The estimated reading time for this post is 3 minutes
If you use a smart phone, you have the option to let apps track your location. These location services can come in handy when, for instance, you want to get turn-by-turn directions to a destination, or find the closest coffee shop to you, or get your local weather forecast.
Companies such as Google and Apple keep a history of where you’ve been. Viewing your location history you can see the places you’ve visited in the past.
Apple stores your location information in Frequent Locations on the iPhone and iPad. According to Apple, “This data is kept solely on your device and won’t be sent to Apple without your consent. It will be used to provide you with personalized services, such as predictive traffic routing.”
Learn more at => The Creepiest or Coolest iPhone Feature You Didn’t Know About — And How to Opt Out
Google keeps track of your location in Location History, which is a record of places you’ve been. You can see your location history on a map and view a list of addresses you’ve visited. According to Google, “Google Location History lets Google save your location to provide benefits like improved map searches and tailored commute information.”
But there may be times when you don’t want your location to be saved. Perhaps you’d prefer not to share your location with companies that are collecting your data. Or maybe you’d rather not keep a history of where you’ve been.
While there are plenty of reasons you may not want your location history recorded, turning off location history for Google turns out to be a bit trickier than you might expect.
AP recently discovered that Google was still keeping the location history of people who turn off Location History, even when they turn off Location History using the method set forth by Google. Working with researchers at Princeton University, AP found that “even with Location History paused, some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking.”
See, AP AP Exclusive: Google tracks your movements, like it or not
They realized that their location history was not merely stored in Location History, but also in the Web & App Activity section of Google settings. They learned that to prevent location history from being stored, users must turn off both Location History and Web & Activity in Google settings.
How to REALLY Turn Off Google Location History
To prevent Google from keeping a record of your location history, you must turn off permission in both Location History and Web & App Activity.
To learn how to turn off Google Location History, see The Wonder of Tech article: Your Google Location History: How to See It and Turn It Off where the process is explained.
But turning off Location History isn’t enough. You must also turn off Web & App Activity to prevent Google from keeping a record of your location history.
To turn off Web & App Activity, go to myactivity.google.com/myactivity, then click Activity Controls.
Slide Off Web & App Activity.
You’ll then see a warning that by pausing Web & App Activity you will receive personalized results from Google that are less personalized.
Click Pause to confirm.
Don’t miss => How To Find Out What Google Knows About You
Deleting Past Location History
Note that turning off these settings does not delete your location history or any other information Google has collected about you in the past. To delete that information, you must delete each entry individually.
Learn more about managing your Location History at Google’s Location History Help page.
Poll
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Your Thoughts
Did you have Google Location History turned off? Did you realize that Google was still keeping your location history in Web & App Activity? Are you willing to share your location history to get better services from Google?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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More on Privacy
For a fascinating read on how one man successfully battled tech’s biggest companies to protect our privacy, check out The New York Times Magazine article: The Unlikely Activists Who Took On Silicon Valley — and Won.
Hi Carolyn,
Excellent post with good information. I wasn’t aware that Google keeps a track of all our location. Now this can be very intrusive. I don’t want to be tracked and followed all the time. i want to have some kind of privacy for my life. Your post is very helpful in the sense that I can turn off google location history because I would like to have some space for myself.
Thanks for sharing, have a good day. 🙂
Hi Sajid, Excellent points. If you don’t want to be tracked you should have the ability to turn off Location History. Google was not making clear how to do that effectively.
I’m glad this article helped you learn how to turn off Google Location History for real, Sajid.
Wow, that’s crazy! I had no idea that Google was tracking your location so specifically. It really is kind of big brotherish.
It’s also crazy that even if location is off, they still track it through web history.
But I guess if we want the convenience of Google then we have to accept the intrusion?
Hi John, You can still use Google services, but they won’t be as personal to you. Search results may not be as accurate for what you’re looking to find. Suggestions may not appear from Google.
It really is a trade-off, but one we should be aware we’re making.
Hi
Carolyn,
Very useful and informative post as always. I don’t use Google map much, but sometimes I used it to visit my destinations. Amazed to know that Google can track our location even if the GPS is turned off through web and location history. I want to know about the process of turning off the Google location history and this post helps me a lot in doing the same.
Thanks for sharing this post with us.
Have a great day.
Praveen Verma
Hi Praveen, Yes, many of us were surprised that by following Google’s directions we weren’t actually turning off Location History. The choice should be ours and the instructions should be clear.
I’m glad this article was helpful to you, Praveen.
Hi Carolyn,
Before reading this post I have no idea that google is spying on us. I realized that now days we have no privacy.
By the way, very nice post. Keep sharing this valuable info.
Hi Kaise, Excellent point. If Google is tracking us after we have told them not to keep our Location History, then that is spying. Good for AP in realizing this was happening and guiding us how to really turn off Location History.
i want to delete my history, and my friend send me this link. thanks so much 🙂
Hi Risa, Yes, deleting your Google Location History isn’t easy. Nor is turning it off for the future.
I’m glad your friend pointed you towards this article, Risa.
Google is really pushing the limits with this one. Maybe a new series of EU fines can stop this madness? Who knows.
Hi Santiago, Great point. Yes the EU probably will be active in restricting Google from doing this in the future.
Another way Google may be discouraged from pulling these stunts in the future is a lawsuit such as this one: Ars Technica Man sues over Google’s “Location History” fiasco, case could affect millions
Phenomenal post with great data. I didn’t know that Google monitors all our area. Presently this can be exceptionally meddling. I would prefer not to be followed and taken after constantly. I need to have some sort of security in my life.
Hello Rupamnath, You’re not alone. For many people the idea of being followed isn’t a good one and they’re not willing to give up their privacy in exchange for services. And that’s okay.
But what’s not okay is being fooled into thinking that you’re turning off Location History when you’re not really doing that.
Hi Carolyn,
I am really grateful for this guide as i was searching on how to restrict google to stop tracking my location at all times. I used to simply turn off location from mobile settings and whenever i went to some popular spots and even my mobile data was off….
It would give me a notification stating about the exact same place i have been.
Its truly annoying that Google keeps following us all the time.
I am really thankful to you for this tutorial and i hope it REALLY stops tracking my location activity.
Regards
SAJID
Hi Sajid, You’re exactly right. It is annoying that Google would put out instructions about how to turn off Location History, when those instructions don’t actually work.
I’m glad you found this information helpful, Sajid. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Opps I dont think about this problem until I read your post.
I always dont care if I turn on or off my location, but I think they totally can collect my data and use it to sell to some companies for business.
ah and turning on location can also take lots of battery. I will turn it off following your direction.
Thank you.
Hi Sam, Yes, to turn off Location History, be sure to follow the steps in this article. It’s not as easy as you might think to turn off Location History.
Hi Carolyn,
Finally found the way to turn Off Google Location History.
From now on. My girlfriend will not be able to trace me. HaHa (;
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Boyd, Good point. If Google retains your Location History, others may be able to see it too. Better to have it turned off and not be tracked, if you don’t want anyone knowing where you were.
Thanks for the tip. I’ve always thought I turned off my location not until I knew google gets some data about my location history which was very disappointing.
Hi Heritan, You’re right, it is certainly disappointing when we think we’ve turned off Location History when we actually haven’t yet. I’m glad you found this article to be helpful.
Hi Carolyn,
Great post! You have shared very good information. Google has been tracking our location for a while now. Though most of us are not aware of it. It is nice to know there are ways to disable it. I am sure lot people after reading your post will disable it as most of us don’t like to be followed or tracked.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post. Keep up the good work. 🙂
Hi Tarique, Yes, many people would prefer not to be tracked, even if it means the services from Google are less personal. The choice should be up to the individual and it should be made clear how to turn off Location History, without having to do research.