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Android Settings ​

Enabling all of these settings will significantly reduce the amount of tracking and data collection these devices do, but remember that you cannot eliminate it completely unless you are using a privacy-oriented custom ROM.

INFO

Due to the nature of Android devices, the exact layout of the menu may vary from device to device.

Network & internet ​

Wi-Fi ​

  • Network preferences -> Turn on Wi-Fi automatically: Off
  • Network preferences -> Notify for public networks: Off

VPN ​

Private DNS ​

Bluetooth & devices ​

Bluetooth ​

  • Turn off when not in use

NFC ​

  • Turn off when not in use

Quick Share ​

  • Who can share with you: No one/off

Display and brightness ​

Screen timeout ​

  • The lowest time you are comfortable with

Lock screen & wallpaper ​

Home settings ​

  • Google Discover: Off
  • App suggestion bar: Off

Apps ​

  • Replace proprietary applications with FOSS alternatives
  • Special app access -> Remove unnecessary permissions

Notifications ​

  • Sensitive notifications: Off
  • Suggested actions and replies: Off

Notification history ​

  • Use notification history: Off

Security ​

Google Play Protect ​

  • Scan device for security threats: Off
  • Improve harmful app detection: Off

Find My Device ​

  • Use Find My Device: Off

Screen lock ​

  • Use any besides None/Swipe, avoid Pattern
  • Lock after screen timeout: Immediately
  • Power button instantly locks: On

SIM card lock ​

  • Lock SIM card: On
  • Change SIM PIN: Use a complex SIM PIN

Trust agents ​

  • Smart Lock (Google): Off

Privacy ​

  • Show passwords: Off
  • Screen capture protection: On

Permission manager ​

  • Go through all the apps and disable any permissions you don't need

Android System Intelligence ​

  • Keyboard -> Keyboard suggestions: Off
  • Clear data: All time

Autofill service from Google ​

Activity controls ​

  • Web & App Activity: Turn off and delete activity
  • Timeline: Turn off and delete activity
  • Youtube History: Turn off
    • Manage history: Delete -> Delete all time

Ads ​

  • Delete advertising ID -> Delete advertising ID

Usage and diagnostics ​

  • Usage and diagnostics: Off

Location ​

  • Turn off when not in use

App location permissions ​

  • Remove any applications that don't need location permissions

Location Services ​

  • Earthquake alerts: Off
  • Emergency Location Services: Off
  • Google Location Accuracy: Off
  • Wi-Fi scanning -> Wi-Fi scanning: Off
  • Bluetooth scanning -> Bluetooth scanning: Off

Safety & emergency ​

Unknown tracker alerts ​

  • Allow alerts: Off

Digital Wellbeing and parental controls ​

  • Open the three-dot menu in the top right-hand corner
    • Manage your data -> Turn off -> Press on Digital Wellbeing -> Permit usage access: Off

Accounts ​

  • Remove unnecessary accounts

System ​

Languages and input ​

Backup & restore ​

  • Back up data -> Backup by Google One: Off

Multiple users ​

  • Add users from lock screen: Off

Developer options ​

  • Wi-Fi non-persistent MAC randomisation: On

INFO

It is possible to use an Android device without ever signing in to a Google account for added privacy. This must be done during device setup. You can use F-Droid to get many open source apps, and Aurora Store as a proxy for the Play Store for anything else you can't get on F-Droid. Note that with Aurora you will not be able to use Google to process app-related payments, such as subscriptions or one-off payments to download the app. In these cases, you should be able to sign in to the Play Store only without signing in to Google on the whole device.