What your phone logs, and what you can do about it
RUN: audit of Samsung One UI 7
ITEMS: 22
Choose a phone. Open any line for the setting and what you give up.
| Item | Goes to | Default | Sensitivity | Switch and gain | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location, 3 items | |||||
| Off | 5/5 | Switch off already off | |||
What it recordsgps coordinates, wi-fi signal data, cell tower identifiers, movement speed, timestamps. The feature exists to provide personalised maps, recommendations and a private timeline of your travels. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, select Google, tap Manage your Google Account, go to Data & privacy, and ensure Timeline is turned off. Usually found under: Settings > Google > Manage your Google Account > Data & privacy Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseGoogle will not record or show visited locations in Timeline. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| app | Asks | 5/5 | Limit -2.3 | ||
What it recordsgps coordinates, altitude, heading, speed, timestamps. It enables apps to offer turn-by-turn navigation, localized search and location-dependent services. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, search for Permission manager, tap Location, select the desired app, and disable the precise location toggle. Effort 2 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseApps receive an approximate location, which may reduce navigation precision. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| On | 3/5 | Switch off -2.7 | |||
What it recordsbssid identifiers, bluetooth beacons, signal strength, timestamps. It assists location-based apps and services by accelerating position fixes while consuming less battery power than GPS. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, search for Scanning, select Location services, and turn off Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseIndoor location accuracy may decrease when satellite reception is weak. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| App usage, 1 item | |||||
| Apple, Google | On | 3/5 | Limit -1.8 | ||
What it recordsapp launch times, time spent in apps, notification counts, device unlocks. It aims to help users monitor and manage their digital habits and screen time. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, search for Usage data access, and switch off permissions for apps you want to prevent tracking your app activity. Effort 2 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseRestricted apps cannot monitor your screen time or app usage frequency. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Keyboard, 1 item | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | On | 4/5 | Switch off -1.8 | ||
What it recordstyped words, custom dictionary terms, frequent phrases, typing cadences. It operates to make typing faster and more accurate across your applications. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, navigate to General management, select Samsung Keyboard settings, and turn off predictive text or reset personalised data. Effort 2 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseTyping suggestions will become less personalised over time. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Voice, 2 items | |||||
| Samsung | Asks | 4/5 | Delete -1.8 | ||
What it recordsvoice recordings, voice transcripts, device identifiers, app interaction history. Samsung processes voice commands to execute user requests and train voice recognition models. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, search for Bixby, open its settings, and clear personalised data or revoke permissions. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseBixby will reset its personalised voice learning and previous command context. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | Asks | 4/5 | Switch off -1.8 | ||
What it recordsvoice recordings, transcribed text, assistant queries, device audio samples. Vendors retain recordings to recognise spoken commands and improve speech-recognition models. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap Google, go to Voice settings under Assistant, and disable voice recordings storage. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseVoice recognition will not improve based on past voice interactions. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Advertising, 3 items | |||||
| advertisers via the advertising ID | On | 4/5 | Delete -2.7 | ||
What it recordspseudonymous identifier, ad clicks, app installs, device identifiers. It provides advertisers with a standard way to measure ad campaigns and reach specific consumer segments. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, navigate to Security and privacy, tap Ads, and select Delete advertising ID. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseAdverts shown in third-party apps will be less relevant to your interests. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | On | 3/5 | Switch off -1.8 | ||
What it recordsaccount profile data, app purchase history, content interactions, demographic estimates. The system matches promotional messages to a user's inferred interests and past commercial activity. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, choose Security and privacy, find More privacy settings, and switch off personalised advertisements. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you losePlatform adverts will still appear but will not be tailored to your browsing profile. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Samsung, advertisers via the advertising ID | Asks | 3/5 | Switch off -1.4 | ||
What it recordsadvertising identifier, device identifiers, engagement with promotions. The feature is intended to deliver relevant commercial offers and marketing notices to device owners. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap your Samsung account profile at the top, select Security and privacy, and turn off Get news and special offers. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseYou will stop receiving promotional notifications and marketing emails from Samsung. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Diagnostics, 1 item | |||||
| On | 2/5 | Switch off -1.8 | |||
What it recordsbattery level, system activity, app performance, device model. The data is collected to improve Android stability, battery endurance and related system services. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, search for Usage & diagnostics under Google services, and toggle the feature off. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseGoogle will receive less telemetry to help troubleshoot system apps. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Contacts and calls, 2 items | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | On | 5/5 | Switch off -2.7 | ||
What it recordscontact names, phone numbers, email addresses, call history, timestamps. The feature ensures your contacts remain synchronised across devices and can be restored if a phone is lost. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, go to Accounts and backup, manage your accounts, and disable contacts synchronisation. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseContacts will not automatically update or back up across your cloud-connected devices. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Google, Samsung, Xiaomi | Off | 4/5 | Switch off already off | ||
What it recordsincoming phone numbers, outgoing phone numbers, call timestamps, lookup queries. It aims to identify incoming commercial callers and warn users about unwanted spam calls. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen the Phone app, open its Settings menu, and switch off Caller ID and spam protection. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseIncoming numbers from unknown callers will no longer be cross-referenced with online spam registries. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Cloud backup, 2 items | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | On | 5/5 | Switch off -3.6 | ||
What it recordstext messages, wi-fi passwords, app data, system settings. It is designed to let users recover their personal files and configurations when replacing a device. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, select Accounts and backup, and turn off automated backups for Samsung Cloud and Google Drive. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseDevice settings, text messages, and app data will not be preserved in the cloud. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Google, Apple, Samsung | Asks | 5/5 | Switch off -2.3 | ||
What it recordsimage files, video files, exif location metadata, facial recognition data, timestamps. The service preserves your camera roll against hardware loss and makes photos available across all your screens. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen the Gallery app, enter Settings, and turn off Sync with OneDrive. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you losePhotos and videos will only be stored locally on your device storage. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Crash reports, 1 item | |||||
| Apple, Google, Samsung | Asks | 2/5 | Switch off -0.9 | ||
What it recordsstack traces, memory state, device configuration, operating system version. Software engineers examine these logs to locate defects and release bug fixes. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, head to Security and privacy, tap More privacy settings, and toggle off Send diagnostic data. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseSamsung will not receive automated crash logs to diagnose system faults. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Browsing, 2 items | |||||
| Google, Apple | On | 4/5 | Switch off -2.7 | ||
What it recordsvisited urls, saved bookmarks, browser tabs, saved passwords. The feature exists to synchronise navigation history, bookmarks, and passwords across multiple user devices. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Samsung Internet, open Settings, tap your Samsung account profile, and switch off cloud syncing. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseBookmarks, browsing history, and saved pages will not synchronise with other devices. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| On | 4/5 | Switch off -3.6 | |||
What it recordssearch queries, app usage logs, location estimates, interaction timestamps. Google states this data delivers faster searches, better recommendations, and more personalised experiences across services. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap Google, choose Manage your Google Account, open Data & privacy, and pause Web & App Activity. Effort 2 of 3. Needs: account. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseGoogle searches, map searches, and app usage logs will not be retained in your Google account. Retention: 18 months by default for new accounts according to Google documentation. | |||||
| Carrier and maker, 3 items | |||||
| mobile carrier | Varies | 4/5 | Switch off -2.5 | ||
What it recordscell tower identifiers, signal strength metrics, device identifiers, installed carrier services. Mobile operators state that diagnostic telemetry is required to monitor network coverage quality and manage SIM-based entitlements. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap Apps, find carrier-installed diagnostic tools or app managers, and choose Disable. Effort 2 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseCarrier-specific account management and diagnostic features might stop working. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Samsung | Asks | 4/5 | Switch off -1.8 | ||
What it recordslocation history, app usage patterns, call metadata, music playback logs. Samsung states this service provides tailored content, personalised recommendations, and contextual automation across its applications. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap Security and privacy, select Customisation Service, and toggle off customised content. Effort 2 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseSamsung apps will no longer tailor content or recommendations based on your usage habits. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Samsung | Asks | 3/5 | Switch off -1.4 | ||
What it recordscrash logs, device identifiers, feature interaction frequencies, battery statistics. Samsung uses these diagnostic reports to identify technical errors and improve operating system reliability. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itOpen Settings, tap Security and privacy, choose More privacy settings, and switch off Send diagnostic data. Effort 1 of 3. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseSamsung will no longer receive device health and performance logs. Retention: not stated. | |||||
| Network checks, 1 item | |||||
| On | 2/5 | no switch | - | ||
What it recordsip address, request timestamps, http response headers. The checks exist to detect restricted local networks and launch captive-portal login pages when required. (rating and retention are this site's own estimate) How to limit itConnectivity probe settings are built into the network stack and cannot be switched off via standard menus without adb. Effort 3 of 3. Needs: adb. Menu names may differ by device and version. What you loseCaptive portal detection and automatic Wi-Fi verification cannot be altered from normal settings. Retention: not stated. | |||||
How to use this
Every phone records some things about how you use it, and sends some of that to the maker, the operating system company, carriers and app companies. This page lists what each one does by default, how sensitive it is, and the setting that limits it where one exists.
The score starts from how exposed the phone is by default and falls as you tick settings off. It is a rough guide to where to start, not a measurement.
For the wider picture, see everything phones log and the trackers inside apps. For the story that started this site, read the 2011 HTC logging case. If you are thinking of replacing your phone software, read the custom ROM guide first.