What changing your phone location actually does
Your phone reports its location to apps, websites, and sometimes your carrier in three different ways: GPS (the most precise), cell tower triangulation (less precise but works indoors), and IP address (the least precise but visible to any website you visit). When you change your location settings, you are controlling which of these methods apps can use and how much detail they get. You are not hiding your location from your carrier — that is a separate technical matter — but you are stopping individual apps from knowing where you are.
The reason to change these settings is straightforward: many apps ask for location permission and then use it for purposes you did not expect. A weather app needs your location to show your local forecast. A dating app needs it to show people near you. A coupon app does not need it at all, but will use it to track where you shop and sell that data to advertisers. Changing your location settings lets you say yes to the apps that genuinely need it and no to the ones that do not.
Key Takeaways
- Your phone's location settings control whether apps can see your GPS location, cell tower location, or both — not whether your carrier can see you.
- On both iPhone and Android, you can turn location off entirely, turn it on only for specific apps, or set apps to "only while using" so they lose access when you close them.
- Apps that have location permission will continue to use it unless you actively revoke it, even if you never gave explicit permission the first time.
- Turning off location services entirely will break navigation, weather, and find-my-device features, so selective permission is usually the better choice.
- Location permission is separate from background activity permission — an app can have location access but not be allowed to run in the background.
How to change location settings on iPhone
On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. You will see a toggle at the top that turns location services on or off for the entire phone. Below that is a list of every app that has ever asked for location permission. Next to each app name, you will see one of three options: Never, Ask Next Time, or Always. Some apps also show a fourth option: While Using.
Set each app to the permission level that makes sense for what it does. A maps app should be While Using or Always. A weather app can be While Using — it only needs your location when you open it. A flashlight app, a notes app, or a calculator should be Never. If an app you use regularly is not on the list, it has never asked for location permission and does not need it.
The difference between While Using and Always matters. While Using means the app can see your location only when it is open on your screen. Always means it can see your location even when you have closed the app and are using something else. Most apps do not need Always permission. If an app asks for it and you are not sure why, set it to While Using instead. The app will ask again if it truly needs the higher level of access.
How to change location settings on Android
On Android, the path depends on your phone manufacturer, but the general route is Settings > Apps (or process Manager) > Permissions > Location. You will see a list of apps with location permission. Tap each one to see the options: Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, or Don't allow.
Some Android phones also have a master location toggle in Settings > Location at the top level. Turning this off disables GPS and location services for the entire phone. Like on iPhone, this will break navigation and weather, so it is usually better to manage individual app permissions instead.
Android also shows you which apps have used location recently. In Settings > Privacy > Permission manager > Location, you can see a list with timestamps. If an app you rarely use shows a recent access, that is a sign it is tracking you in the background. Change its permission to Don't allow.
The difference between location permission and background activity
Location permission and background activity permission are two separate controls, and an app can have one without the other. An app with location permission but no background activity permission can see where you are only while it is open. An app with background activity permission but no location permission can run in the background but cannot see your location.
On iPhone, manage background activity in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. On Android, it is usually in Settings > Apps > Permissions > Nearby devices or Body sensors, depending on what the app is trying to do. If an app has location permission and background activity permission, it can track you even when you are not using it. Revoking background activity permission stops that.
What to do if an app will not work without location permission
Some apps will refuse to open or will nag you repeatedly if you deny location permission, even when they do not actually need it. A common example is a retail app that wants location permission to show you nearby stores, but you only want to use it to check your account balance.
You have three choices. First, you can give the app While Using permission instead of Always, which limits what it can do. Second, you can give it permission and then check back in your location settings every few months to see if it is still there — many apps ask for permission once and then forget about it. Third, you can use the app's website instead of the app itself. A website cannot access your phone's location without asking your browser for permission, and you can deny that request.
Location spoofing and fake location apps
You may have seen apps that claim to let you fake your location — to make your phone report that you are somewhere you are not. These apps work by intercepting the location data that real apps receive, but they have serious limitations and real risks.
On iPhone, fake location apps do not work at all. iOS does not allow apps to spoof location in a way that other apps will believe. On Android, they can work, but only for apps that use the standard Android location API. Apps that use GPS directly, or that use multiple location methods at once, will see through the fake location. Additionally, using a fake location app may violate the terms of service of other apps — a dating app or a banking app that detects a fake location may lock your account.
If you want to use an app without giving it your real location, the better approach is to deny location permission entirely and see if the app works anyway. Many apps ask for location but do not require it. If the app truly will not work without it, then you have to choose: use the app with real location, or do not use the app.
Checking which apps have used your location recently
Both iPhone and Android let you see which apps have accessed your location recently, which is useful for spotting apps that are tracking you without your knowledge.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and scroll to the bottom. You will see a list of apps with a small arrow or icon next to each one, showing whether it accessed location in the last 24 hours or the last few days. A purple arrow means the app used location recently. A hollow arrow means it used location within the last few days but not today.
On Android, go to Settings > Privacy > Permission manager > Location. Tap Allowed to see apps with permission, then tap each app to see when it last used location. If you see an app you do not recognize or do not use, change its permission to Don't allow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off location stop my carrier from knowing where I am?
No. Your carrier always knows your approximate location because your phone connects to cell towers, and the carrier owns those towers. Turning off location services stops apps from seeing your location, not your carrier. If you want to prevent your carrier from tracking you, that requires a different approach — usually a VPN or a different phone plan — and is beyond what location settings can do.
Can I set location to "While Using" for all my apps at once?
No, you have to set each app individually. However, on both iPhone and Android, the default for new apps is usually "Ask Next Time" or "Don't allow", so you only have to change the ones you actually use. When an app asks for location permission, you can choose the level at that moment instead of waiting until later.
If I deny location permission to an app, will it ask again?
On iPhone, if you choose Never, the app will not ask again unless you change the setting yourself. On Android, the behavior varies by app, but most will ask again the next time you open them. If an app keeps asking after you have denied permission multiple times, you can turn off notifications for that app in your notification settings.
Does turning off location services drain my battery faster or slower?
Turning off location services will make your battery last slightly longer because GPS uses power. However, the difference is usually small — a few percent per day — unless you are using navigation constantly. If you want to save battery, turning off background app refresh or reducing screen brightness will have a bigger effect than location settings.
What does "Precise Location" mean on Android?
Precise location means GPS-level accuracy — within a few meters. Approximate location means cell tower accuracy — within a few hundred meters. Some Android apps let you choose which one they get. If you want to deny an app precise location but allow approximate location, look for that option in the app's permission settings. Not all apps offer it.