Every way your phone tracks your location - and how to stop it - ZDNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Your smartphone could be broadcasting your location without you knowing it. Find out how this happens and how to keep your location hidden. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. You know where you were this afternoon. Perhaps so do your family, friends, or colleagues. However, you might also have unwittingly shared your whereabouts with companies and other organizations. Connected devices give us the opportunity and convenience of on-the-go maps, satellite navigation, sharing our location with those we trust, and even ordering products and services for quick delivery. But the combination of GPS systems, cellular towers, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth, and other signals can combine to pinpoint your location — even when we don’t want it to. Also: 7+ phone privacy settings to check and turn off ASAP – to avoid exposing your personal data You might think turning off GPS on your smartphone means that you can’t be tracked. However, even if you think your location is private, carrying your handset around and connecting to specific services can still reveal wh

Jun 17, 2026 → Jun 17, 2026