Where to find location settings on your phone
Your phone's location settings live in the main Settings app, but the exact path depends on whether you use Android or iOS. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap Privacy, then tap Location Services — you'll see a toggle at the top to turn location on or off, and below it a list of every app that has asked for permission to know where you are. On Android, open Settings, tap Location (or Location Services on some phones), and you'll see the same toggle and app list.
The location toggle controls whether your phone uses GPS, cell tower data, and Wi-Fi networks to figure out where you are. When it's off, apps can't see your location at all. When it's on, individual apps can still be blocked — you don't have to choose all or nothing. Most phones also let you choose between "High Accuracy" (uses GPS, which drains battery faster) and "Battery Saver" (uses cell towers and Wi-Fi, which is less precise but uses less power).
Key Takeaways
- Location settings are in Privacy (iPhone) or Location (Android), and you can turn location completely off or control which apps can see it.
- Turning off location for individual apps is safer than turning it off entirely, because some apps need it to work — Maps needs it to give you directions, and your phone needs it to set the correct time zone.
- High Accuracy uses GPS and drains your battery faster; Battery Saver uses cell towers and Wi-Fi and lasts longer but is less precise.
- Location history is separate from location services — turning off location services does not erase the places Google or Apple already recorded.
Turning location off for specific apps instead of everywhere
The safest approach is to leave location on but deny it to apps that don't need it. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, scroll to the app you want to restrict, and tap it — you'll see options like "Never," "Ask Next Time," or "Always." Choose "Never" for apps like social media or games that don't actually need to know where you are. On Android, the process is similar: Settings > Apps, find the app, tap Permissions, tap Location, and choose "Don't allow."
Some apps will ask for location every time you use them if you choose "Ask Next Time" — this is actually useful if you want to let an app use location once in a while but not all the time. Weather apps, for example, work better with location on, but you don't need them tracking you constantly. Maps and navigation apps genuinely need location to work, so blocking them entirely will break their core function.
The difference between location services and location history
Location services and location history are two separate things, and turning off one does not affect the other. Location services is what we just covered — it's the on-off switch that lets apps see where you are right now. Location history is a record of everywhere your phone has been, stored by Google (on Android) or Apple (on iPhone) or both. Even if you turn off location services completely, Google and Apple may still be recording your movements if you're signed into their accounts.
To turn off Google location history on Android, open the Google Maps app, tap your profile picture, tap Settings, tap Location Settings, then tap Location History and turn it off. On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy > Location Services, scroll to the bottom, tap System Services, and turn off "Significant Locations" — this stops Apple from recording where you've been. You can also delete the history you've already built up: in Google Maps, tap your profile picture > Settings > Location Settings > Location History, then tap Manage All History and delete by date range.
Why some apps stop working when you turn location off
A few apps genuinely need location to function. Maps and navigation apps obviously need it to show you where you are and give you directions. Weather apps work better with it because they can show you the forecast for your actual location instead of making you type in a zip code. Your phone itself uses location to set the correct time zone automatically, so turning location off completely might leave you with the wrong time.
Some less obvious apps also use location in the background. Fitness apps track your running route. Banking apps may use location to detect fraud — if your card is suddenly used 500 miles away, the bank knows something is wrong. Photos apps use location to organize pictures by where they were taken. If an app suddenly stops working after you deny it location, that's usually why. You can always turn location back on for that specific app.
Checking which apps have location permission
On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll through the list. You'll see every app that has ever asked for location, and next to each one you'll see an arrow or icon showing whether it has permission. A purple arrow means the app used location recently; a gray arrow means it has permission but hasn't used it lately. On Android, go to Settings > Apps, tap the three-dot menu, tap Permissions, tap Location, and you'll see all apps with location permission sorted by whether they have it "Always" or "Only While Using the App."
This list is useful for spotting apps you forgot you installed. If you see a game or social media app with location permission and you don't remember giving it, you can revoke it right there. Some apps will ask again the next time you use them, but many will work fine without it.
Location spoofing and why it's risky
Some people try to fake their location using apps or settings that pretend to be somewhere they're not. This can break services that depend on knowing your real location — your bank might block transactions, your phone's emergency services might send help to the wrong place, and apps that need accurate location to work properly will give you wrong information. More importantly, spoofing location violates the terms of service for most apps and platforms, and some services will ban your account if they catch you doing it.
If you want to hide your location from an app, the straightforward approach is better: just deny the app permission to see it. If you want to hide your location from your internet service provider or from websites you visit, that's a different problem that requires a VPN, not location spoofing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off location save battery?
Yes, especially if you use High Accuracy mode, which keeps GPS running constantly. Switching to Battery Saver mode saves more power than turning location off entirely, because some phone functions still need it. If battery life is your main concern, try Battery Saver first before turning location off completely.
Can I turn off location for Google Maps but keep it on for other apps?
Yes. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, tap Maps, and choose "Never." On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Maps > Permissions > Location and choose "Don't allow." Maps will ask you to turn location back on the next time you try to use it, but other apps will keep their permissions.
What happens to my location history if I delete my Google account?
Google location history is tied to your Google account. If you delete your account, Google will delete the location history associated with it. If you just want to delete the history without deleting your account, you can do that separately through Google Maps settings without affecting anything else.
Will my phone still work if I turn off location completely?
Most functions will work, but some will be degraded. Your phone may show the wrong time zone, Maps won't work, weather apps won't auto-update for your location, and emergency services may have a harder time finding you. For most people, it's better to leave location on but deny it to apps that don't need it.
Can someone track my phone if I turn off location services?
Location services is one way to track a phone, but not the only way. Turning it off stops apps from seeing your location, but your mobile carrier can still roughly locate you by which cell towers your phone connects to. If you're concerned about tracking, location services is just one piece — you'd also want to review app permissions, check your account security, and consider using a VPN.