Turn Off BeReal Nearby: A Practical Guide to Protecting Your Privacy

BeReal has gained popularity for its candid, no-filter approach to sharing moments with friends. However, like many social apps, it carries privacy considerations that some users prefer to manage proactively. One feature that often draws attention is the Nearby mode, which shows posts and activity from people who are physically near you. If you’re looking to limit location exposure or simply reduce social prompts in your vicinity, turning off BeReal’s Nearby capability can be a sensible step. This guide walks you through why you might want to Turn off bereal nearby and how to do it on iPhone, Android, and at the device level, along with practical tips for safer BeReal usage overall.

Understanding BeReal Nearby and Its Privacy Implications

The Nearby feature in BeReal is designed to connect you with people who are geographically close. In practice, it can expose your location information to others who see your posts or who appear in the same vicinity-based feed. For some users, this adds a sense of openness and community; for others, it raises concerns about privacy and digital footprints. If you want more control over who can find you and what you reveal, considering Turn off bereal nearby is a reasonable step.

The decision to Turn off bereal nearby does not disable all sharing. You can still post BeReal moments to your friends or followers, but the app will stop aggregating or displaying location-based activity in your vicinity. This means you’ll reduce incidental data about your movements and you’ll reduce the chances of strangers or acquaintances seeing where you are at a given moment. For many users, this is a balanced approach that preserves the core BeReal experience while limiting location exposure.

Reasons to Turn off bereal nearby

Enhance personal privacy and reduce location sharing with a broad audience.
Limit the chance that others can infer daily routines or patterns.
Minimize potential misuse of location information by third parties.
Reduce social pressure to post while you’re out and about in sensitive environments.
Maintain greater control over who can discover you on BeReal.

If you’re weighing the options, consider how often you want your real-time location to be visible to others and whether the benefits of Nearby align with your comfort level. Turn off bereal nearby can be a first, simple step toward a more private BeReal experience, while still enjoying the app’s core features.

Step-by-step: Turn off bereal nearby on iPhone

Open BeReal and go to your profile or the app’s settings. Locate the privacy or location options within the BeReal app menu.
Look for a toggle labeled something like “Nearby,” “Nearby Friends,” or “Share my location.” Turn this off to disable the in-app Nearby feature.
Exit the app and verify that the Nearby feed no longer shows posts from people near you. If your version of BeReal has more granular controls, ensure all related switches are set to off.
Additionally, you can adjust iPhone location permissions: open Settings, scroll to BeReal, and set Location to “Never” or “While using the App” with careful consideration of how it affects other BeReal features.

Turn off bereal nearby on iOS is typically a combination of in-app toggles and device-level permissions. If you notice any residual location hints in the app, revisit the Privacy settings both inside BeReal and in your iPhone’s Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Keeping location off at the OS level provides an extra layer of protection beyond what the app itself controls.

Step-by-step: Turn off bereal nearby on Android

Launch BeReal and navigate to Settings or Privacy options within the app.
Disable the Nearby feature by toggling off the option that mentions location visibility or Nearby posts.
Check whether BeReal still requests location access. If it does, go to your device’s system settings: Settings > Apps > BeReal > Permissions > Location, and select “Don’t allow” or the equivalent option on your device.
Open BeReal again and confirm that the Nearby feed is no longer active and that your posts aren’t automatically associated with a local audience.

Turn off bereal nearby on Android involves both within-app switches and device-level permissions. Some Android versions offer more granular control for location sharing, so you may need to tailor the steps to your specific phone model and BeReal version. If you’re troubleshooting, ensure you’ve restarted the app after making changes to confirm the settings take effect.

Device-level privacy controls: a safety net

Even after you Turn off bereal nearby in the app, it’s worth reviewing how your device handles location data broadly. The following steps can help you reinforce privacy across the board:

iOS: In Settings, go to Privacy > Location Services. You can disable Location Services entirely, or keep it on for essential apps with precise location toggled off for BeReal. You can also disable Precise Location for BeReal if you choose to keep some location metadata in other contexts.
Android: In Settings > Location, you can turn off location access entirely or blacklist BeReal so it cannot request location data in the future. You can also manage app-specific permissions under Settings > Apps > BeReal > Permissions.
Remember that some features, like photo metadata or mapping tools inside BeReal, rely on location data. If you want to minimize exposure, consider disabling location sharing and stripping EXIF data from images before posting when possible.

Turn off bereal nearby and adjusting device permissions can be a powerful combination, making your online presence more predictable and less trackable in the physical world. It also reduces the risk that your location is inadvertently shared through other features or integrations the app may have in the future.

What changes after turning off bereal nearby?

Disabling the Nearby feature changes how BeReal presents content and who can learn about your location in real time. Specifically, users who rely on Nearby to discover peers in their local area will see fewer location-based connections, and your own posts will be less likely to appear in local feeds. This does not prevent you from posting or receiving BeReal notifications from friends; it simply reduces the geographic visibility of your activity.

There may also be changes in how BeReal curates content for you. The app tends to optimize for fresh and immediate moments, but when location data is limited, it focuses more on your network and scheduled prompts rather than a map of who is nearby. If your aim is to maintain a normal social routine without the added pressure of near-term geographic visibility, Turn off bereal nearby can be a meaningful adjustment.

Tips for safer BeReal usage

Regularly review in-app privacy settings. Privacy is not a one-and-done task; it benefits from periodic audits as app features evolve.
Limit external data sharing. Consider minimizing the data BeReal can access on your device to only what is essential for posting and interacting with friends.
Be mindful of what you post. Even without Nearby enabled, BeReal posts can reveal patterns; think about what you’re comfortable sharing publicly or with your network.
Use strong account controls. Set your BeReal profile to a limited audience if you want more control over who sees your content, even beyond location.
Stay informed about app updates. Developer changes can alter how Nearby works or what data is collected, so read release notes when updates are available.

Frequently asked questions

Will turning off bereal nearby stop others from finding my location if they know it from context? While it reduces exposure, nothing is perfectly private online. Pairing in-app controls with device-level permissions is the best protection.
Can I still post BeReal if I disable location entirely? Yes. Location is not required to post; you can continue sharing moments with your chosen audience.
Does disabling Nearby affect how often I receive notifications? Not directly. Notifications depend on your BeReal settings and friend activity, not solely on the Nearby feature.
Is there a single switch to Turn off bereal nearby across all devices? The process is device- and version-specific. Use the in-app Nearby control and adjust OS permissions to cover all bases.

Conclusion

Privacy on social apps is a moving target, especially with features designed to highlight real-world contexts like location. If you’re seeking more control over who can see you and when, Turn off bereal nearby is a practical step. It preserves the core BeReal experience—sharing authentic moments with friends—while reducing location exposure and potential privacy risks. Combine in-app controls with careful device permissions, and you’ll enjoy a simpler, quieter BeReal experience that aligns with your comfort level. By staying mindful of what information you share and how you configure settings, you can continue to enjoy BeReal on your terms, without feeling exposed to the world around you.