How to Block Internet Access in Specific Applications on Android – Guide
However, if you’re using a data-restricted plan with your carrier, or if your device is locked to a specific network, some of the apps that require internet access won’t be able to connect. This can be a problem if you need to use an app like news app or weather app on a trip and want to check the latest information before leaving home.
Some apps don’t need to be connected to the internet that often for their functionality as unnecessary data transfer can result in some undesirable consequences for the user like mobile phone balance shock, security concerns, unwanted notifications and ads. This article is about How to allow certain apps to access the internet and restrict or block those with unwanted data transfers. Let’s start with how this can be done natively on Android without the need for additional third-party software first. Later I will also discuss using a third party tool for this purpose.
Restrict Background Data on Android Natively
Android allows users to restrict background data usage for specific apps. This can be done by going to Settings->Apps and selecting the app you want to lock background data for. On the app info page, you can tap on “Data Usage” and here, enable “Restrict App Background Data”. This will ensure that the application does not search for any mobile data while running in the background. However, if you open the app, it will use the internet. ..
If you want to restrict background data for specific apps, go to Settings->Data Usage, press the three dots button and tap “Restrict background data for”. Here, you can also set a monthly amount mobile data cap, so you know when your mobile the data is close to running out. ..
Android N includes a data saver mode, which basically restricts background data in all apps. However, you can select the apps for which you want to enable unrestricted data access. Although Android’s native methods work fine if you want to restrict usage to only mobile data, there are third-party applications that allow you to block mobile data as well as Wi-Fi connectivity for certain apps:
- Data Saver Mode for Apps: This setting allows users to restrict background data usage in all of their apps.
- Data Saver Mode for Wi-Fi Connections: This setting allows users to restrict background data usage on Wi-Fi connections only.
Block Mobile Data and WiFi with 3rd party apps
Mobiwol is a free app that brings most of the features you would need to block the internet for specific apps. It’s easy to use and free, so it’s a great choice if you want to block the internet for specific apps. ..
When opening Mobiwol for the first time, you will see the home app page with its main options listed in advance. You can go to “Firewall Rules” where you will find all apps on your device, including system apps. You can just tap on mobile network and WiFi icon to disable the respective app connections.
Once the firewall is activated, you can see the VPN connection status on the main page of the application.
After trying to open the blocked apps and seeing that they don’t have internet access, you can try to check the apps that are using the connection in the background through “Connection logs”.
-You can check the app settings to ensure it starts automatically on restart, accept or block newly installed apps, get log notifications and their frequency, and get tips about the app. If you would like more feature rich app, you can try the apps mentioned below that also let you block internet in specific apps. ..
NetGuard
NetGuard is a great firewall app that not only blocks internet access for specific apps but lets you use conditions like allow WiFi/mobile data when the screen is on and block internet roaming. It also supports multiple device users, tethering and more. Some would say that NetGuard is even better than Mobiwol, but the problem is that the unique NetGuard features are not available in the free version of the app.
NoRoot Firewall
NoRoot Firewall is a highly popular firewall application that offers advanced features to the table. The app not only allows you to block mobile data/WiFi access for applications, but also allows you to define custom filters and conditions based on IP address, domain name and host address. While the app’s interface may seem clunky, it’s available for free, so you can try it out.
Final note
This guide will show you how to block internet access in specific applications on Android. If you have any query about this article, please ask us. Additionally, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends.
