Understanding Location Tracking: How to Disable It and Best Apps in 2025

What is It?

It is the process of determining the current or past movement of a person or object. This is usually done using principals of GPS operation, Wi-Fi, and cellular triangulation.

Navigation Apps	Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze – they all rely on your place to give you directions.
Security Systems	"Find My" features on phones and location tracking devices for valuables are great examples.
Social Media	Checking in at restaurants or sharing your movements with friends.
Delivery Services	Allowing you to see where your food or packages are on their way to you.

Location Tracking via Phone Number

One common method is tracking phone number location. This technique uses the cellular network to pinpoint the approximate place of a device.

It's often used by law enforcement, but it can also be used in legitimate scenarios like a family safety app. You can even make a location tracking website from phone number, but be aware of the ethical and legal implications before doing so.

Think about it: parents might use it to keep tabs on their kids, or companies might use it to track employees who are out in the field. Just be aware that privacy concerns are a big deal with this method.

Geo Location Rank Tracking

This isn't about tracking people, but rather tracking the search engine rankings of websites in specific geographic areas.

Imagine you own a local bakery. You want to make sure your website shows up high in Google search results when someone in your town searches for "best bakery near me."

Geo-location rank tracking tools help you monitor where your website ranks for those local searches. This is incredibly important for businesses that rely on local customers.

It especially affects rank tracking for a multiple location site, where businesses that have locations in different regions need to track how they appear in each of those specific areas.

Indoor Location Tracking

GPS isn't always reliable indoors. That's where indoor location tracking comes in. This uses technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth beacons, and RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) to pinpoint locations inside buildings.

Think about a large department store. It can help customers find specific products, or it can help store managers optimize product placement based on foot traffic patterns. It's also used in hospitals to track equipment and personnel.

How to Enable and Disable

Disabling Location Tracking on Android

Here's a simple guide to stop sharing location on Android devices:

Step 1	Open Settings	Find the gear icon on your home screen or in your app drawer and tap it.
Step 2	Go to Location	Scroll down until you find "Location" (it might be under "Security & Location" on some devices).
Step 3	Turn it Off	Toggle the "Use location" switch to the off position.

Disabling Location Tracking on iPhone

Step 1	Open Settings	Find the gear icon on your home screen and tap it.
Step 2	Go to Privacy & Security	Scroll down and tap on "Privacy & Security".
Step 3	Tap Location Services	Select "Services" at the top.
Step 4	Turn it Off	Toggle the "Services" switch to the off position.

Four iPhone screens show location service settings. The last screen displays a map with visited locations.

You can choose to allow access "Never," "While Using the App," or "Always." Be smart about which apps you grant "Always" access to. You might also need to know how to tell if someone is tracking your iPhone location, which we will cover later.

How to Tell if Someone is Tracking Your Location

Signs:

Unfamiliar Apps	Are there any apps on your phone that you don't remember installing?
Excessive Battery Drain	It can drain your battery quickly. If you notice a sudden and unexplained drop in battery life, it could be a sign that an app is constantly tracking your movements.
Increased Data Usage	Similarly, constant tracking can use a lot of data. Keep an eye on your data usage stats.
Strange App Permissions	Review the permissions granted to your apps. Do any apps have permissions that don't seem necessary?

Methods for Detecting Hidden

Regularly review your location privacy settings on both Android and iPhone. Make sure only trusted apps have access to your location.

There are apps available that can scan your phone for hidden tracking software. Do some research and choose a reputable app.

Don't click on links from unknown sources, as they could lead to malicious software that tracks your movements.

Best Location Tracking iPhone and Android in 2025

Free Location Tracking Apps

Number Tracker

This app is a comprehensive solution.
It boasts features like movement tracking, geofencing, and history.
You can also see movement history, and view movement in real time.
But what sets Number Tracker apart is its AI assistant, which can help you understand the data and identify patterns.
Plus, you can build routes to each other on the map, directly within the app, making meetups super easy.

Life360

This is a popular choice for families.
It allows you to create a private "circle" of family members and see their real-time movements on a map.
It also offers features like crash detection and emergency alerts.

Google Maps

While primarily a navigation app, Google Maps also offers location sharing features.
You can share your real-time movements with specific contacts for a set period of time.
You can also set up notifications to know when someone has arrived at or left a specific location, which can be useful for families with young children or elderly relatives.

When choosing a GPS device, make sure that you get a device that meets your particular needs and has strong security features. It is crucial to always respect other's privacy, even if you are using location tracking for legitimate purposes.

Tracking Phone Location: How to Disable It and Top Apps for Android and iPhone

Contents: