Guide: Tips&Tricks – 10 important settings on Android and iPhone worth checking

Your phone can access your location, camera, microphone, contacts and other personal information through installed apps. Some settings are useful, but others can waste your battery, storage space or mobile data unnecessarily.

In this guide Tips&Tricks for Android and iPhone we show you 10 important settings worth checking regularly for a safer, faster and better-optimised phone.

1. Check apps that have access to your location

Some apps may request access to your phone's location. Not all of them need this permission all the time.

On Android

• Open Settings.
• Go to Location or App permissions.
• Check which apps have access to your location.
• For apps that do not constantly need your location, choose a more restrictive option if available.

On iPhone

• Open Configurations.
• Go to Privacy & Security.
• Choose Location Services.
• Check which apps can use your location.

Tip: if an app has no clear reason to use your location all the time, check if you can limit its access.

2. Check camera and microphone access

The camera and microphone are two of the phone's most important privacy permissions.

Check which apps have been granted access and remove unnecessary permissions.

Android

• Go to Settings → Privacy or the Permissions.
• Check camera and microphone access separately.
• Disable access for apps that do not need these features.

iPhone

• Go to Settings → Privacy & Security.
• Check Camera and Microphone.
• Disable access for apps where it is not necessary.

3. Check the apps that drain the battery

If your phone runs out of charge much faster than before, it is useful to check which apps are consuming the battery.

Do not automatically assume the battery is faulty. An app running frequently in the background can have a high consumption.

What to look out for

• apps with unusually high consumption;
• apps you no longer use;
• apps running frequently in the background;
• sudden increases in consumption after installing an app.

If the issue started immediately after installing an app, check that app first.

4. Check storage space

A nearly full phone can become harder to use and may experience issues with updates or saving photos and videos.

Periodically check how much free space you have left.

On Android

Go to Settings → Storage or search for "Storage" in the settings menu.

On iPhone

Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage.

Check especially videos, photos, large apps, and downloaded files.

5. Check installed apps

It is recommended to remove apps you no longer use. Besides taking up space, some apps may continue to generate notifications, use data, or run processes in the background.

Ask yourself for each app:

• Do I still use it?
• Do I know why it is installed?
• Do I still need it?
• Does it have access to important information?

If you do not need an app, uninstalling it is preferable to keeping it unnecessarily.

6. Check system updates

Operating system updates can include security fixes, bug fixes, and improvements.

Android

Check the software update section in Settings. The exact name may vary depending on the manufacturer and Android version.

iPhone

Go to Settings → General → Software Update and check if an update is available.

Tip: before a major update, it is recommended to have an up-to-date backup of important data.

7. Check devices connected to your accounts

If you use a Google account or an Apple account, check the associated devices periodically.

If you notice a device you do not recognise, do not ignore the situation. Check account activity and change the password if there are indications that access might have been compromised.

8. Enable modern locking and authentication methods

Use a secure lock method for your phone: PIN, password, or biometric authentication, depending on your device and preferences.

Avoid easily guessed codes, such as obvious combinations or public information about you.

For important accounts, also enable two-step authentication when available.

9. Check app notifications

If you constantly receive useless notifications, check the notification permissions of your apps.

Disabling unnecessary notifications can reduce distractions and make your phone easier to use.

It is not necessary to receive notifications from every installed app.

10. Periodically check privacy settings

Privacy settings can change when you install new apps or when the operating system receives updates.

A periodic check helps you identify:

• apps with location access;
• camera and microphone access;
• contacts access;
• photos and files access;
• permissions of recently installed apps.

Android or iPhone: what needs to be checked most often?

Whether you use an Android phone or an iPhone, the most important things to check are the same: account security, app permissions, updates, battery, storage space and connected devices.

Menus and names may vary depending on the phone model, manufacturer and operating system version.

Quick checklist

• ☐ Check apps location access.
• ☐ Check camera and microphone access.
• ☐ Check apps that drain the battery.
• ☐ Check storage space.
• ☐ Uninstall unnecessary apps.
• ☐ Install available updates.
• ☐ Check devices connected to accounts.
• ☐ Use a secure lock method.
• ☐ Enable two-factor authentication for important accounts.
• ☐ Periodically check privacy settings.

Conclusion

You do not need to change dozens of settings to make your phone safer and better optimised. A periodic check of permissions, apps, battery, storage, updates and accounts can prevent numerous problems.

These checks are useful both on Android, and on iPhone, even though the menus and options differ from one device to another.

Do you need help?

If you do not know what settings need to be checked on your phone, if you have issues with apps, security, storage or device configuration, iTechServiceTM can help you identify and resolve the problem.

See the Android and iOS app development.

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