10 Things to Check on Your Phone This Weekend for Better Privacy

Your phone probably knows where you go, who you talk to, what you search for, which apps you use, and sometimes even what you say. That doesn’t mean you need to hand over all of that information by default.

A quick privacy check can make a meaningful difference. You don’t need specialized software or an hour of technical knowledge. Most of the important controls are already built into iPhone and Android.

Set aside 20–30 minutes this weekend and work through these 10 checks. You may be surprised by how many apps have access to information they don’t really need.

1. Review Which Apps Can Access Your Location

Location data is one of the most useful—and sensitive—permissions on your phone.

Open your privacy settings and review which apps can access your location. Pay particular attention to apps that have Always, Allow all the time, or similar background access.

Ask yourself whether each app genuinely needs continuous location data.

A weather app may need your location while you’re using it. A navigation app needs location access during a journey. But a game or shopping app may have little reason to know where you are throughout the day.

Where available, choose options such as:

Never
Ask Next Time
While Using the App
Allow all the time

The exact wording varies between Android and iPhone, but the principle is the same: give apps the minimum access they need.

2. Clean Up Unnecessary App Permissions

Location isn’t the only permission worth checking.

Look at access to your:

Camera
Microphone
Contacts
Photos
Calendar
Files and media
Bluetooth
Local network

Don’t automatically assume an app needs every permission it requests.

For example, a photo-editing app may need access to selected photos, but it doesn’t necessarily need access to your contacts. A flashlight app has no obvious reason to access your microphone or address book.

On newer versions of iOS and Android, you can often provide more limited access—for example, selecting specific photos instead of giving an app access to your entire library.

Quick rule: if you can’t explain why an app needs a permission, investigate it or turn the permission off.

3. Check Which Apps Are Tracking You

App tracking deserves its own check because permission to access information isn’t necessarily the same thing as permission to track your activity across services.

On iPhone, review Tracking settings under Privacy & Security. You can see which apps have requested permission to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites.

Android also provides privacy controls and advertising-related settings, although the exact options depend on your device and Android version.

You don’t have to accept every tracking request simply because an app asks.

If an app still works normally without tracking permission, consider leaving that access disabled.

4. Turn Off Unused Bluetooth and Nearby-Device Access

Bluetooth is useful for headphones, cars, watches, keyboards, and other accessories. But it’s worth checking which apps have access to nearby devices.

Review your Bluetooth and nearby-device permissions and remove access from apps that don’t need it.

Also look at devices that are currently paired with your phone. If you see an old speaker, car, headset, or accessory you no longer own, remove it.

This is basic digital housekeeping, but it reduces unnecessary connections and makes your device easier to manage.

5. Strengthen Your Lock Screen

Your lock screen is the first line of defense if your phone is lost or stolen.

Use a strong passcode rather than an easily guessed PIN such as a birthday or repeating digits. If your phone supports biometric authentication, such as Face ID or fingerprint recognition, enable it alongside a strong passcode.

Then check what can appear while the phone is locked.

Notifications can expose surprisingly sensitive information. A text message, authentication code, email preview, or banking notification could appear on the lock screen for anyone holding your phone.

Look for settings that let you hide sensitive notification content until the phone is unlocked.

You want your phone to be convenient for you—not informative to whoever happens to pick it up.

6. Check Your Saved Passwords and Passkeys

This weekend is also a good time to review your account security.

Open your phone’s password manager and look for:

Reused passwords
Weak passwords
Old accounts you no longer use
Accounts involved in previous data breaches
Services where you haven’t enabled two-factor authentication

Where supported, use passkeys instead of passwords. Passkeys are designed to use cryptographic credentials and can reduce your reliance on passwords that can be guessed, stolen, or reused.

For important accounts—especially email, banking, cloud storage, and social media—make sure two-factor authentication is enabled.

Your email account deserves special attention because it can often be used to reset passwords for other services.

7. Remove Apps You Don’t Use

Scroll through your apps.

How many do you actually use?

Unused apps aren’t necessarily dangerous, but keeping dozens of forgotten apps installed creates unnecessary privacy and security exposure. An app you haven’t opened in a year can still become outdated, retain account access, or eventually contain a vulnerability.

Delete apps you don’t need.

If you’re unsure whether you’ll need one later, check whether you can reinstall it when necessary. Both major mobile platforms also offer features that can reduce storage or remove unused apps while retaining certain data.

Fewer apps means fewer accounts, permissions, trackers, and potential security problems to monitor.

8. Check Your Cloud and Account Connections

Your phone may be connected to far more services than you realize.

Review your primary Apple or Google account and look at devices currently signed in. Remove devices you no longer recognize or use.

Then check connected third-party services. An old app may still have access to your Google, Apple, Microsoft, or other account.

If you no longer use the service, revoke its access.

This is particularly important for accounts you’ve had for years. Digital clutter accumulates quietly.

9. Update Your Phone and Apps

Privacy and security settings can’t compensate for an outdated operating system.

Check for operating-system updates and install available security updates. Then open your app store and update your apps.

Software updates frequently address security vulnerabilities. You don’t need to understand the technical details of every patch; keeping supported software current is one of the simplest ways to reduce avoidable risk.

Also enable automatic updates where they’re practical for you.

If your phone is no longer receiving security updates from its manufacturer, that’s worth noting. It may eventually become a stronger reason to replace the device than simply wanting a newer camera or faster processor.

10. Find Your Phone’s Privacy Dashboard

Finally, spend a few minutes exploring the privacy dashboard built into your phone.

On Android, the Privacy Dashboard can show recent access to sensitive permissions such as location, camera, and microphone, depending on the Android version and device.

On iPhone, Privacy & Security settings provide controls for permissions, tracking, location services, analytics, and other privacy-related features.

This isn’t just a settings screen. It’s a way to understand how your phone is behaving.

Look for anything unexpected. If an unfamiliar app has recently accessed your microphone or location, investigate why.

A 30-Minute Phone Privacy Routine

If you don’t want to tackle everything at once, use this order:

5 minutes: Check location, camera, and microphone permissions.
5 minutes: Remove unnecessary apps and revoke unused account connections.
5 minutes: Review tracking and advertising settings.
5 minutes: Strengthen your lock screen and notification privacy.
5 minutes: Check passwords, passkeys, and two-factor authentication.
5 minutes: Install operating-system and app updates.

That’s half an hour that can significantly reduce unnecessary access to your personal information.

Make Phone Privacy a Regular Habit

Privacy isn’t a one-time setting you configure and forget. Every new app can introduce another permission request, tracking mechanism, or account connection.

Make a quick phone privacy audit part of your routine every few months. Do it whenever you install lots of new apps, change phones, or notice unusual behavior.

The goal isn’t to turn your smartphone into a locked-down device that is frustrating to use. It’s to make deliberate choices about what information you share and who gets access to it.

Your next step: open your phone’s Privacy settings today and start with location and microphone access. Those two screens alone may reveal permissions worth changing.