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Best Preparedness Apps & Stopping Apps From Tracking You.

There are so many good apps to choose from, it’s hard to pick when you only have so much memory on your phone!

CHRISTIAN APPS (Remember this is the most important skill!)

  • The Bible first and foremost!
  • iDisciple is a wonderful app for messages, devotions, music, videos, and more. iDisciple is great for people who like to scroll through social media like Facebook and interact with the videos or articles that pop up in their feed. It even has the entire Bible in different versions so iDisciple can be an App for Bible, devotionals, music, videos, podcasts,and studying all in one:
    • Read devotionals.
    • Watch messages
    • Listen to Christian music
    • Watch Christian videos
    • Follow Bible reading plans
    • Search for content from favorite speakers or authors
  • Bible Memory: If you’re looking for an app that can help you memorize your favorite passages, check out Bible Memory. This app allows you to add verses and whole sections when you’re trying to really absorb scripture. The app is easy to navigate, and uses an effective method for memorization by slowly removing words from the verses you’re memorizing until you’re able to type it all from memory. The free version of the app uses the King James Version, but you can elect to purchase nearly any popular translation, along with translations of individual verses.
  • PrayerMate: Another app to help you keep track of your prayer requests is PrayerMate. If you’ve ever promised someone that you’d pray for them and then forgotten, PrayerMate is the app for you. After you enter your prayer requests, you can then set up daily reminders that will pop up as index cards. This app also provides a reminder clock and prayer gallery.
  • Devotionals and Study: The list is endless with the devotional Apps and Bible Study Apps. Add your favorite!
  • Overcast: offers an extensive library of Christian podcasts to keep you updated on the news in the Christian community and give you the chance to listen to your favorite preachers. Even if you’ve never listened to podcasts much before, Overcast can be the app to get you started.
  • The Narrow Path: Hosted by Steve Gregg over 25 years, he has a great radio call-in show (and 25 years archives to listen to), talks on every verse of the Bible and enough topical discussions to make your head spin. If you like to be challenged by non-cannon types of discussion regarding Scripture, he is an intriguing inquisitor.

GENERAL PREPAREDNESS APPS

  • Compass (usually on your phone anyways)
  • First Aid by American Red Cross is still on the top of our list. Every person with a phone should have this app, including your kids. (Free)
  • Pet first Aid (by red cross)
  • 5-0 Radio (to listen to police channels)
  • Life360 Family Locator lets you send and receive check-ins (whether during an emergency or not) and take part in private family chats. (Free)
  • Army Survival Guide is based on the Army Survival Manual. Now you can have the whole thing right on your phone! ($1.99)
  • SAS Survival Guide is the penultimate survival guide. Written by a former soldier, the SAS Survival Guide is how you’ll survive anything, anywhere. ($5.99 or “Lite” version for free)
  • Camscanner lets you scan and store important documents using your phone’s camera. Get your insurance information, real estate titles and other critical documents uploaded in just a few minutes. (Free)
  • Maps.Me are offline maps of nearly any place in the world. You should keep a map of your area and Bugout location if you have one. If you phone goes offline, you can still access your maps offline.
  • Scanner Radio lets you tune in to live audio from over 4,000 police and fire scanners, weather radios, and amateur radio repeaters from around the world on your phone. (Free or $2.99 for deluxe)
  • Disaster Alert is your window into real-time disasters all over the globe. (Free)
  • SOS: Flashes the internationally recognized SOS signal. You can only yell so loud for so long. (Free)
  • Picture This and Shroomify are both Apps to tell you if a plant or mushroom is edible.

Be sure to comment if you know of another good one!

How to see which apps are tracking your location

iPhone, apps can track your location, but only after giving them access first. Here’s how to check which apps can monitor your location:  

  1. Open the “Settings” app and click on “Privacy” to see a list of apps that have requested access to your location data. 
  2. Click on “Location Services.” This will show you every app that can request access to your location. You’ll also see if you’ve given any apps permission to track your location. Note that the permission you give to apps to access your location can be at all times or only when you’re using the app.  
  3. To check into a specific app, tap it. You’ll see what permission you’ve granted — the active one will have a checkmark. There are three options: 
  • Never: The app isn’t ever allowed to access your location data. 
  • When using the app: Whenever you open the app and use it, it’ll be able to track your whereabouts. 
  • Always: This means the app can access your location data at all times, whether you’re using it or not. 

Android device, you can check what permissions you’ve given to the app following these steps:  

  1. Go to “Settings.”  
  2. Then, go to “Apps & Notifications.”  
  3. Select an app, tap “Permissions,” and tap on the triple-dot icon.  
  4. Click on “All Permission” and scroll down to the Location section.  

You’ll see the GPS tracking permissions you’ve granted. The apps you’ve allowed access to your location all the time will be under “Allowed all the time.” The apps that can track you while you’re using them will be under “Allowed only while in use.” And you’ll find the apps you’ve never granted permission under “Not allowed.” 

How to stop apps from tracking your location

Remember that some apps need location data to function properly. For instance, a navigation app like Apple Maps isn’t very useful if it doesn’t know where you are. 

But whenever you want to turn off location tracking for particular apps, you can simply cancel their access. 

If you have an iOS device, follow these steps:  

  1. Open “Settings.”  
  2. Tap “Privacy” and click on “Location Services.”  
  3. Next, tap the app you want to change the location setting for.  
  4. Then, select the option you want, like “Always,” “While using,” or “Never.” 

To change the location setting for apps on an Android phone:  

  1. Tap on “Settings.”  
  2. Then, tap on “Apps & Notifications.”  
  3. Pick an app and tap on “Permissions.”  
  4. Switch “Location” to on or off.