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Estimated time: 45 minutes
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Open your Android Settings and navigate to Location. You will see a list of apps with their current location permission level. Android offers four permission levels: Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, Ask every time, and Deny. Tap each app and set the most restrictive permission that still allows the app to function. Most apps should be set to Allow only while using the app or Deny. Disable Google Location History by going to your Google Account settings within the Settings app. Under Data and Privacy, find Location History and turn it off. Also disable Web and App Activity if you want to prevent Google from storing your location data derived from searches and other activities. Under Location settings, tap Google Location Accuracy and consider disabling it. While this makes location less precise, it prevents Google from collecting Wi-Fi and cell tower data to enhance location tracking.
Google tracks extensive activity data through your Android device. Open Settings, tap Google, then Manage your Google Account. Navigate to the Data and Privacy tab. Under History Settings, you will find Web and App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History. Tap each one and either pause or delete the collected data. For Web and App Activity, toggle it off to prevent Google from recording your searches, browsing history, and app activity. Under this setting, also uncheck the options for Chrome history and audio recordings if they are checked. For Location History, disable it to stop Google from building a timeline of your physical movements. For YouTube History, disable both watch history and search history. After pausing each category, you have the option to delete previously collected data. Select Delete all time to remove all historical data Google has collected. Set up auto-delete for any categories you choose to keep active.
Navigate to Settings, then Privacy, then Permission Manager. This centralized view shows all permissions grouped by type. Start with Camera permissions and revoke access from any app that does not need camera functionality. Move to Microphone and do the same. Pay special attention to Body Sensors, Calendar, Call Logs, Contacts, Files and Media, Nearby Devices, Phone, Physical Activity, and SMS permissions. Each permission category shows which apps have been granted access. Tap each app to change its permission level. Android allows you to set some permissions to Allow only while using the app, which is preferable to Always Allow. Look for the option to remove permissions for unused apps, which automatically revokes permissions from apps you have not opened recently. Enable this feature under Settings, Apps, then scroll to the specific app and toggle Remove permissions if app is unused. This prevents dormant apps from retaining broad access to your device.
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Reduce advertising tracking on your Android device. Go to Settings, then Privacy, then Ads. On newer Android versions, you can delete your advertising ID entirely by selecting Delete Advertising ID. On older versions, tap Reset Advertising ID and then toggle on Opt out of Ads Personalization. This prevents apps from using a persistent identifier to build advertising profiles about you. Next, go to Settings, then Google, then Ads, and review the ad personalization settings there. Disable any personalization options. Also check Settings, then Google, then More, then Ads for additional ad-related settings. In your Google Account settings under Data and Privacy, find Ad Personalization and turn it off. This prevents Google from using your activity data to personalize ads across Google services. Review the advertisers and topics that Google has associated with your profile and remove them all. These steps significantly reduce the advertising surveillance infrastructure on your device.
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Navigate to Settings, then Security, then Screen Lock. If you are using a pattern or PIN, switch to a strong password with at least eight characters including letters, numbers, and symbols. Under Lock Screen settings, set notifications to Hide sensitive content or do not show notifications at all on the lock screen. This prevents someone from reading your messages or seeing private information without unlocking your phone. Disable Smart Lock features that keep your phone unlocked in certain locations or when connected to certain Bluetooth devices, as these create security vulnerabilities. Under Settings, then Security, find Device Admin Apps and review which apps have administrative privileges. Remove any app that should not have this level of access. Enable Find My Device for remote wipe capability in case your phone is lost or stolen. Set the lock timeout to the shortest comfortable duration, ideally 30 seconds or one minute.
Android supports Private DNS, which encrypts your DNS queries to prevent your internet service provider and network operators from seeing which websites you visit. Go to Settings, then Network & Internet, then Private DNS. Select Private DNS provider hostname and enter a privacy-respecting DNS provider such as dns.adguard-dns.com for ad-blocking DNS, or one.one.one.one for Cloudflare DNS, or dns.quad9.net for Quad9 security-focused DNS. AdGuard DNS is particularly useful because it blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level, providing system-wide protection that works across all apps and browsers. After entering the hostname, tap Save. Verify that Private DNS is working by visiting a DNS leak test website. If your chosen provider supports it, you can also configure custom filtering rules. This single setting provides significant privacy improvement by encrypting all DNS queries leaving your device and optionally blocking known tracking domains.
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Go to Settings, then Apps, and review every installed application. Uninstall any apps you no longer use, as even dormant apps can collect data in the background through background services and broadcast receivers. Pay special attention to apps from companies known for aggressive data collection such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Threads), TikTok, and various free utility apps that monetize through data collection. For apps you want to keep, tap each one and review its permissions, data usage, and battery consumption. High background data usage or battery consumption can indicate an app is actively operating in the background. Check for pre-installed bloatware that came with your phone or carrier. While some cannot be uninstalled, you can disable them by tapping Disable in the app info screen. Consider replacing data-hungry apps with privacy-respecting alternatives such as using NewPipe instead of YouTube, or Organic Maps instead of Google Maps.
By completing this guide, you have successfully worked through 7 steps covering "Complete Android Privacy Settings Audit and Configuration Guide". Here is a summary of what you achieved:
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