21 Online Privacy Settings You Should Change Today (Google, Apple, Facebook)

Online privacy usually isn’t something people think about until something goes wrong. A strange login alert. An ad that feels a little too specific. A reminder that a platform knows more about your habits than you remember sharing.

The truth is, most privacy issues don’t come from dramatic hacks. They come from default settings quietly collecting data in the background. Over time, those small bits of information add up.

The good news is you don’t need to delete accounts or become overly technical to improve your privacy. A few thoughtful changes across the platforms you already use can significantly reduce tracking and data sharing.

Below are 21 online privacy settings you can change today across Google, Apple, and Facebook, explained in plain language and real-world terms.

Take these one at a time. Even adjusting a few makes a difference.

Google Privacy Settings to Review

1. Pause Web & App Activity

Google keeps a record of searches, app usage, and browsing activity tied to your account. This helps personalize results, but it also builds a long-term history of your behavior.

Pausing this setting stops new activity from being saved going forward. Google services still work normally, but less of your day-to-day activity is stored long term.

2. Turn Off Location History

Location History creates a timeline of where you’ve been, sometimes going back years. Many people don’t realize this is enabled by default.

Turning it off prevents Google from continuously saving your location across devices, which reduces both tracking and accidental exposure.

3. Review Location Sharing

If you’ve ever shared your location with someone for convenience, it may still be active. This is easy to forget.

Checking and turning off unnecessary location sharing helps protect your real-time privacy, especially if you no longer need it.

4. Limit Ad Personalization

Google ads don’t disappear when you turn off personalization, but they become less tailored to your habits.

This setting reduces how much of your browsing and app activity is used to build advertising profiles about you.

5. Enable Auto-Delete for Activity Data

Instead of keeping years of data, you can set Google to automatically delete older activity.

Choosing a shorter retention period limits how much historical data is stored without requiring manual cleanup.

6. Review Third-Party App Access

Many apps and websites request Google account access once and are never revisited.

Removing unused connections reduces unnecessary data sharing and lowers risk if those services are compromised later.

7. Turn On Security Alerts

Google can notify you when there’s a new login or suspicious activity. These alerts are often the first sign of unauthorized access.

Keeping alerts enabled gives you a chance to act quickly if something doesn’t look right.

Apple Privacy Settings Worth Adjusting

8. Review App Tracking Transparency

Apple allows you to block apps from tracking you across other apps and websites. Many apps request this permission automatically.

Saying no limits cross-app tracking while still allowing the app to function normally in most cases.

9. Set Location Access Per App

Not every app needs constant location access. Many only need it while you’re actively using them.

Changing location permissions to “While Using” or “Never” reduces background tracking without breaking functionality.

10. Enable Mail Privacy Protection

Email tracking is more common than people realize. Some emails can tell senders when and where you open them.

Mail Privacy Protection hides this information, making email usage less transparent to marketers and trackers.

11. Limit Photo Location Metadata

Photos often include location data by default. When shared, this can reveal where you live or frequent.

Adjusting this setting prevents apps from automatically accessing or sharing that information unless necessary.

12. Review Analytics Sharing

Apple collects usage data to improve products, but much of this sharing is optional.

Turning off optional analytics reduces background data collection without affecting device performance.

13. Clear Siri & Dictation History

Voice interactions may be stored to improve accuracy. Over time, this builds a history many people forget exists.

Clearing past data and disabling future storage helps reduce retained voice information.

Facebook Privacy Settings You Should Not Ignore

14. Set Default Post Audience to Friends

Many accounts default to public visibility. Changing this ensures future posts aren’t visible to everyone online.

It’s a simple change that prevents accidental oversharing.

15. Limit Visibility of Past Posts

If your account has been active for years, older posts may still be public.

Facebook allows you to change old posts to friends-only in one step, reducing long-term exposure.

16. Restrict Profile Information

Phone numbers, email addresses, and friend lists don’t need to be public.

Limiting who can see this information reduces spam, impersonation attempts, and unwanted contact.

17. Turn Off Face Recognition

Face recognition allows Facebook to identify you in photos automatically.

Disabling it prevents biometric data use and reduces automatic tagging suggestions.

18. Adjust Ad Preferences

Facebook uses activity both on and off the platform to personalize ads.

Reviewing and limiting these settings reduces how much external data influences what you see.

19. Review Off-Facebook Activity

Many websites share activity data with Facebook behind the scenes.

Clearing and limiting this connection reduces cross-platform tracking and data accumulation.

20. Enable Login Alerts

Login alerts notify you when your account is accessed from a new device or location.

These alerts help you respond quickly if someone else tries to access your account.

21. Remove Old Apps and Games

Apps and games connected years ago may still have access to your data.

Removing unused connections reduces exposure and simplifies account management.

Quick Checklist: Online Privacy Settings to Review Today

Use this as a simple reference. You don’t need to do everything at once — even a few changes make a difference.

Google

• Pause Web & App Activity

• Turn off Location History

• Limit ad personalization

• Enable auto-delete for activity data

• Review and remove unused third-party app access

Apple

• Block app tracking across apps and websites

• Limit location access to “While Using” or “Never”

• Enable Mail Privacy Protection

• Restrict photo location metadata

• Review and turn off optional analytics sharing

Facebook

• Set default post audience to Friends

• Limit visibility of past public posts

• Restrict profile information (email, phone number, friends list)

• Turn off face recognition

• Remove old or unused apps and games

FAQ

Do these settings completely stop tracking?

No, but they significantly reduce how much data is collected, stored, and shared over time.

Will changing these settings break apps?

Most apps work normally. If something doesn’t, you can adjust permissions as needed.

How often should privacy settings be reviewed?

A few times a year, or after major app updates.

Is privacy only about hiding information?

No. It’s about control, security, and minimizing unnecessary exposure.