Smartphone Privacy Settings You Should Change Today
Your phone holds your messages, photos, payment cards, and daily habits. A few default settings often leak more than you expect. Tightening privacy does not need an overhaul. Small changes across lock screen, permissions, location, and ads can lower your exposure without breaking how you use your phone. The goal is simple: share less by default, share more only when you choose.
Both iPhone and Android have added stronger controls in recent years, yet many of the most protective switches are buried a few menus deep. I set up friends’ phones a few times a year, and the same patterns show up. Location is left on “Always,” ad personalization is on, and notification previews show private details on the lock screen. Fixing these takes minutes and pays off immediately.
Start with the lock screen and updates
Strangers see your lock screen before anything else. Reduce what shows there and use strong authentication. Then make sure the system and apps update on their own. Patches stop known bugs that can expose data. This is the fastest privacy win for every phone owner.
Use the paths below to find Names can vary by device maker, but the ideas are the same.
| Setting | Android path | iPhone path |
|---|---|---|
| Lock screen privacy | Settings > Notifications > Lock screen | Settings > Notifications > Show Previews |
| Screen lock & biometrics | Settings > Security > Screen lock | Settings > Face ID/Touch ID & Passcode |
| System updates | Settings > System > System update | Settings > General > Software Update |
| App updates | Play Store > Profile > Settings > Network preferences | Settings > App Store > App Updates |
On Android, set the lock screen to hide sensitive content. On iPhone, set Show Previews to “When Unlocked.” Use a six digit passcode at minimum. Longer passcodes or alphanumeric codes are better. Turn on automatic system and app updates. If an update fails on low storage, free space and try again.
If you need step by step platform guidance, the official help sites are useful starting points. See support.google.com and apple.com for current menus and wording.
Tame app permissions and location access
Most apps request more access than they need. Treat permissions like keys to your house. Grant only what is required for the task, and prefer ask-each-time where possible. Android has a Privacy Dashboard that shows which apps used location, camera, and microphone recently. iPhone shows permission summaries in Settings per app and per data type.
Location is the big one. Set most apps to “While Using.” Reserve “Always” for services that truly must run in the background, like trusted automation or a safety app. If an app refuses to work without constant access, test if the feature still works with “While Using.” Many do. I audit my own permissions monthly and almost always find at least one app that no longer needs location.
Quick wins you can change in five minutes
- Set notification previews to hidden until unlocked.
- Switch location for most apps to “While Using.”
- Turn off ad personalization and reset your ad ID.
- Limit Photos access to selected items for third party apps.
- Disable background app refresh for apps that do not need it.
- Review microphone and camera access and remove from low trust apps.
Cut data sharing from ads and analytics
Both Android and iPhone give you a setting to reduce tracking for ads. On iPhone, turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track and keep it off for every app. On Android, delete your Advertising ID and turn off ad personalization. This reduces cross app profiling and targeted ads tied to your device.
Analytics and diagnostics can also send device data. Turn off sharing diagnostics with app developers unless you are troubleshooting. Push apps to collect the minimum. Many apps bury analytics toggles in their own settings. Spend a minute in each app you use often, especially social, shopping, and finance. The Federal Trade Commission has clear guidance on mobile privacy basics at ftc.gov.
Lock down location, Bluetooth, and nearby features
Wi Fi and Bluetooth settings include extra scanners that help with location accuracy, even when Wi Fi or Bluetooth is off. Turn off Wi Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning unless you rely on them for a specific feature. On Android, this sits under Location Services. On iPhone, check System Services and disable unnecessary toggles like Significant Locations if you do not use features that depend on it.
Manage nearby sharing tools. AirDrop should be set to Contacts Only or Receiving Off. Nearby Share on Android should be set to Hidden or Contacts. Open sharing modes invite random contact attempts in busy areas. I keep these off by default and toggle them on for a task, then turn them off again.
Tighten Photos, camera, and microphone
Photos access can be set to Selected Photos on iPhone for each app. That single switch blocks a common overshare. On Android, grant Photos and Video permissions only when the app needs to upload or edit media. Deny camera and microphone for apps that do not have a clear reason to use them. Watch for the on screen indicators that show active use. If a light appears at an odd time, investigate and revoke access.
Remove location data from photos you share. On iPhone, disable Location under Camera settings to stop tagging new photos, or use the share sheet option to remove location when sending. On Android, camera apps often have a Save Location option you can turn off. Some gallery apps include a “remove location” toggle in the share flow.
Reduce lock screen exposure and message leaks
Lock screen widgets, notification previews, and Siri or Assistant results can reveal private content. Limit what shows before authentication. Set message apps to hide previews on the lock screen. Turn off smart assistant suggestions on the lock screen if they expose recent activity. This adds one extra tap but protects sensitive snippets from shoulder surfers.
Keyboard apps can collect what you type. Stick with the built in keyboard for sensitive entries like passwords and addresses. If you use a third party keyboard, turn off full access where that option exists and review its privacy policy. Clipboard access alerts can reveal when an app reads text you copied. If your phone supports clipboard privacy controls, enable them and clear the clipboard automatically.
Control backups, cloud sync, and device finders
Backups protect you, yet they also move personal data to the cloud. Confirm that your backups are encrypted and tied to a strong account password. Use two factor authentication for your Apple ID or Google Account. Check what is included in cloud sync and turn off sync for items you do not need on every device.
Keep Find My iPhone or Find My Device enabled. These services let you locate, lock, or erase a lost phone. Review trusted devices and recovery methods. Remove old devices you no longer use. If you sell or give away a phone, sign out of accounts, erase the device, and remove it from your account list so it cannot be linked back to you later.
Emergency privacy matters during life changes. iPhone offers Safety Check, which resets sharing access and app permissions across the system. Android has one time permission reset and permission auto reset for unused apps. These tools help when you need to quickly cut shared access or regain control of data spread across apps.
Keep an eye on permission creep. New app versions can request new rights. When you see a permission prompt after an update, pause and ask if the feature is worth the access. I decline by default, then turn it on later if I hit a feature that truly needs it. This habit keeps the baseline tight without constant micromanagement.
Strong privacy on a smartphone is not about hiding. It is about choice and control. Lock screen limits, tighter app permissions, and reduced tracking close common gaps that leak data. These changes do not break convenience for most people. They shift trust back to where it belongs, with you deciding when and how your phone shares.
Start with the quick wins. Hide previews, trim location, reset your ad ID, and turn off background data you do not need. Add a monthly five minute audit to catch new permissions and remove apps you no longer use. Small, steady habits protect your information and make the rest of your settings work better for you, not the other way around.