Most Android apps track your activity, but you probably don’t know which ones do so or what data they collect. While there are plenty of apps designed to track your daily activities for productivity purposes, many others collect data without your knowledge. If you want to see exactly what’s happening behind the scenes and block unwanted trackers, TrackerControl is a straightforward option that does the job.
It’s a free, open-source app that monitors network traffic in real-time and shows you which trackers are embedded in your apps. Once it’s running, you can see tracking attempts as they happen and decide what to allow or block.
TrackerControl shows real-time tracking as it happens
Scrub your apps clean without breaking them
Once TrackerControl is running, it displays a live feed of every tracking attempt from your apps. Each entry shows the app name, the tracking company receiving data, and the type of tracker involved—whether it’s analytics, advertising, or something else.
The app works by creating a local VPN on your device. This routes all your network traffic through TrackerControl, which analyzes each connection and identifies known trackers using a regularly updated database. You’re not actually connecting to an external VPN server—everything stays on your phone. What makes this useful is the level of detail. Instead of generic warnings about privacy, you see specific companies like Google Analytics, Facebook’s SDK, or dozens of lesser-known data brokers attempting to collect information. Some apps make hundreds of tracking requests in a single session.
It lets you block specific trackers or entire apps from sending data out. The interface isn’t fancy, but it gives you clear visibility into what your apps are doing—something that Android’s built-in privacy tools don’t show you.
You can tap any entry to get more details about the tracker, including what type of data it typically collects. TrackerControl also keeps a log of all tracking attempts, so you can review patterns over time and see which apps are the most aggressive about data collection.
Here’s how to set up TrackerControl
Avoid the Google Play Store version if you want full protection
Getting TrackerControl up and running takes just a few minutes, and the blocking features are straightforward once you understand the basics.
By default, the TrackerControl version on the Google Play Store is a “slim” version. Google restricts apps that block trackers in other applications, so this version only monitors tracking but doesn’t let you block it. To get the full experience—where you can stop the data leaks—you need to download the full version from F-Droid or the official website.
Once you have the APK file, you might need to give your browser permission to install from unknown sources. It sounds intimidating, but it’s a standard procedure for apps outside the Play Store ecosystem. After installation, the app requires permission to set up a local VPN. This doesn’t send your data to a server; it creates a local loopback to filter traffic on your device.
- Open TrackerControl and tap the toggle switch in the top-left corner to turn it on.
- Allow the VPN connection request when the Android system prompt appears.
- Let the app run in the background for a few hours while you use your phone as usual.
The app lists every server your phone tries to contact. It categorizes these into Essentials, Analytics, and Marketing, so you can see exactly who is trying to peek over your shoulder.
Here’s how to use TrackerControl to protect your privacy
Once you’ve seen enough to be concerned, it’s time to lock things down. The app gives you granular control over every connection. You can choose to block all tracking for a specific app or just cut off the marketing trackers while leaving the essential functions running.
- Tap on an app in the list to open its detailed view.
- Scroll down to see the individual libraries (such as Analytics or Advertising) and toggle them on or off as needed for more control.
There is a catch, though—sometimes aggressive blocking breaks things. If you block an app from accessing a server it thinks is essential, it might crash or fail to load images. If an app stops working correctly, head back to TrackerControl and either uncheck the Essential category or temporarily pause blocking to troubleshoot.
What TrackerControl can’t do (and what else you need)
It isn’t a perfect solution for everyone
TrackerControl is a powerful tool, but it isn’t a complete anonymity solution. Since it occupies Android’s single VPN slot for local filtering, you can’t run a standard VPN service like NordVPN or ExpressVPN alongside it. You effectively have to choose between blocking app trackers and masking your IP address—you can’t do both at the same time. One more important thing is that TrackerControl doesn’t support browser apps.
It’s also worth noting that while TrackerControl stops third-party companies from harvesting your usage data, it doesn’t encrypt your internet traffic. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or mobile carrier can still see which websites you visit. If you need that level of encryption to hide your activity from your ISP, you are better off using a reputable VPN instead.
Despite these limitations, TrackerControl offers a level of transparency that stock Android lacks. It exposes which services your apps connect to. It’s free, open-source, and gives you control over data you didn’t even know you were losing.
