Your iPhone is Keeping Track of Your Location (How to Turn it Off)

Posted on October 2, 2019 by admin

The iPhone is not just a smartphone. It is a very powerful small computer that can help you in many ways. The GPS chip embedded in your iPhone serves as to utilise the location data for the functional aspect of the iPhone system as well as a third-party app. Due to that ability, the iPhone can utilize the location data in your iPhone to serve you better and also to improve their services.

However, this is where the boundary of privacy versus functionality exists. Should you sacrifice your privacy for the sake of better functionality of your iPhone? Fortunately, iPhone allows you to control the privacy settings and therefore limit the location sharing according to your preference.

WHY IPHONE IS TRACKING YOU?

The iPhone system services that might be actively tracking your location are as follows:-

Apple Pay Merchant Identification – This is for Apple to know your current location and therefore any purchases made using your Apple ID account outside your location would trigger a notification

Compass Calibration – This is used for the Compass app on your iPhone.

Emergency Calls & SOS – This function is important as your iPhone needs to know your location so that the SOS sent will be more effective

Find My iPhone – This will help you to track your iPhone if it goes missing or stolen

Location-Based Alerts, Ads or Suggestions – This location will help Apple or third-party to serve better ads based on your location

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF TURNING THE LOCATION TRACKING OFF IN IPHONE

There are some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to location tracking. One clear advantage of turning off the location tracking is that you can rest assured that no third party are actively tracking your location. This will protect your privacy and keep the peace in mind.

However, if you turn off the location tracking, some of the useful system services in your iPhone will become not effective. This will limit the full ability of your iPhone in giving the best experience to you as an iPhone user.

So, if you are conscious about the privacy of your location, here we show you how to turn it off.

Here are the steps.

Step 1

In your iPhone, go to “Settings”

Step 2

In the Settings, go to “Privacy”

Step 3

In Privacy Settings, go to “Location Services”

Step 4

In Location Services, go to “System Services”

Step 5

Here it will show you which system services in your iPhone that is actively tracking your location

You can also choose to limit the location sharing to Apple

So, there you have it – Simple steps on how you can check how iPhone is tracking your location and how to turn it off. Please leave us a comment below on what are the location-sharing apps or services that you always use in your iPhone.

Please also read our previous article on how to know who is tracking your iPhone.

How to Block Someone From Tracking Your Smartphone

Posted on September 5, 2019 by admin

If you own a smartphone, the chances are that you can be tracked based on your location. This is due to the GPS technology embedded in your phone. It helps your smartphone to emit your location in real-time. GPS also helps the apps in your smartphone for geolocation or embedding location information in their functionality.

However, if you are afraid that the ability of your smartphone to show location might be used by others to track you, you are not alone. Fortunately, you can block people from following your smartphone using simple ways.

WHY BLOCK PEOPLE FROM TRACKING YOUR PHONE?

There are many reasons why would you want to block someone from tracking you. Here are the top main reasons.

PRIVACY – If you want to complete confidentiality of your current location or where you are going, it is better that you blocked all means of tracking ability of your phone

SECURITY – With the apps installed on your phone, sometimes there might be some apps that can track your location whether you are aware of it or not.

TEMPORARY OFFLINE – There would be moments where you do not want to be tracked. Be it you are on vacation, or you want to unplug from online presence. By blocking anyone from following you, you would be able to feel free from the digital world temporarily.

So, if you are interested to learn how to block,

Here are three ways how to prevent someone from tracking your smartphone

DISABLE SMARTPHONE’S GPS

The fastest way to block any app in your phone from transmitting your phone’s location is by disabling your GPS. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is the primary method of how your phone can give your site in real-time.

Here is the step by step how to disable your GPS

Step 1

Go to Settings, tap “Privacy.”

Step 2

In Privacy Settings, tap “Location Services.”

Step 3

In the Location Services, swipe the button to the left to disable it

Step 4

Tap “Turn Off” to confirm

However, if you are not sure whether disabling the GPS would stop people from tracking you, another sure method is by disabling all your cell phone connection and internet connection. This way, your smartphone will not be able to emit the GPS data from your phone to outside.

HOW TO TURN ON AEROPLANE MODE

Step 1

In your iPhone settings, go to the “Airplane Mode.”

Step 2

Swipe the button to the left to disable it. Your iPhone will disable all cell network data and also Wi-Fi.

If you are using an iPhone, you have the capability of tracking all of your Apple devices. Therefore, if you are handed down an iPhone from your parents, the chances are that the iPhone can be tracked. Here are the steps on how to disable that function.

HOW TO DISABLE “SHARE MY LOCATION” ON IPHONE

How-to-Disable-Share-My-Location-on-iPhone

Step 1

In the Settings, go to Location Services. Tap “Share My Location”

Step 2

Swipe the button to the left to disable the function

Tap in the “From” section to see the list of your Apple devices that can track your iPhone

So, there you have it – three simple ways how to block someone from tracking your smartphone. Please leave us a comment below on what other ways that you can keep your location private using your phone.

Please also read our previous article on how to track your friends using your smartphone.

How to Track Phone Without a Sim Card (5 Simple Ways)

Posted on August 2, 2019 by admin

A Sim card is the chip inside your cell phone that enables it to communicate with your network operator. Before the emergence of the smartphone, a cell phone would be useless without the sim card as the sim card is the only chip in your cell phone that allows you to connect with other cell phones. Now, with the integration of personal computer and cell phone, you got this powerful smartphone that can also be able to be utilized without a sim card. Without the sim card, your smartphone can still be connected with other smartphones as long as you are connected to a Wi-Fi.

The GPS in your smartphone can always emit transmission using the internet. By leveraging the connection on the internet, you can still communicate even without the sim card. This also includes the ability to track your phone’s location even without a sim card on your smartphone.

So, how are you able to use that smartphone ability to track your phone without a sim card? Here we show you several ways how you can do just that.

TRACK USING WEB-BASED TRACKING SERVICES

Both the iOS and Android Device Manager use internet connection to find and track your phone. It leverages on your phone’s GPS connection to the internet instead of the link to your cell network. Therefore, it can always track your lost phone even without the sim card installed in your phone.

If you are using iPhone, you can log into your Apple account at https://www.icloud.com/#find and track your lost iPhone

Read here if you want to know the step by step on how to track your iPhone using the Apple services.

If you are using Android Device Manager, you can log to https://www.google.com/android/find?u=0

Read here if you want to know how to track a phone using the Android Device Manager.

TRACK USING SOCIAL MEDIA APP

Social media apps nowadays can track the location of your phone based on the GPS coordinate. This helps the social media platform to send ads based on your location. It also helps to geotag the location of your post. In specific social media app such as Snapchat, it can also show your location on a map.

Your phone only needs the sim card if you want to use the data plan that is connected to your service network provider. Here we show you how to know the location of your phone based on the last login of your devices using the Snapchat account.

Snapchat has the feature of showing your location in a map. You can access this Snapchat map using the website browser. So, if you lost your phone, you can use this web browser to track your phone based on your Snapchat account.

Step 1

Go to https://map.snapchat.com

Step 2

Log into your Snapchat account, and you will be able to see your location if your phone is active and connected to the internet.

TRACK USING IMEI NUMBER

The IMEI number and the ICCID number is two different numbers that identify your cell phone. The IMEI number represents your smartphone, and the ICCID number represents your sim card number. Therefore, if you do lose your phone and the sim card is taken out of the phone, your IMEI number is the next best thing to use to identify and track your phone.

However, your IMEI number is just a number similar to a plate number in your car. However, it is vital information if you want to get your service network operator to assist you in tracking your phone. The network operator can identify your phone by using their cell tower network each time your phone is connected to a cell phone network tower.

How to Get Your IMEI number

And if you are wondering how to know your IMEI number, here are the steps

Step 1

In General settings of your phone, go to “About.”

Step 2

You will see your phone’s IMEI number listed here. Keep a record of your phone’s IMEI number somewhere safe in case you lost your phone

TRACK USING GOOGLE ACCOUNT

Google services such as Gmail keep tracks of your location based on the latest login using your phone. So, if you are using Gmail in your phone, you can use Google account to track your last position.

Here are the steps on how to track your phone using Google account

Step 1

Log into your Gmail

Step 2

Go to https://myaccount.google.com/security

Step 3

Go to “Your Devices”

Here you can see your devices that use any of Google services such a Gmail together with its detail that includes the last location you used that service

TRACK USING CLOUD SERVICES

If you are using cloud storage services in your phone such as Dropbox, you can use that account to help track the last login position of your phone.

Step 1

Go to https://www.dropbox.com/account/security

Step 2

Log into your Dropbox account

Step 3

In your security settings, you can see the login details together with the last login or syncing location that your device have with Dropbox

So, there you have it. Five simple ways how you can track your phone without a sim card in it. Please leave us a comment below on what other ways you know on tracking a phone that has no sim card.

Please also read our previous article on the ultimate guide on how to track the lost phone.

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How to Track Phone Without a Sim Card (5 Simple Ways)