How to disable app tracking on Android

Have you ever downloaded a new app and seen a prompt asking you if you want to ask an app not to track your app activity?  You might have wondered what kind of app activity it was requesting to track, or what app tracking actually entails in general.  

These days, most apps request app activity tracking for a few different reasons. One being that by tracking your app activity, they can learn how their software is used and improve performance. Another reason is to provide ads and services that are more relevant to you. 

As you can imagine, there are pros and cons to getting personalized ads. You might be looking for some of the products recommended and want to see different options. Or you might not. Either way, you may want to know what options you have in terms of what data you’re comfortable with being tracked or not tracked.  
The good news is that you have the power to decide what’s right for your data privacy preferences, and you can easily disable (or enable) app tracking on your Android with just a few taps.

How do I turn off app activity tracking on Android?

There are several ways to manage activity tracking on your Android device and enhance your digital privacy. We recommend performing a review of the steps below and customizing your data privacy to your particular preferences. 

How to change permissions for apps on Android

• Go to Settings > Apps (or App management)
• Go through each app to review and adjust permissions such as location, microphone, and camera access 
• Toggle off any permissions that aren’t needed for the app’s essential features. For example, most likely the only apps that need to have camera access are photo and social media related 

Opt out of ads personalization on Android

A lot of apps monitor usage to show you things that are the most relevant to you. This could lead to you finding your next favorite t-shirt, or whatever thing you’re currently in the market for. But, if you prefer not to receive personalized ads, you can easily opt-out by doing the following.

• Navigate to Settings on your Android phone
• The next action will depend on your device. Look for the Google or Ads option from your menu
• Once you’ve gotten to the Ads screen, you can turn off (or toggle off) ads, disabling personalized ads  

How to disable web & app activity on Android

• Go to Settings > Google > Manage your Google Account
• Select Data & Privacy
• Under Activity controls, locate Web & App Activity
• Press the button to Turn off web & app tracking

This disables app tracking on your searches, browser history and other app activities. Woohoo! 

How to disable location tracking on Android

Turn off your location services you don’t need in order to stop apps from tracking where you are.  

• Choose the Settings app on your Android device
• Select Device & privacy
• Then select Location 
• Toggle your Location setting to the off position

Why might I want to disable app tracking on my Android? 

As we first mentioned in this article, app tracking has its pros and cons. As a consumer, we think it’s important that you know what your options are.

You might love getting software improvements based on your activity, or getting recommended products that are useful and relevant to your lifestyle. 

But if you don’t, you deserve to know what your rights are as a consumer and how to keep your app activity customized to your privacy preferences.  The power is in your hands. 

More resources to keep your Android safe & secure

We hope knowing your options helps you use your Android more mindfully and in a way that’s aligned with how you want your data to be used (or not used). You shouldn’t gotta fight… for your right…to digital privacyyyyy, or however the song goes. 

If customizing your phone’s security features is your new fav hobby, you might be interested in learning how to set up parental controls on Android, or how to block spam calls on Android. 

And in the interest of keeping you and your Android safe, we’ve got loads more tips on how to optimize your Android below.