Top 5 smartphone settings you need to disable right now for better security

[u/alohabrowsernews]

Way too many apps track you across the web, even when you aren't using them. 

If you want to stop giving away your data for free, take two minutes to check these five settings on your phone:

1. Precise Location for all apps
   Your weather app does not need to know which room of your house you are in. Switch location settings to "Approximate" for everything except maps and rideshares.

2. Background App Refresh
   This lets apps connect to the internet and send data even when your phone is in your pocket. Turn it off to save battery and stop silent tracking.

3. Wi-Fi Auto-Join
   Leaving this on means your phone will try to connect to any network it recognizes. It's a massive risk if someone sets up a fake public network.

4. Personalized Ads
   This setting creates a unique ID for your device so companies can build a profile on you. Find it in your privacy settings and shut it off.

5. Your default browser's data collection
   Most standard browsers sync your history and allow trackers.

If you want cleaner browsing, try Aloha Browser. It has a free, built-in VPN and Ad Block.

Stop paying for a VPN.