You turned off Location History. You thought you were done. You were not. Here is what you need to know about the settings Google does not want you to find.
The Trick Google Plays
One Reddit user went through every single Google Maps privacy setting — all of them — and found something disturbing.
After turning Location History off, Google Maps still prompted them to rate a store they had walked past. They never opened Maps. They never searched for that store. But Google knew they were there.
Through another setting.
One they had not touched yet.
The Catch
You turned off the visible setting. Google kept tracking you through a different one. This is not a bug. This is by design.
The Settings Google Does Not Tell You About
1. Location History — The One You Probably Found
This is the setting Google talks about in its privacy prompts. When you turn this off, you might think your location data stops being saved.
Reality: It is only one of several location tracking settings.
2. Web & App Activity — The Hidden Tracker
This setting logs your location across Google apps and websites — even when Location History is off. It is buried in your Google Account settings, not in Google Maps itself.
What it tracks:
- Places you visit (even if you did not search for them)
- Searches you make in Google
- Apps you open and when
- Your location when you interact with Google services
3. Improve Location Accuracy — The Backdoor
This setting uses your location data to “improve Google services.” In practice, it feeds location information back to Google even when other settings are off.
What Google Knows About You
When all these settings are enabled, Google knows:
- Every store you walk past — even if you never opened Google Maps
- Your daily routine — where you start your day, where you work, where you shop
- Your travel patterns — trips, commutes, vacations
- Your spending habits — correlated with location data from nearby businesses
- Your relationships — if you regularly visit the same people at the same addresses
How to Actually Turn Off Google Tracking
Step 1: Turn Off Location History
- Open Google Maps
- Tap your profile picture (top right)
- Go to Settings → Location and Privacy
- Turn off Location History
Step 2: Turn Off Web & App Activity
- Go to myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols
- Find Web & App Activity
- Pause this setting
- Also uncheck “Include Chrome history and activity from sites, apps, and devices that use Google services”
Step 3: Turn Off Location Accuracy (Android Only)
- Go to Settings → Location → Google Location Accuracy
- Turn off Improve Location Accuracy
The Honest Truth
Turning off these settings will not make Google Maps useless. You will still get directions. You will still find businesses near you. What you will not do is train Google is advertising profile on your every movement.
But here is the thing: Google designed these defaults to keep you tracked. They make money from your location data. The settings that protect you are hidden. The settings that track you are front and center.
Most people never find these settings. Now you have.
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