I always change these 7 phone privacy settings on every new device - here's why

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Your smartphone, whether you favor Android , iOS , or a niche mobile operating system, can leave trails that those who know how to follow can track.

Every app I use requires some level of permission. When you want to order a takeaway, you might need to allow GPS to pinpoint your location; a utility app for speeding up mobile performance may need access to files and folders; or a social media platform may need permission to send push notifications.

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While convenient, unless smartphone permissions are properly managed, you might be granting apps far more control than they need -- and this opens the door to your private data being exposed.

You can decide exactly what your smartphone reveals about you, and when. By running a health check and tweaking the permissions below, you can drastically reduce your digital footprint and avoid unnecessary data exposure.

Before I explore each permission and what you should enable or disable, you should know where you can find the permission settings.

The exact location will depend on the make and model of your smartphone, whether you have an Android or iOS handset, and the version of its operating system your device is running.

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However, on Android, you typically need to go to Settings > Security and privacy > More privacy settings > Permission manager. On iOS, you will likely find what you need under Settings > Privacy and Security, or Settings > the app you want to examine.

When you install an app or it receives a major update, you will be asked which permissions to grant the app. For example, a weather application might ask for location data "all the time" to give you accurate weather reports, and a delivery service might ask you for the same to assist its delivery staff in finding you.

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If an app asks for a permission that is considered sensitive, such as access to your location or to your smartphone's microphone, you will be asked whether to allow it "all the time," "while using the app," "ask every time," or "never."

To preserve your privacy, as a general rule, apps you use only casually should be limited to "while using the app" permissions -- but I will go into more detail on each permission below and when it may be appropriate to grant wider permissions, or none at all.