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Freedom251 › Blog › Ad Tracking

How to reset your advertising ID and limit ad tracking on Android and iPhone

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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To reset Android’s advertising identifier, open Settings > Privacy > Ads, choose Reset Advertising ID, and confirm. Choose Delete Advertising ID instead if you want the identifier removed rather than replaced. On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking and deny tracking for individual apps or turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. These controls reduce specific forms of advertising tracking; they do not make every advertisement disappear.

What an advertising ID does—and what resetting it cannot do

Mobile advertising identifiers are device-level identifiers that apps and advertising systems can use to recognize an advertising profile without relying directly on your name. Android calls its identifier the advertising ID. Apple’s equivalent is the system advertising identifier, commonly called IDFA.

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Resetting an identifier changes the value associated with the device. It can break continuity with an advertising profile that used the old value, but apps may create or receive a new profile after the reset. Deleting Android’s identifier is a stronger choice within Android’s own control: the identifier is removed instead of replaced. Neither action removes advertisements from apps, and neither action erases every other piece of information an app or service may use for advertising.

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iPhone separates two decisions that are often confused. Tracking controls whether apps may request permission to track activity across other companies’ apps and websites, including access to IDFA for that purpose. Apple Advertising controls personalization of ads delivered by Apple in the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks. Location Services adds a separate control for location-based Apple ads.

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Control Platform What it changes What it does not promise
Reset Advertising ID Android Replaces the current advertising ID with a new one. It does not block all ads or prevent every form of profiling.
Delete Advertising ID Android Removes the advertising ID instead of assigning a replacement. Apps may still show ads or use other information and app-specific settings.
Ads privacy controls Android Manages ad topics, app-suggested ads, and ad measurement separately from the ID. Removing a topic does not guarantee that related ads stop appearing.
Tracking permission iPhone Controls app requests to track across other companies’ apps and websites and restricts IDFA access when denied. It does not turn off Apple’s own ad personalization setting automatically.
Personalized Ads iPhone Turns personalization of Apple-delivered ads on or off. Apple says the number of ads may not decrease.

Reset or delete the advertising ID on Android

The following route applies to Android devices with Google Play services. Menu names can differ by manufacturer, Android release, account type, or management profile.

Use the current Privacy menu

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy, then Ads.
  3. Tap Reset Advertising ID.
  4. Read the confirmation and tap the confirmation button to replace the existing ID with a new one.

After the reset, the old identifier is no longer the current advertising ID for the device. Apps that use the identifier can encounter the new value and may begin associating activity with a new advertising profile.

Delete the identifier instead

  1. Open Settings > Privacy > Ads.
  2. Tap Delete Advertising ID.
  3. Confirm the deletion.

Deletion and resetting are not interchangeable. Resetting deliberately creates a replacement identifier. Deleting removes the identifier, so there is no new value supplied by this control. An app can still display advertisements after deletion, and an app or advertising service may use information other than Android’s advertising ID, subject to its own settings and policies.

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Alternative route through Google settings

Some devices expose the same controls at Settings > Google > All services > Ads. If neither path appears, use the Settings search field for Ads, advertising ID, or ad personalization. A manufacturer’s customized Settings app may place the control under a differently named privacy section.

Older Android releases

On some older versions, the path is Settings > Privacy > Advanced > Ads. Those devices may show Opt out of Ads Personalization rather than the newer reset and deletion wording. Turn that option on to opt out of personalized advertising through the available Android setting. The exact behavior and labels depend on the Android release and Google Play services version installed on the device.

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Use Android’s newer Ads privacy controls

Android’s advertising ID control is only one layer. Newer Android versions also provide separate controls for Ad topics, App suggested ads, and Ad measurement. They are designed to limit different parts of advertising selection and measurement, so changing them is not a substitute for resetting or deleting the identifier.

Find the Ads privacy page

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Google.
  3. Tap All services.
  4. Under services on this device, tap Ads.
  5. Open Ads privacy.

The wording and location may vary. Search Settings for Ads privacy if the listed route is missing.

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Ad topics

Android can use topics inferred from app activity to help select ads. Review the topics shown and turn off topics you do not want used, or disable the feature if that option is offered on your device. Google’s Android privacy documentation says ad topics are deleted after four weeks. Removing a topic prevents Android from sharing that topic again, but Google cautions that you may still see ads related to the same subject through other signals.

App suggested ads

This setting controls whether apps can contribute suggestions that Android uses in its advertising system. Disable it if you do not want this category of app-provided input used. It is separate from the advertising ID: turning off app suggestions does not itself reset or delete the ID.

Ad measurement

Ad measurement helps report whether an ad produced an outcome, such as an app installation or another event. Turn the setting off or manage it individually if you do not want Android’s ad-measurement feature used. The setting does not prevent an app from running its own analytics or advertising code under the app’s separate permissions and policies.

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What to expect after changing Android settings

  • Ads can remain visible. Deleting the advertising ID or opting out of personalized ads does not remove ad placements from free apps, games, websites, or videos.
  • Relevance may change without ad volume changing. You may see less personalized ads, but the number of ad slots is controlled by each app or service.
  • Other signals may still be used. Apps can have their own account identifiers, contextual information, approximate location, device information, or advertising settings. The Android controls described here do not automatically erase those data sources.
  • A reset is not a universal “start over” button. It changes the advertising ID value, while account-based profiles and app-specific data can remain.
  • Managed or restricted devices may hide controls. Work profiles, parental controls, and manufacturer software can change which settings are available.

Limit app tracking on iPhone

Apple’s App Tracking Transparency controls are for tracking across other companies’ apps and websites. They are not a general switch that disables all advertising inside an app.

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Deny tracking for selected apps

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap Tracking.
  4. Leave Allow Apps to Request to Track enabled if you want to decide app by app.
  5. Use the switch beside each listed app to allow or deny its tracking request.

If you choose Ask App Not to Track when an app presents Apple’s prompt, Apple says the app developer cannot access the system advertising identifier (IDFA), which is often used for tracking. Under Apple’s described rules, the app is also not permitted to track you using other identifying information for that purpose.

Block future requests globally

  1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
  2. Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track.

Apple documents this as treating requesting apps as denied and preventing future tracking permission prompts. Existing app permissions are handled through the same Tracking page; review the individual switches after changing the global option.

When the Tracking control may be unavailable

Apple lists circumstances in which the global request setting may not be available, including child accounts, managed accounts, and device-management restrictions. A company, school, parent, or other administrator may control the setting. In those cases, the absence of a switch is a policy restriction rather than a malfunction.

Turn off personalized ads delivered by Apple

App Tracking Transparency and Apple’s own ad-personalization control have different scopes. To reduce personalization in Apple-delivered ads:

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  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap Apple Advertising.
  4. Turn off Personalized Ads.

Apple says this may make ads less relevant but may not decrease the number of ads you receive. The setting applies to Apple-delivered advertising in the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks. It does not grant control over advertising practices inside unrelated third-party apps.

Apple’s iPhone guide says those Apple-delivered ads do not access data from other apps, and that reading activity is not used to target ads outside the relevant Apple apps. This scope is why turning off Personalized Ads should not be described as a device-wide advertising block.

Limit location-based Apple ads

Location is a separate input from ad personalization. To prevent Apple services from using location for location-based ads, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. You can turn off Location Services entirely, or leave it on and set App Store or News access to Never, depending on which Apple services you want to restrict.

Turning off location access can affect navigation, weather, finding nearby services, and other features that rely on location. Review the per-app list rather than disabling every location permission if you only want to address Apple ad targeting.

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Android and iPhone controls compared

Goal Android action iPhone action Practical result
Replace the device advertising identifier Settings > Privacy > Ads > Reset Advertising ID No equivalent reset control is presented in the documented iPhone Tracking settings. A new Android ID breaks continuity with the old ID, but other identifiers can remain.
Remove the Android identifier Settings > Privacy > Ads > Delete Advertising ID Not applicable as an Android-specific control. Removes Android’s advertising ID; it does not remove every ad or other app data.
Stop apps from requesting cross-company tracking permission Use Android’s Ads privacy controls and app-level permissions; the controls have a different design and scope. Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking > turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Requesting iPhone apps are treated as denied and cannot use IDFA for that tracking.
Reduce Apple’s own ad personalization Not applicable. Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising > Personalized Ads off. Apple ads may be less relevant; the number of ads may not change.
Limit location-based Apple ads Use Android’s separate location permissions and app settings. Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services; disable Location Services or set App Store/News to Never. Restricts location input for Apple services, with possible effects on other location features.

A practical sequence for stronger ad privacy

Choose the steps that match your goal instead of changing every setting blindly.

If you use Android and want a fresh advertising profile

  1. Reset the Advertising ID.
  2. Review Ads privacy and remove unwanted ad topics.
  3. Disable app-suggested ads or ad measurement if you do not want those features.
  4. Check important apps for their own advertising, analytics, and account settings.

If you use Android and want no Android advertising ID

  1. Delete the Advertising ID rather than resetting it.
  2. Review Ads privacy controls separately, because deletion does not automatically disable ad topics, app suggestions, or measurement.
  3. Expect advertisements to remain in apps that sell ad space.

If you use iPhone and want to restrict third-party app tracking

  1. Open Tracking settings and turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track, or deny apps individually.
  2. Check the list for apps that were previously allowed and switch them off if appropriate.
  3. Review each app’s account, privacy, and advertising settings for controls outside Apple’s permission system.

If you use iPhone and want less personalization in Apple services

  1. Turn off Personalized Ads under Apple Advertising.
  2. Review Location Services and set App Store or News to Never if you do not want location-based Apple ads.
  3. Keep in mind that these changes affect Apple’s advertising systems, not every third-party app.

Troubleshooting missing or ineffective controls

The Android Ads menu is missing

Search Settings for “Ads” or “advertising ID,” then check Settings > Google > All services > Ads. Confirm that Google Play services is present and that the device is not using a work profile or manufacturer restriction that hides the option. An older device may use Privacy > Advanced > Ads and show only Opt out of Ads Personalization.

The iPhone Tracking switch is dimmed or absent

Check whether the iPhone uses a child account, managed Apple account, mobile-device-management profile, or another restriction listed by Apple. Those policies can prevent changing the global request setting. If an individual app still displays its own privacy controls, those controls cannot override a system-level denial.

Ads still appear after the change

That outcome is expected. These settings target identifiers, permission to track, personalization inputs, or Apple’s own ad-delivery systems. They do not remove ad placements. Contextual advertising, an app’s own account data, device information, and other permitted signals can still influence what appears.

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An app appears to ignore the setting

Update the operating system and the app, close and reopen the app, and verify the setting again. Then read the app’s privacy explanation: a denied IDFA request does not prevent every kind of analytics or advertising that does not depend on cross-company tracking. On Android, deleting the advertising ID also does not erase an account profile maintained by the app.

Key distinctions to remember

  • Reset versus delete on Android: reset assigns a new advertising ID; delete removes it.
  • Advertising ID versus Android Ads privacy: ad topics, app suggestions, and measurement are separate controls.
  • iPhone Tracking versus Apple Advertising: Tracking governs app requests to follow activity across companies; Apple Advertising governs personalization of Apple’s own ads.
  • Personalization versus ad volume: less relevant ads do not necessarily mean fewer ads.
  • Location versus tracking: Location Services controls a location signal and can be changed independently of Tracking and Personalized Ads.

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