What is an Android ID? (AAID)

An Android Advertising ID is a unique id that gets assigned to every Android device. Google Play Services generates this ID randomly when the device sets up.

It helps to identify the device when it interacts with Google servers or third-party apps. This ID is unique to each device and cannot get changed. Mobile apps use this feature to identify and track users.

Every time you install an app on your Android device, a unique AAID is generated.

The AAID is a unique identifier that is specific to advertising purposes. It intends to allow users to opt out of personalized ads and provides control over their privacy.

The AAID is not tied to any hardware components of the device, and it cannot be easily altered or spoofed.

What is Android ID?

What is the importance of AAID?

An AAID is important for mobile app developers to track and identify users. It allows developers to personalize their apps for providing a positive user experience.

Let’s see an example, an e-commerce app uses the AAID feature for tracking purposes. It gives data on users’ browsing and buying behavior to provide personalized recommendations. Similarly, a social media app can use AAID to recommend friends based on the user’s contacts.

An Android Advertising ID is also important for app analytics. It allows tracking the downloads, the number of active users, and the churn rate.

This information can help developers improve their apps and make data-driven decisions. AAID can provide users with greater control over their privacy. Users can choose to opt out of personalized ads, which prevent tracking of their apps 

An Android Advertising ID is also important for mobile advertising. As many mobile apps rely on advertising revenue to generate income. Ad networks can deliver personalized ads to users based on internet browsing history.

Advertisers can target specific users to improve the effectiveness of their ads. It can provide personalized recommendations and advertisements based on user preferences. AAID also helps to improve app monetization.

How does an AAID work?

An Android Advertising ID is a unique id that gets assigned to every Android device when it sets up.

The identifier gets generated by Google using a random algorithm. This ID intends to be persistent and consistent across different applications and services.

The Android Advertising ID gets stored in the device’s system settings. This can get accessed by the apps through the Android SDK. AAID can identify individual devices and track user behavior across different applications.

Is an Android Advertising ID private?

An Android Advertising ID gets designed to be a more secure and private network than a MAC address.

But, it is not private completely. The AAID can get accessed by apps that have the necessary permissions. This means that if an app has access to the AAID, it can track and identify the user.

Google has strict policies in place to ensure that apps do not misuse AAIDs. Apps that violate these policies get removed from the Google Play Store.

Additionally, users have the option to reset their AAID. This is possible by going to Settings > Google > Ads > Reset advertising ID.

Is it safe to share your AAID?

While the Android Advertising ID itself does not contain any personal information. It could be such as your name, email address, or phone number, which only tracks your app usage and behavior.

So, it is important to be cautious when sharing your AAID with third-party apps and services.

Some apps may ask for your AAID to identify and for providing personalized services. But, if you are not comfortable sharing your AAID with a particular app. You can always refuse the request or uninstall the app.

It is also worth noting that some apps may use alternative ways to track user behavior, such as cookies. So, even if you do not share your AAID with an app, it may still be able to track your activity within the app.

What is the difference between AAID and GAID?

AAID and GAID are both unique identifiers used in mobile apps. But they are specific to different operating systems.

AAID stands for Android Advertising ID used in Android devices. It is a unique identifier assigned to a user’s device by Google Play services. It can track user activity for displaying personalized ads. It can be reset or turned off by the user.

GAID stands for Google Advertising ID uses in iOS operating systems. It can track user activity for displaying personalized ads, but it is specific to iOS devices. GAID gets assigned to a user’s device by Apple and can also be reset or turned off by the user.

Both AAID and GAID can help advertisers target users with relevant ads. Both respect users’ privacy preferences but, they differ in the operating system. Also differs in the technology behind both of them.

FAQs

Ques 1: Can I reset my Android ID? 

Ans. Yes, you can reset your Android ID. This is possible by going to Settings > Google > Ads > Reset advertising ID.

Ques 2: Does Android ID change after a factory reset?

Ans. Yes, Android ID changes after a factory reset. When you perform a factory reset on your Android device. All the data and settings on the device do erase, including the Android ID.

Ques 3: What is a secure Android ID?

Ans. A secure Android ID is a unique id assigned to an Android device that ensures its security and privacy.

Ques 4: What is mobile device ID tracking?

Ans. The process of monitoring and recording unique id linked with mobile devices. For tracking user behavior and gathering that data for targeted advertising.

Ques 5: What happens if you change your Android ID?

Ans. It resets app data and can affect your device’s functionality and access to certain apps.

Orvill Samanta
Orvill Samanta

An app marketer with over 6 years of experience in the tech industry. I have developed a strong passion for apps and love to create engaging and informative content around it. When not talking about marketing, I binge-watch anime series and read comic books. My keen eye for technology has helped me captivate my audience and increase engagement with my work.