Written by Christopher Warner, CBU senior and Cybersecurity intern:
If you have used a public network, your phone will likely attempt to reconnect to that network the next time you go to that public space. By connecting to these open networks without notifying you, your phone can run the risk of allowing outside interference and surveillance. Similarly, leaving Bluetooth enabled on your device when not needed increases your visibility and allows unknown devices to connect to yours without permission, even when on separate networks. Here’s how you can disable these settings on iPhone and Android devices:
iPhone:
- To disable wi-fi auto-connect, go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Find the public network and tap the adjacent ‘i’ icon with a circle.
- Tap “Auto-Join” to disable it for that network.
- To disable Bluetooth, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
- Tap “Bluetooth” to disable it.
Android:
- To disable wi-fi auto-connect, go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi.
- Find the public network and tap its gear icon.
- Tap “Auto reconnect” to disable it for that network.
- To disable Bluetooth, go to Settings > Connections.
- Tap “Bluetooth” to disable it.