (Location, Camera, Microphone, etc.) to see which apps have permission. On Android, open Settings, tap Apps, select an app, tap Permissions, and toggle off what you don't want it to access.
Will turning off tracking make my phone slower or cause problems?
No. Disabling location and activity tracking does not slow down your device or cause crashes. You may notice that some features work differently (like maps not auto-detecting your city), but the core functions of your phone or computer remain unchanged.
How do I know if an app is still tracking me after I turn off these settings?
On iPhone, a small arrow icon appears next to the time when an app is using location. On Android, a location icon appears in the status bar. Both phones also let you review app permissions in Settings to see what each app is allowed to access. If an app has permission you didn't grant, check your settings — you may have accidentally allowed it during setup.