How to check location data settings and opt out of tracking apps

A simple weekly check of your device settings to stop non-essential apps from sharing your real-time location data.

CHEAPUNO EditorialSources checked 10 10 月, 2026

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What you are probably seeing

Your battery drains faster than expected even when the screen is off, suggesting background processes are active.

You notice ads for places you visited only yesterday appearing in your social media feeds or local search results.

Why it happens

Many apps request broad location permissions to deliver localized content or ads, but they often keep listening even when the app is closed.

Operating systems default to allowing location access for new installs, so users rarely review these choices until they feel overwhelmed by digital surveillance.

What changed recently

Step by step

1. Open your device settings and find the privacy or location section to review which apps have full access to your position.

2. Change the location permission for non-essential apps from always on to ask or never to limit background tracking.

3. Disable background app refresh for social media and shopping apps to stop them from pinging your location server while idle.

4. Check for a system wide setting that hides precise location data from all apps and enable it to share only approximate areas.

5. Perform a manual reboot of your device once a week to clear cached location data stored in the temporary memory.

Ways to go further

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