New Delhi, 7 April 2025: Smartphone has become an important part of our life today, but do you know that some apps in your phone are silently stealing your personal information? Many apps downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple App Store ask for permission to access messages, contacts and gallery. Without these permissions, these apps refuse to work, due to which most people give them a green signal without thinking. But the surprising thing is that even after removing these apps from the phone i.e. uninstalling them, they are not ready to leave your data.

Technical experts say that this is a kind of digital theft, where even uninstalled apps maintain access to your personal information. The question arises that how to detect this threat and how to protect it? Let us understand this problem in depth and know what steps you can take to protect your data.

Data theft exposed
When you download an app, it asks you for several permissions. These permissions open the way to access your phone’s data. But the surprising thing is that even after uninstalling the app, it can still have access to your data. This happens because many third-party apps remain connected with your Google account or other services, and this connection remains even when you remove it from your phone.
IT Security Expert Priya Sharma says, “People think that by deleting the app, their privacy is protected, but it is not so. Many apps keep tracking your data in the background. This is a serious problem, because your data can go to advertising companies or in the wrong hands.”
How to find out which app is stealing?
The good news is that you can easily find out which apps are still accessing your data even after being uninstalled. For this, you have to spend some time in your phone’s settings. The process is very simple and anyone can follow it.

For example, suppose you deleted the game ‘Asphalt 8’ from your phone. But when you check the connected apps list of your Google account, you still see its name. This means that this app is still connected to your data. In such a situation, you need to take immediate action.

Step-by-step guide to protect

Follow the steps given below to secure your data:

Go to Settings: Open your phone’s settings and tap on the ‘Google’ option.

Select All Services: Here you will find the option of ‘All Services’, click on it.

Check Connected Apps: Now go to ‘Connected Apps’. Here you will see the list of all the third-party apps with which your data is shared.

Remove unwanted apps: Find the apps in the list that you have already uninstalled. Click on their names.

End the connection: Tap on ‘Delete All Connections’ and ‘Confirm’ in the next step.

You will have to repeat this process for every app that you want to completely disconnect from your data.

Awareness is the biggest shield

In this era of technology, data privacy has emerged as a big challenge. Cyber ​​​​security expert Ajay Verma says, “Before giving permission to the app, think whether it is necessary. If an app is asking for access to your gallery or contacts, but its need is not related to its work, then avoid installing it.”

Experts also suggest that keep checking your phone settings from time to time and remove the connection of unwanted apps. Apart from this, before downloading the app, definitely check its review and developer information.

Conclusion
Mobile apps make our life easier, but the threat of data theft hidden behind them is equally serious. Even after uninstalling, these apps can keep an eye on your data, but with a little caution and awareness you can avoid this risk. Keeping your phone safe is now your responsibility. So check your device today and say goodbye to apps that are invading your privacy.