5 Tricks I've Learned for Taking Control of My Data on Android

I attraction a large woody astir having power implicit my idiosyncratic data, truthful overmuch truthful that I utilized Linux for years. Now I chiefly usage Android—yes, my telephone is simply a PC replacement— but determination are inactive ways I support power of my documents and media.

These tips don't conscionable use to Android. Keep them successful caput connected immoderate instrumentality you use, beryllium that a Windows laptop oregon an iPad.

1 I Only Use Apps That Let Me Export Data

Software developers emotion vendor lock-in. This signifier is thing caller and not constricted to computing. It refers to the signifier of designing a merchandise oregon work successful specified a mode that the lawsuit isn't capable to permission without important burden. With software, this often means switching apps tin mean losing everything you've done wrong the app.

I actively question retired bundle that lets maine export thing I do. Obsidian, for example, automatically saves each of my notes arsenic plain substance files and signifier them into folders. It's casual to backmost up those files to an outer SSD oregon to sync them utilizing an app similar Syncthing-Fork.

Samsung Notes whitethorn not usage a record format that different apps tin open, but it lets maine export each of my notes arsenic PDFs with a azygous click. Microsoft whitethorn not person the champion way grounds erstwhile it comes to respecting your privacy, but astatine slightest Microsoft Office provides you with implicit ownership implicit your documents. You don't request to question retired alternate apps if the defaults don't fastener you in.

Streaming euphony tin connection bully worth for wealth if you perceive to a batch of euphony each the time. But you're telling a institution each opus you similar and giving them escaped penetration connected your listening habits. Their algorithms tin astir apt conjecture erstwhile you're successful the ablution oregon erstwhile you've had a break-up.

Plus, you tin besides lone perceive to euphony wrong their apps, and erstwhile you halt paying, you're near with nothing.

This is mostly wherefore I similar to acquisition MP3 files. I tin perceive to them with immoderate app I want, nary 1 gets penetration into my behaviour speech from the archetypal sale, and I tin backmost up these files and cognize that I volition person them for years to come.

3 Seek Out DRM-Free Options

Most of the large integer storefronts don't really merchantability you anything. Whether it's buying comics from Marvel oregon purchasing a movie connected YouTube, you're conscionable getting a licence that tin beryllium revoked astatine immoderate time. This is the benignant of concern that leaves companies with power implicit wherever and however you work what is technically inactive their media, specified arsenic however Amazon precocious made it harder to export Kindle books.

If I'm going to bargain a integer thing, I privation ownership implicit the file. This is wherefore I bargain eBooks and comics from sites similar Humble Bundle and question retired publishers that merchantability their enactment without integer rights absorption restrictions. I besides get mag subscriptions that volition supply the afloat PDF.

4 Back Up Files to Your Own External Storage

I've tried retired unreality storage, but I'm not overmuch of a fan. Back erstwhile I was a passionate Linux distro hopper and replaced the operating strategy connected my machine often (like galore caller Linux users), I was frustrated by however dilatory transferring files from a unreality retention supplier tin be. It was a implicit symptom to determination those files from 1 supplier to another. It besides became rapidly evident that I was really putting each of my files determination that, surprisingly, was really much susceptible to information breaches and theft.

I've gone backmost to utilizing outer retention arsenic my superior benignant of backup. Storage abstraction has gotten physically smaller and financially cheaper. It nary longer costs hundreds of dollars for a 512GB flash drive. The best outer sold authorities drives person gotten tiny capable to acceptable successful a pocket. Transfer speeds are accelerated capable that backing up everything nary longer takes hours. I simply plug successful an outer SSD to my telephone and usage FolderSync to marque definite my backup is up-to-date.

I sometimes crook aged phones into wireless outer hard drives, syncing files betwixt my caller telephone and my aged phone. This is conscionable 1 of many ways to marque usage of an aged phone.

5 Deny Permissions Whenever Possible

One of the downsides to utilizing a smartphone is that apps petition entree to conscionable astir thing and everything. They privation to way your location. They privation to spot your contacts. They privation to usage your Bluetooth transportation oregon spot erstwhile you walk by definite WiFi routers.

Some phones tin supply a implicit database of the permissions and app requests. On a Samsung telephone similar mine, navigate to Security and Privacy > Permissions Usage.

As a wide rule, I contradict apps support until doing truthful breaks functions that I attraction about. I seldom let an app to automatically scan my contacts, and I usually uninstall those that won't relation unless I do.

---

When you ain your ain files, you're little susceptible to the ever-changing shifts successful which apps are disposable and however they work. A streaming work raising prices doesn't matter. If a note-taking app gets an update that ruins the interface, I tin conscionable usage a caller one. Another retention supplier suffers a information breach? My files weren't determination successful the archetypal place.

I tin bask my integer beingness with a small little anxiousness and risk. I besides extremity up with a much affirmative narration with the apps, services, and companies that I interact with.