Android 16
What the default settings do
Android 16, released in mid-2025, keeps the permission and Private Space model introduced in Android 15 largely intact, while continuing two bigger shifts across the platform: Gemini has replaced Google Assistant on phones (Google began removing Assistant on September 4, 2026, with no option to switch back), and Google has begun winding down the Privacy Sandbox advertising APIs (Topics, Attribution Reporting, Protected Audience) it spent years building as a tracking alternative. Google Play services still collect device diagnostics by default, ad personalization is enabled, and most activity controls retain data indefinitely unless changed.
The default experience varies by manufacturer; Samsung, Pixel, and other brands may add their own data collection on top of base Android. This guide covers stock Android 16 and Google’s built-in services. Some paths and toggle labels are shifting as Google reorganizes ad and account settings, so check exact wording on your device. Android 17 is now the latest version and is rolling out to more phones.
A reasonable privacy baseline
These settings are found in the Settings app, the Google Play Store app, and your Google Account settings.
App permissions
Settings → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Permission manager → Review all categories
Android 16 groups permissions by type (Location, Camera, Microphone, Contacts, and so on). Review each category and revoke access for apps that do not need it. Pay particular attention to Location, Camera, and Microphone.
Per-app location access → Set to "Allow only while using the app" instead of "Allow all the time" where practical
Most apps work correctly without continuous location access. Apps that need background location, such as navigation or fitness trackers, will prompt you separately for "Allow all the time" access.
Settings → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Privacy controls → Camera access / Microphone access → On (leave enabled, but review per-app access)
These global toggles let you quickly disable all camera or microphone access at once, including from Quick Settings. Leaving them on but reviewing individual app permissions in the Permission manager is more practical for daily use.
Location
Settings → Location → Location Services → Location Accuracy → Off
When enabled, your device sends Wi-Fi, cell tower, and sensor data to Google to improve location accuracy. Turning it off means the device relies on GPS only, which is slightly slower but does not send network data to Google.
Google Maps app → profile icon → Your Timeline → More (⋮) → Location & privacy settings → Turn off, or set auto-delete to 3 months
Timeline is no longer managed from Android Settings; it lives inside Maps itself. Since late 2024, Timeline data is stored on-device by default rather than in the cloud, and changes on one device do not sync to others unless you enable encrypted backup. This weakens the original case for switching it off, but doing so still limits how much travel history accumulates on any single device.
Ads and personalization
Settings → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Ads → Review Ad topics, App-suggested ads, and Ad measurement, and turn off what you find
Google announced in late 2025 that it is retiring the underlying Privacy Sandbox advertising APIs on Android. These controls may already be reduced or phased out depending on your device and update state; where still present, turning them off limits how your on-device interest categories are shared with apps.
Settings → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Ads → Delete advertising ID
Android lets you delete your device's advertising ID entirely. Once deleted, apps that request it receive a zeroed-out identifier, which is more effective than simply resetting the ID.
Google Account → Data & privacy → Ad personalization → Off
Stops Google from using your activity to build an ad profile. You will still see ads across Google services, but they will not be based on your browsing, search, or app activity.
Google Play Store → profile icon → Personalization in Play → Off, or set history auto-delete to 3 months
Google moved control over personalized recommendations and ads within Play into this in-app section rather than a single account-wide toggle. Review it directly in the Play Store app, not just your Google Account settings.
Google activity controls
myactivity.google.com/search-services/settings → Search Services History → Off or On with auto-delete set to 3 months
Since late May 2026, Google has been moving history for Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News out of Web & App Activity into this new setting, which started with whatever you had chosen there before. It also has a Saved Media option that keeps images, audio, and video from voice search, Google Lens, and Search Live; turn that off if you do not want those files stored. The change is rolling out gradually, so if you still see Web & App Activity instead, apply the same choice there.
Google Account → Data & privacy → YouTube History → On with auto-delete set to 3 months
YouTube recommendations depend heavily on watch history. Keeping it on with a short retention period is a practical balance between usefulness and privacy.
Diagnostics and usage data
Settings → Security & Privacy → More security & privacy → Usage & diagnostics → Off
Stops your device from sending crash reports, performance data, and usage statistics to Google. This data helps Google improve Android, but it includes information about how you use your device.
Gemini and Assistant
Gemini app → profile icon → Gemini Apps Activity → Keep Activity → Turn off and delete activity, or shorten auto-delete
Gemini has replaced Google Assistant on phones. Google began removing Assistant on September 4, 2026, and once it is gone from your phone you cannot switch back. By default your conversations are saved for 18 months, with 3, 18, or 36-month auto-delete options. Even when Keep Activity is off, Google holds conversations for up to 72 hours to provide the service.
Settings → Apps → Default apps → Digital assistant app → Review which assistant is active
On most phones this is now Gemini. Check it so you know which assistant handles your requests, or set it to None if you do not want an assistant to respond to the power button or corner swipe.
Private Space
Settings → Security & Privacy → Private space → Set up
Private Space creates an isolated area on your device for installing apps separately, behind an additional lock, with its own data, accounts, and permissions, and it can use a different Google Account from your main profile. Useful for sensitive apps like banking or health, especially on shared or work devices. A later Android 16 update added the ability to import existing files directly into it.
Trade-offs
- Turning off Location Accuracy means location fixes rely on GPS alone, slower to acquire and less accurate indoors.
- Deleting your advertising ID means you will still see ads, but less relevant ones. Some free apps rely on personalized ads for revenue.
- Turning off Search Services History makes Search and Maps less personalized and removes your saved search history.
- Turning off Usage & diagnostics means Google receives less data to identify and fix bugs affecting your device and Android version.
- Turning off Gemini Apps Activity limits how well Gemini adapts to your preferences, since it will not retain context from past conversations.
- Setting up Private Space requires a few minutes of initial configuration and adds a step to access apps stored there.
- Turning off Maps Timeline removes a travel log some people use to recall past trips, though the data now stays on-device by default.
Who should not change these settings
- If you rely on Gemini or personalized Search and Maps results, keeping Search Services History and Keep Activity on with auto-delete gives a better experience.
- If you use Maps Timeline as a travel diary, turning it off removes that functionality.
- If you depend on fast indoor location accuracy for navigation or ride-sharing apps, keeping Location Accuracy on is practical.
- If you prefer relevant ads over generic ones, keeping ad personalization on and your advertising ID active is a valid choice.
- If you want to help Google improve Android and identify device-specific bugs, leaving Usage & diagnostics on is reasonable.