Living in this digital age, or the era of the internet is an interesting time. We have access to loads of information, and it is usually just a click away. Also, we face instances in which we may not have data privacy, and our information may be accessed and viewed by companies or the public. This makes you feel exposed and also vulnerable, especially to people who may have ill intent. Have you ever visited a place and later on, Google sends you a request to review the place?
Yet, at such a moment, you are sure that your Location is toggled off on your phone. Does it make you feel uncomfortable that it is like your physical moves are also leaving a digital print? If that is the case, then the best solution for you would be blocking Google from tracking your location. Read on to find out how you can go about this.
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Guide on How to Block Google From Tracking Your Location
While you may have set Location to be off in your phone settings, Google still has a way of tracking your location. This is especially when you use services such as the Weather, Maps, and the search engine. Therefore, your location will be tracked and recorded when using such Google Services. Your location history is used in getting to know your preferences and you also get targeted adverts. That is why you may see Google maps prompting to explore places near your location.
You will be surprised to learn that blocking Google from tracking your location does not require you to take your phone to a phone shop or an IT expert and you can do it with relative ease- it is not rocket science! These are the steps you should follow:
Blocking location tracker on an Android phone
The following steps guide you on how to stop Google from tracking your location on Android devices:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Google, then click on Google Account.
- Select the Data & personalization tab then click on Web & App Activity.
- Change the Web & App Activity to be ‘Off’.
If you want to turn off your location history, you can tap on Location History under the Data & personalization tab and then change it to ‘Off’. This can be done to set location history off for each device or phone that is linked to your Google account.
Blocking Location Tracker on an iPhone, iPad or Laptop
The following steps guide you on how to stop Google from tracking your location on Apple devices and on your computer:
- Sign in to your account on your Google browser.
- Click on your profile picture (it appears on the top right corner).
- Select Google account.
- Select Personal info privacy then My Activity.
- Select Activity controls.
- Turn Web & App Activity off.
As you can see, the main thing to do when blocking Google from tracking your location is turning Web & App Activity off. You can also delete your location history by clicking the bin icon on your Google Maps timeline. The ‘My Activity’ panel on your Google account also gives you the chance to delete activities done individually or in group events.
Move on with ease having your Google Tracker off
There you go! You can now be on the move and know have the peace of mind that your every move is not being watched after blocking Google from tracking your location. In case you feel that you need your family or friends should know your live location, you can change the setting. In an otherwise good situation whereby there is no need for your location to be tracked, follow the guide above and change locations with ease.
