You can show weather on your lock screen without letting apps track where you are
Most phones let you add a weather widget to your lock screen, but the trade-off is real: the weather app needs to know your location to show you accurate conditions. You have three ways to handle this. You can let the app use your location only when you are actively using it (not in the background). You can give it your location but turn off other permissions it might ask for — like contacts or photos. Or you can manually enter a city name and accept less precise forecasts. Which route you choose depends on whether you trust the weather app maker and how much convenience matters to you.
Key Takeaways
- Weather widgets on lock screens require location permission, but you can restrict it to "only while using the app" so the app cannot track you in the background.
- iOS and Android both let you add weather to the lock screen, but the steps and available widgets differ between the two systems.
- You can deny location permission entirely and manually type in a city name, though the forecast will be less precise and you will have to update it manually when you travel.
- Some weather apps ask for permissions they do not need — like access to your contacts or photos — and you should deny those even if you allow location.
- Check your phone's location settings regularly to see which apps have permission and when they last used it.
How to add weather on iPhone
On iPhone, you add widgets to the lock screen by long-pressing the lock screen itself, then tapping the plus button at the bottom. Tap "Weather" from the list of available apps. If you do not see Weather in the list, swipe down to see more options. Choose the size and style of widget you want — iPhone offers a few different layouts, from a straightforward temperature number to a full forecast card.
Once you add the widget, iOS will ask for location permission. Tap "Allow While Using App" rather than "Always Allow". This means the Weather app can see your location only when you open it or when the lock screen is actively displaying the widget, not when the app is running in the background. You can change this later in Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Weather, where you can also see exactly when the app last accessed your location.
How to add weather on Android
On Android, the process depends on which phone you have and which version of Android it runs. On most recent phones, long-press the lock screen and look for a button to add widgets or shortcuts. Some phones call this "Lock screen widgets" or "Shortcuts". Tap it, then search for or select a weather app. Google's built-in weather widget is usually available, as is the Weather app if you have it installed.
Android's permission system works differently from iOS. When you add a weather widget, Android will ask for location permission the first time the widget tries to show data. Go to Settings > Apps > [Weather app name] > Permissions > Location and choose "Allow only while using the app". On Android 12 and later, you can also choose "Allow only this time" if you want to grant permission just once, though the widget will stop updating until you grant it again.
What to do if you do not want to share your location
You can add a weather widget without giving location permission, but you lose automatic updates. Instead, you manually enter a city name in the weather app's settings, and the app will show the forecast for that city on your lock screen. The downside is that the forecast will not update when you travel, and you will have to change the city manually each time you move.
Some weather apps let you enter a zip code instead of allowing location access. Open the app itself (not just the widget), look for Settings or Preferences, and find the option to set a default location. Once you save a city or zip code, the widget will display that forecast on your lock screen without needing permission to track you.
Permissions weather apps often ask for and why you should deny most of them
Beyond location, weather apps frequently ask for permission to access your contacts, calendar, photos, or microphone. None of these are necessary for a weather widget to work. Deny them. The app may claim it needs contacts to share forecasts with friends, or calendar access to plan around weather, but these are optional features — the core weather display does not need them.
Some weather apps also ask for permission to send notifications. You can allow this if you want weather alerts, but you do not have to. Go to Settings > Notifications > [Weather app] and toggle notifications on or off. This is separate from location permission and you can change it anytime without affecting the widget itself.
How to check which weather apps have location access right now
On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Scroll down and tap "Weather" (or whichever weather app you use). You will see whether permission is set to "Never", "While Using", or "Always". You will also see a timeline showing when the app last accessed your location — this tells you whether the app is actually using the permission or just asking for it.
On Android, the process varies slightly by phone. Open Settings > Apps > [Weather app name] > Permissions > Location. You will see the current setting. Some Android phones also show a location access timeline in Settings > Privacy > Location Services or Settings > Location. Check this occasionally to see which apps are using location and how often.
Why weather apps ask for location and what they do with it
Weather apps need your location to show you the forecast for where you actually are. Without it, they cannot tell whether you are in Seattle or Phoenix, and the forecast would be useless. This is a legitimate reason for the permission request.
The question is what the app does with that location data beyond showing you the weather. Some weather apps sell location data to advertisers or data brokers, or use it to build profiles of where you spend time. Others keep it only on your phone and never send it to their servers. You have no way to know which is which just by looking at the app. This is why restricting the permission to "while using the app" matters — it limits how much data the app can collect about your movements when you are not actively using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the weather widget update if I only allow location "while using the app"?
Yes, but only when you are actively using the phone or the lock screen is displaying the widget. The widget will not update in the background. For most people this is fine — the weather does not change minute to minute. If you want real-time updates throughout the day, you would need to allow "Always" access, which is a stronger privacy trade-off.
Can I use a weather widget without any location permission at all?
Yes. Open the weather app itself, go to Settings, and manually enter a city name or zip code. The widget will then show the forecast for that location without needing to know where you are. You will have to update it manually when you travel, and the forecast will be less precise than one based on your actual coordinates.
What if the weather app keeps asking for location permission even after I denied it?
Some apps ask again after an update or when you use a new feature. If this happens, go to Settings > Apps > [Weather app] > Permissions > Location and make sure it is set to "Never" or "Don't Allow". If the app continues to ask, consider using a different weather app instead.
Do I need to allow microphone or contacts permission for weather to work?
No. Weather widgets display forecasts only. Microphone and contacts permissions are for optional features like voice commands or sharing forecasts with friends. You can safely deny both and the widget will still work.
How often should I check my location permissions?
Check them once or twice a year, or whenever you install a new app. Look at which apps have location access and when they last used it. If an app you do not use regularly has "Always" permission, change it to "Never" or "While Using".