Traveling solo? Share your location with your family and friends. On iPhone, open the Find My app and tap People (bottom of the screen) > + (plus icon) > Share My Location. Then, select a contact, hit Send and choose the duration. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon (top right) > Location sharing > New Share and send the link through your messaging app. Safe travels!
8 ways your phone is tracking you - That you can stop now
You understand that your phone knows where you’re located. This is how GPS works, how Find My sees your location and why you get local ads on Facebook and Google. Like other data on your phone, that location data is a hot commodity for internet marketers.
Thankfully, you don’t have to stand for this kind of data collection. These tactics are legal because the companies behind them give you a choice to opt in or out, but not everyone knows how to change the settings. We’ll show you how to stop your phone from tracking you. Ready to go dark? Let’s get started.
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1. Tweak your phone’s location settings
You can prevent iOS and Android from tracking you, but companies don’t make it easy. The feature is buried inside your device’s privacy settings and, by default, records your daily routine.
Known as “Frequent Locations,” it keeps track of where you are and how long you stay there. It even knows where you live and work based on how long you’re there and when you visit.
If you find this unsettling, you can turn the feature off. Here are the basic steps, but depending on your specific model and operating system, you may need to follow different instructions.
Turn off location settings on Apple devices
- Open Settings.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Select Location Services.
- Scroll down and tap System Services.
- Choose Significant Locations to see the logged record of where you’ve been and toggle it off.
You can also clear your history here by clicking Clear History.
iOS 16.3.1 fixes major vulnerabilities but may cause a problem for this popular app
Google recently updated the world’s most popular browser, patching up 15 security flaws and adding some new features. Here’s what you get with the latest version of Chrome.
That’s not all we have in update news. Apple released an update that fixes some features and patches two significant vulnerabilities. Here’s what you need to know.
Insurers use drones to watch your home
Invasion of privacy? CJ Sveen says his home insurance was dropped after aerial pics were used to spy on his property. Plus, Russian troops smuggle Starlink, Android’s new “Find My Device” feature, and the crazy lengths one hacker went to avoid paying $100,000 in child support.
In other Apple news: This is interesting. Apple has been adding Thread radios to Macs and iPads since September 2023, with no mention in the specs. What? Thread is a low-power protocol for mesh network connectivity, like Amazon’s Sidewalk tech. Apple will use this to boost the range of Find My and other to-be-announced stuff.
22 months later
A YouTuber got his Apple Watch back thanks to Find My. He lost it swimming and diving in the British Virgin Islands in 2022. A diver found the watch, powered it up and saw his contact info. The best part? It still works!
Must-dos BEFORE your phone goes missing
There are built-in tools to help you locate it using another phone or computer. Here’s the caveat: You have to make sure the feature is enabled ahead of time for it to work. Do it now!
Turn on Find My for your iPhone
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My.
- Tap Find My iPhone, then turn on Find My iPhone.
- To see your device even when it’s offline, turn on Find My network.
- To have the location of your device sent to Apple when the battery is low, turn on Send Last Location.
Turn on Find My Device for your Android
- Go to Settings > Security > Find My Device. Or try Security & location or Google > Security.
- Make sure Find My Device is turned on.
✏️ You can even erase your phone remotely if it’s really gone. Here’s how.
Never lose your Apple gadgets again when you enable this simple setting
The Find My app has long been a part of Apple’s ecosystem. The app helps you find your missing devices even if they don’t have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. It works using your device’s Bluetooth signals, which nearby iPhones, iPads and Macs can pick up to relay the signal back to you.
How to find your lost iPhone, even if it's powered off
Losing your things has become less of a worry as devices add tools and features to help you find your missing phone, tablet, headphones, laptops and more.
Ever leave the house not realizing you left something behind until it’s too late? Apple introduced a new feature with iOS 15 that alerts you when you leave your iPhone, iPad or Mac behind. This also works for AirPods Pro, which is much easier to misplace or forget. Tap or click here to activate separation alerts on AirPods Pro.
🛑 Stop, thief! If someone gets your iPhone, they can disable Find My in the Control Center. Be smart and make it so they can’t. Go to Settings > ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode if you’re using an older model with a home button). Enter your passcode, scroll to Allow Access When Locked, and toggle off the Control Center option.
Before you need it: Enable the setting that lets you find your lost iPhone from another device, even if it’s powered off. Go to Settings > Apple ID > Find My > Find My iPhone. Turn on the slider next to Find My Network.
“My radio station used to carry your show, but this is a great replacement,” wrote Nancy in Miami, Florida. Now, friends, my free newsletter isn’t a replacement for my national award-winning radio show. The show is loaded with things you won’t find here, along with the best callers ever. Find my show on a radio station near you or as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apple just made a big change to keep Android users safer from stalkers and thieves
GPS trackers help you find lost items. They can be used for anything from car keys to your laptop bag. Apple AirTags are a popular choice of trackers, and you don’t even need an Apple device to use them.
As helpful as they are, trackers can be used to track more than misplaced or stolen items. The Ontario police recently reported that crooks use AirTags to track and steal high-end vehicles. Tap or click here for details and tips on how to avoid falling victim to this criminal act.
2 new ways your iPhone can be tracked without your consent
Social media is a place where you can say (mostly) what you want, share feelings or post a couple of holiday pics. Often, people like to tag the location of where the photo was taken. Tap or click here for 10 Facebook privacy and security settings you need to change right now.