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Does File Explorer Track You?

From the App Store privacy label · Certchip · checked November 2026

Data used to track you
No
Collects no data

The label has no “Data Used to Track You” section.

Short answer

No. File Explorer's label says the app does not collect any data, so there is nothing to track you with. It never needs to show the “Allow to track?” prompt.

What “tracking” means on an iPhone

Apple defines tracking as linking data from this app with data from other companies' apps, websites or offline sources for targeted advertising or ad measurement, or sharing it with a data broker. It is narrower than “collecting data”: an app can collect a lot without tracking you, and a small app can track you with a single advertising SDK.

Since iOS 14.5, App Tracking Transparency requires every app to ask before it accesses your device's advertising identifier or otherwise tracks you. The App Store label is where the developer declares which of its data is used that way. File Explorer declares none, so it has no reason to show that prompt.

How to stop File Explorer from tracking you

  1. When File Explorer shows the tracking prompt, tap Ask App Not to Track.
  2. Already said yes? Open Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking and switch off the toggle next to File Explorer.
  3. To refuse every app in one go, switch off Allow Apps to Request to Track on the same screen. Apps then cannot ask, and are treated as if you declined.
  4. For Apple's own ads in the App Store, News and Stocks, see Settings › Privacy & Security › Apple Advertising and turn off Personalised Ads.
  5. Inside File Explorer, look for an analytics or personalised-ads switch in its own settings; it covers data the iOS switch does not.

File Explorer's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Data Not Collected

The developer states that no data is collected from this app.

Is File Explorer safe? Every data type explained →

Do other cloud storage apps track you?

29% of the 170 cloud storage apps with a label in our snapshot declare tracking; 24% say they collect nothing at all. Nearby in the list:

AppTracks you?Data types
PlutoniumNo0
AppToCloudYes4
Phone Drive ProNo0
Nova CloudYes6
Straight Talk CloudNo7
YalistNo0
Myhub-Instant TransferYes4
SmartClean AIYes3

Check your settings

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

True or false?

  1. Q1File Explorer's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    False: there is no Data Used to Track You section on File Explorer's label.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3An app with a “Data Not Collected” label cannot read any of your photos.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It can read photos you give it access to. Processing on your device is not collection; only data sent off the phone counts.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

FAQ

How do I stop File Explorer from tracking me?
Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. Switch off Allow Apps to Request to Track to refuse every app at once, or switch off the toggle next to this app. When you decline, the app cannot access your device's advertising identifier.
Will File Explorer still work if I decline tracking?
Yes. Apple's App Store rules do not allow apps to withhold features or block you because you declined tracking.
What is the difference between tracking and data linked to me?
Linked data is tied to your identity by File Explorer's developer itself. Tracking goes further: your data is combined with data from other companies' apps and websites for advertising, or passed to data brokers.
Does declining tracking stop all data collection?
No. It stops tracking as Apple defines it. The app can still collect the other data on its label for its own analytics, features and accounts.
Can apps track me without asking?
They are not allowed to. Fingerprinting your device or using other identifiers to get around the prompt breaks App Store rules. If a label declares no tracking but the app asks for permission to track, that is a mismatch worth reporting.

Is File Explorer safe? Full privacy report →Who tracks you? A–Z →All utilities apps →

Facts on this page come from File Explorer on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked November 2026. How we collect data · Report a correction