Can My Phone Be Tracked if Location Services Are Off

Methods of phone tracking

There are several ways for someone to track your phone if your location services are turned off. In addition to exploiting built-in tracking solutions like Google’s Find My Device or Apple’s Find My, spies can employ tracker solutions that rely on cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Some individuals will also employ other nefarious tactics to track you, such as infecting your phone with malware or spyware.

We’ve spent a long time researching all the ways someone can secretly track a phone, even if location is off, and these are the most common methods hackers will exploit:

• Cell towers: When your mobile phone connects to a cellular network, a technology known as cell tower triangulation enables the location of your device within a 300-meter area.
• Public Wi-Fi: When you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, you usually agree to location tracking and leave yourself exposed to hackers.
• Bluetooth: Even when you disable location services, Bluetooth remains on and allows hidden beacons to trace your device.
• Malware or spyware: Although it’s not always easy to infect a smartphone with malware or spyware, this is one of the most effective ways a hacker can constantly monitor your location.
• Cellular stations simulators: Hackers sometimes set up fake cellphone towers, also known as stingrays, to detect your device whenever it’s nearby.
• Global positioning system (GPS): Turning location services off should disable GPS functionality, but that’s not always the case, and this is the most accurate way to pinpoint your location.
• IP address: Your device has a unique IP address for connecting to the internet, and if a hacker is able to obtain this, they can use it to find out where your device is connecting from.

Although some of these features are difficult to exploit, many allow someone to track your phone if your location is off without any prior hacking experience. That’s why we recommend knowing how to check if your phone is being tracked, so you can spot and block a potential privacy breach quickly.

1. Cell towers

Our phones connect to cell towers to make calls, receive messages, and access the internet when Wi-Fi isn’t available. When you use cellular services, carriers are able to determine your location using a technology called cell tower triangulation. Cell tower triangulation analyzes your signal strength across multiple nearby towers to approximate your location within approximately 300 meters (984 feet).

2. Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks are notoriously unsafe. Not only do many record your location data, but as they’re completely open to anyone, hackers use them to secretly intercept network traffic and distribute malicious apps, including spyware that can surveil you at all times.

In addition, modern mobile phones are constantly searching for and pinging nearby Wi-Fi networks—that’s how they show you a list of available connections in the Wi-Fi menu. Whenever this happens, the Wi-Fi network is able to identify that your phone is nearby.

3. Bluetooth

In the same way your phone is constantly scanning for Wi-Fi networks, it’s also looking for Bluetooth devices, and there are thousands of them all around us, many of which we don’t see. For instance, retailers use Bluetooth beacons to measure foot traffic, while trackers like AirTag rely on Bluetooth to report their location to their owners.

Whenever your phone pings a Bluetooth device, it’s possible to determine its rough location by measuring the signal strength. Some modern devices, like Apple’s iPhone, also combine Bluetooth with ultra-wideband (UWB) chips that allow for precise location tracking.

4. Malware or spyware

We’ve found that one of the most effective methods hackers use to track a phone if the location is off is to install malware or spyware on their phone. These apps enable constant surveillance and typically provide complete control over your device, allowing someone to view your location at all times and access sensitive data, such as messages, call logs, browsing history, photos, videos, and more.

5. Cellular station simulators

We’ve already looked at how cell towers can approximate your location, but did you know that more advanced spies employ cellular station simulators—also known as stingrays or spoof cell towers—to monitor nearby devices? Our phones connect to these as they’re unable to identify that they’re fake, which allows the operator of the simulator to determine the device's location and steal its location data.

Readers sometimes ask us, can someone track your location with your phone number, and cellular station simulators are one way to do this. If a spy knows your mobile phone number, they’re able to recognize the device when it connects to their cell site simulator.

6. Global positioning system (GPS)

The global positioning system (GPS) chip inside your phone lets it communicate with satellites orbiting Earth to identify its exact position on the planet. It enables us to use software that relies on accurate location information, such as maps and navigation apps, and fitness trackers that record your workouts.

On most devices, disabling location services also turns off GPS connectivity. Shutting down your phone also deactivates its GPS, so if you’re wondering what your location says when your phone is off, trackers that rely solely on geolocation won’t work. It’s important to remember, however, that hackers can use malware to keep your GPS turned on even after you disable location services.

7. IP address

Another way your phone can be tracked, even if location services are off, is by using your IP address. Whenever you connect to the internet, your carrier or internet service provider (ISP) assigns you a unique IP address that allows websites and online services to identify you. However, your IP address can’t pinpoint you on a map; it only reveals which provider you’re using and your general location based on your nearest server.

How to stop someone from tracking your phone if location services are off

Now that you know someone can track your phone if your location is off using things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, fake cell towers, and your IP address, you’re probably wondering how to make your phone untraceable. Some of the best ways to prevent someone from tracking your phone are to enable a VPN, activate airplane mode when you’re not using your device, and review app permissions to block any that access your location when they shouldn’t.

Another simple yet effective way to stop tracking is to utilize tools that enhance your privacy and security. With Clario’s Anti Spy app on Android, you can enable Virtual location to manually choose where your phone is located anywhere in the world, so no one can tell where you really are. Alternatively, with Clario Anti Spy on iPhone, you can run Device system check to ensure your device is up to date and free from jailbreaks that allow hackers to install unauthorized software. Here’s how to use them:

How to use Clario Anti Spy’s Virtual location on Android:

1. Install Clario Anti Spy for Android.
2. Under Virtual location, select Set up.
3. Follow the steps to allow manual location setting in Developer Options.
4. Use the map to set your phone’s location anywhere in the world.

How to use Clario Anti Spy’s Device system check on iPhone:

1. Install Clario Anti Spy for iPhone.
2. Under Device system check, tap Scan.
3. Check that your iPhone is up to date and not jailbroken. If it is jailbroken, this could indicate unauthorized software is present; reset your device to reinstall iOS.

Conclusion

Even when location services are turned off on your phone, it’s possible for someone to trace you using other features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular connectivity, and via your IP address. They can also hack your device with malware and spyware that allows for constant surveillance at all times. To avoid tracking, you can enable a VPN to mask your IP address and activate airplane mode to disable all wireless features.

However, we’ve found the best way to stop spies is to bolster your privacy and security. With Clario Anti Spy’s Virtual location on Android, you can manually set your phone’s location to anywhere in the world, while the Device system check on iPhone helps you ensure your device is free from harmful jailbreaks.