Mobile phones are much more than a screen where you can perform actions, they are full of sensors of all kinds that allow us many added functionalities with which we get to take advantage of technology. It is increasingly common for mobiles to go one step further, but privacy is also a concern.
This leads us to know options designed for advanced users that anyone can do on an Android mobile, it consists of nothing more and nothing less than deactivating the sensors of the mobile . Something that is very easy and simple, more than you can imagine and on certain occasions it can be useful.
What is the use of deactivating the sensors?
You may be thinking, how useful is it for us users to deactivate the mobile sensors, a question with several answers and a very clear one. The first use that we can give it is to try to identify problems in our mobile , many times when looking for an error in the camera or in other elements we can choose this solution to recognize if the problem is software or one of the sensors.
But this can go further, since it could even mean an important help in a hurry where the battery of our mobile is running low. The sensors need a part of the battery to work and if we manage to deactivate them, we will be obtaining that percentage at our disposal.
An anti-tracking button
The main use to which we can dedicate this option for Android developers is based on offering us a button at our fingertips with which we can prevent at the desired moment that someone through malware or some type of tracking on the mobile phone can know what what we do, say or visit. Well, with the option to deactivate the sensors of our Android mobile we will be preventing the following from coming into action:
- Camera sensors: used so that we can take pictures and record videos.
- Gyroscope: it is in charge of offering the mobile information about the position of the mobile, among other things, using the rotation function on the screen.
- Magnetometer: key sensor when it comes to locating ourselves, as it works as a compass to indicate a position.
- Microphones: a series of sensors that are very important in technology and that have evolved for much more than just making calls.
- Light sensor: another of the key sensors is this one, which allows the device to identify the ambient light and modify it
- Fingerprint sensor: the one that allows us to unlock the smartphone with our finger
To these can be added other sensors that depend on each device, since more and more sensors coexist in our mobile. With all of them deactivated, we will achieve our goal, which is that the mobile device does not capture information and therefore we feel safer.
Steps to disable sensors on Android
The option to carry out this function was launched in Android 10, so if we have an older mobile we will not be able to use it. This option is hidden in the developer section, which requires prior activation through these steps:
- We enter the mobile settings and go down to the phone information.
- After accessing we will have access to the build number.
- We have to repeatedly tap on this button until the developer options activated message appears.
Once these steps are completed, we can start the process to activate the button that will allow us to deactivate the sensors on the mobile, something that is as fast and simple as what we have done so far.
What we will have to do is go back into the Settings, go down to the System section and access, since we have already activated the options for developers before, now we just have to enter them and proceed to look for the one we need, called icons for developers in quick settings.
The option as such that will allow us to achieve maximum privacy on Android is not activated at this point, but here we will be able to show the icon in the settings of the quick panel , where there is also access to WiFi or Bluetooth connection.
Among all the options that appear, we have to activate the one called “Sensors deactivated”, and later when we slide the quick access panel, the option will be at our disposal to activate it whenever we want and in the same way to deactivate it without having to repeat no complicated process.
Is it compatible with all brands?
Unfortunately, some Android smartphones do not have this option within their developer settings, although the cases are minimal. We have been able to find them in stock Android mobiles, such as the Google Pixel, Motorola and Nokia, as well as mobiles with layers of customization such as Samsung and Huawei. However, MIUI mobiles do not have this option in Android 10 or Android 11.
Can it be done on iPhones?
Although Apple boasts privacy and security, we do not have the ability to mimic this on iOS in this way or in any other way that disables the slightest sensor. So the differences in privacy between Android and the iPhone has a new companion if we talk about advanced options.
Can we continue using the mobile without the sensors?
Once we have proceeded to deactivate the sensors on Android, we will be able to continue using almost all the apps and tools, connecting to the internet and other devices, but nevertheless we will not be able to use the sensors . This will cause that if we try to open the camera it closes, something similar will happen if we try to use the camera or the microphone with the sensors disabled in the rest of the apps.
Therefore, when the sensors are used, we have to slide the quick access curtain and deactivate the option to be able to use it normally. Luckily the process is fast and it will not take us even 5 seconds.
