Hidden setting lets apps spy on you through Bluetooth
Think Bluetooth is just for headphones and car calls? Think again. It’s one of the sneakiest ways apps track you, and most people have no clue it’s happening.
Even when GPS is off, your phone is constantly “sniffing” for nearby devices like AirTags, smartwatches and fitness trackers. That’s normal.
Here’s where it gets shady: Some apps piggyback on that signal to figure out where you are, how long you stay and who else is around. I’m talking about fitness apps, shopping apps, airline apps, even flashlights and wallpaper apps. (Yep.)
Retail stores can use this data to detect when you walk by or how long you linger near a display. Creepy and totally preventable.
🔧 Take back control
Plenty of popular apps request Bluetooth access, not to connect to a device but to build a profile of where you go and who you’re near. The good news? You can shut it down in seconds.
▶️ On iPhone:
- Go to Settings, tap Privacy & Security.
- Select Bluetooth.
- Look through the list. If an app doesn’t need Bluetooth (think: Uber, Target, games), toggle it off.
▶️ On Android:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Apps (or Apps & notifications).
- Tap See all apps (or the three-dot icon for Permission manager).
- Choose an app and tap Permissions.
- Check if it has Nearby Devices or Bluetooth access. If it doesn’t need it, hit Deny.
🤯 Why this matters
This has nothing to do with pairing your earbuds. It’s about passive location tracking done without GPS and often without your knowledge.
Even if an app isn’t malicious, this level of data collection adds up. It fuels ad targeting, influences your search results and even shows up in the prices you’re shown online.
If you’re not actively using Bluetooth with an app, it doesn’t need access. You’ll still get your texts, music and podcasts, just without handing out a digital breadcrumb trail.
🔵 Fun facts
Bluetooth is named after a 10th-century Viking king, Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, who was known for uniting Denmark and Norway just like Bluetooth tech unites different devices.
King Harald had a dead tooth that looked blue, hence the nickname. When engineers were developing a short-range wireless standard in the ’90s, they used “Bluetooth” as a code name, and it stuck.
The Bluetooth logo is a combination of the Viking runes for his initials: H (ᚼ) and B (ᛒ). Wow, right?
And just because… How does a pirate set up a Bluetooth speaker? Parrot with his phone. 🦜
Use the icons below to spread the word with your family and friends. I bet they don’t know any of this.
Tags: Android, devices, security, settings, spread
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