7 Phone Privacy Settings to Change Now on Android and iPhone
You search once for running shoes, and ads for them follow you through every app for a week. You leave your phone on the office desk, and a colleague reads your bank's verification code right off the lock screen. None of this is sophisticated hacking; it's default settings nobody changed. Fixing them takes about fifteen minutes.
In short: The seven phone privacy settings that matter most are: reviewing app and location permissions, deleting your advertising ID or blocking tracking, hiding notification content on the lock screen, running Safety Check or the Privacy Dashboard, turning on your device finder, and setting up backups and two-step verification. All are built into Android and iPhone.
Note: menu names vary by OS version and manufacturer, especially on Android. If a menu isn't where we say, use the search box in Settings.
1. App permissions and location
Plenty of apps ask for your location, microphone and contacts without a real need. A flashlight app doesn't need to know where you are, and a calculator doesn't need the camera.
On iPhone: Settings โ Privacy & Security โ Location Services. For each app, choose "While Using the App" or "Ask Next Time" instead of "Always", and turn off Precise Location for apps that work fine with an approximate one, like weather. From the same screen, review Camera, Microphone and Photos.
On Android: Settings โ Location โ App location permissions, then Settings โ Apps โ pick an app โ Permissions. You can also switch off "Use precise location" per app.
A practical rule: any app you haven't opened in months should be deleted or stripped of permissions. Recent Android versions also remove permissions from long-unused apps automatically.
2. Advertising ID and app tracking
Every phone carries an advertising identifier that apps use to build a profile of your interests.
iPhone: App Tracking Transparency
Go to Settings โ Privacy & Security โ Tracking and turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track". According to Apple's support page, you then won't see tracking prompts, every app is treated as if you chose "Ask App Not to Track", and apps can't access the advertising identifier. You can also turn off Apple's personalized ads under Settings โ Privacy & Security โ Apple Advertising.
Android: delete the advertising ID
On Android 12 and later: Settings โ Privacy (or Security & privacy) โ Ads โ Delete advertising ID. Google says apps that try to read it afterwards get a string of zeros instead. Older versions offer an option to opt out of ad personalization or reset the ID.
3. Lock-screen notifications
Bank messages, verification codes and WhatsApp chats can appear in full to anyone walking past your phone. Worse, a thief could read a password-reset code without opening the phone.
- iPhone: Settings โ Notifications โ Show Previews โ "When Unlocked" or "Never".
- Android: Settings โ Notifications โ Notifications on lock screen, and choose to hide sensitive content or show none. On Samsung, the option sits within the lock screen settings.
4. Safety Check on iPhone, Privacy Dashboard on Android
These tools show who can see your data, which helps if you suspect someone is watching you. For more warning signs, see our guide How do I know if my phone is hacked?
Safety Check on iPhone: Settings โ Privacy & Security โ Safety Check (you may need to scroll down). It requires iOS 16 or later. It offers two paths: Emergency Reset, which immediately stops sharing with all people and apps, and Manage Sharing & Access, which lets you review each person and app individually, including devices signed in to your account.
Android Privacy Dashboard: Settings โ Security & privacy (or Privacy) โ Privacy dashboard. It shows which apps used location, camera and microphone and when: the last 24 hours on Android 12 and the last 7 days on Android 13 and later. You can revoke a permission right there.
Also watch for the green or orange indicator at the top of the screen; it means an app is using the camera or microphone right now.
5. Find My, Find Hub and theft protection
If your phone goes missing, these services locate it, lock it and wipe it remotely, but only if they were turned on beforehand.
- iPhone: Settings โ your name โ Find My โ Find My iPhone, and enable Send Last Location.
- Android: Google renamed Find My Device to Find Hub in 2025. You'll usually find it under Settings โ Security & privacy โ Device finders. Samsung phones also offer SmartThings Find.
On iPhone, add an important layer: Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3 and later) under Settings โ Face ID & Passcode. Away from familiar places, it requires Face ID or Touch ID for sensitive actions and adds a one-hour delay before critical security changes such as changing your Apple Account password, so knowing your passcode isn't enough for a thief.
6. Backups
Privacy also means not losing your data. If you wipe a stolen phone remotely, your backup brings back your photos and chats.
- iPhone: Settings โ your name โ iCloud โ iCloud Backup.
- Android: Settings โ Google โ Backup (or Settings โ System โ Backup, depending on the phone).
If you rely on WhatsApp for important conversations, turn on end-to-end encrypted backup in its chat settings.
7. Two-step verification for your main account
Your Apple or Google Account is the master key to your photos, backups and saved passwords. A password alone isn't enough.
- Google: open your Google Account โ Security โ 2-Step Verification, and add a passkey if you can.
- Apple: two-factor authentication is on by default for modern accounts; review your trusted phone numbers under Settings โ your name โ Sign-In & Security.
Apply the same idea to your other accounts, as we explained in How to protect your accounts from hacking.
Quick reference table
| Setting | iPhone | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Location and permissions | Privacy & Security โ Location Services | Location โ App location permissions |
| Ad tracking | Privacy & Security โ Tracking | Privacy โ Ads โ Delete advertising ID |
| Lock screen | Notifications โ Show Previews | Notifications โ Notifications on lock screen |
| Access review | Safety Check | Privacy dashboard |
| Device finder | Find My | Find Hub |
FAQ
Does deleting the advertising ID stop ads completely?
No. You'll still see ads, but they'll be less targeted. Some apps also have their own ad settings.
How can I see which apps use my phone's microphone?
On Android, open the Privacy Dashboard; on iPhone, check Privacy & Security โ Microphone. And keep an eye on the colored dot at the top of the screen.
Will turning off location stop me from finding a lost phone?
It can. Keep location on for your device finder and restrict it for other apps only.
How often should I review my privacy settings?
A quick check every few months, and after every major system update or a batch of new app installs.
The takeaway: start today with the two fastest wins, hiding lock-screen notifications and turning on two-step verification, then work through the rest at your own pace. Fifteen minutes now saves a lot of trouble later.
Sources: Apple Support (Safety Check, App Tracking Transparency, Stolen Device Protection), Android Help and Google Play Help, 9to5Google, SamMobile.
Because our privacy starts with the phone that never leaves our hands, our interest extends from following Arabic websites and specialized blogs, to what Egypt stores, Kuwait stores, vitamin stores and international sites offer, with Mashhor for social media services as a key to growth.
That's it, friends. We hope you found this useful โ
Best wishes from the #Ezznology team.
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