Where location settings live on your iPhone
Location settings on iPhone are split between two places, and you need to check both to see what apps can track you. The main control is in Settings > Privacy > Location Services. This is where you turn location tracking on or off entirely, and where you see which apps have asked for permission to know where you are.
The second place is Settings > Privacy > App Privacy Report (on iOS 15.1 and later). This shows you which apps have actually used your location in the past few days, even if you gave them permission weeks ago. An app might have location permission but rarely use it — or it might use it constantly without you realizing.
A third, less obvious place is Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services at the very bottom of the Location Services list. This controls whether Apple's own services — like Maps, Find My, and emergency location sharing — can use your location. Most people leave these on, but you can turn off individual ones if you want to limit what Apple itself knows.
Key Takeaways
- Location Services is in Settings > Privacy > Location Services, where you can see every app that has asked for location permission and turn each one on or off individually.
- App Privacy Report (Settings > Privacy > App Privacy Report) shows which apps actually used your location recently, not just which ones have permission.
- System Services at the bottom of the Location Services list controls whether Apple's own apps and features can track you, separate from third-party apps.
- Turning off Location Services entirely disables location for all apps at once, but most people prefer to keep it on and deny permission to specific apps instead.
- Some apps will ask for location permission the first time you use a feature that needs it, so you may see new requests months after installing an app.
How to deny location to specific apps
Open Settings > Privacy > Location Services. You will see a list of every app that has ever asked for your location. Tap any app name to see three options: Never, Ask Next Time, or Always. (Some apps show While Using instead of Always, which means they can only see your location when the app is open.)
Choose Never to block that app completely. The app will not be able to see your location, though it may remind you that a feature won't work without location access. Choose Ask Next Time if you want the app to ask permission each time it needs your location — useful for apps you use occasionally but don't trust with constant access. Choose Always or While Using only for apps you use regularly and trust.
You can change these settings at any time. Apps do not get notified when you deny them location access, so you won't break anything by changing your mind. If an app stops working after you deny location, you can always come back and turn it on again.
What "Always" versus "While Using" means
Always means the app can see your location even when you are not using it — even when the phone is locked and the app is closed. This is how location-based reminders work (a reminder that triggers when you arrive at a store, for example) and how some fitness apps track your movement in the background. Most people should never grant Always unless the app genuinely needs it.
While Using means the app can only see your location when it is actively open on your screen. Once you switch to another app or lock your phone, it loses access. This is the safer choice for most apps. If an app offers both options, choose While Using unless you have a specific reason to choose Always.
On older iPhones (iOS 12 and earlier), you may see only Never and Always without the While Using option. If you are on an older iOS version, Always is the only way to let an app use location at all, so consider updating your phone if location privacy matters to you.
How to check which apps are using location right now
A small arrow icon appears next to the time on your status bar (top of the screen) whenever an app is actively using your location. A filled arrow means an app is using location right now. A hollow arrow means an app used location recently but is not using it at this moment.
Tap that arrow to see which app is using your location. This is a quick way to catch an app that is draining your battery or tracking you more than you expected. If you see an app using location that you did not authorize, go back to Settings and change its permission to Never.
For a longer view, open Settings > Privacy > App Privacy Report. This shows you a timeline of which apps used location over the past few days, how many times they used it, and when. You can scroll back to see patterns — for example, whether a weather app checks your location once a day or constantly.
Turning off location services entirely
If you want to disable location for all apps at once, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle the switch at the top to Off. This stops every app from knowing where you are, though some features will stop working: Maps will not show your location, Find My will not work, and location-based reminders will not trigger.
Most people do not turn off Location Services entirely. Instead, they keep it on and deny permission to apps that do not need it. This way, Maps and Find My still work, but a social media app or news app cannot track your location.
If you turn off Location Services, you can still share your location manually with specific people through Find My or Messages. The difference is that apps cannot track you without your knowledge.
Location privacy in Find My and emergency services
Find My is Apple's service for locating your iPhone, iPad, or Mac if it is lost or stolen. It uses your location, but you control it separately from app permissions. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone to turn it on or off. If you turn it off, you will not be able to locate your phone remotely, but no one else can either.
Emergency services (911 in the US) can access your location even if Location Services is off, as long as your phone has a cellular or internet connection. This is a legal requirement and cannot be disabled. Your location is shared only with emergency dispatchers when you call 911, not with other apps or services.
You can also share your location with specific people through the Find My app or through Messages. This is separate from app permissions and requires your active choice each time.
Why apps ask for location and what to do about it
Apps ask for location for legitimate reasons: Maps needs it to show directions, weather apps use it to show your local forecast, and ride-sharing apps need it to pick you up. But some apps ask for location even though they do not really need it — they want to build a profile of where you go so they can sell that data to advertisers or use it to target ads.
When an app asks for location permission, you do not have to grant it. If you choose Never, the app will still work, though some features may not. For example, you can use Instagram without letting it know your location; you just will not be able to tag photos with a location. That is usually fine.
If you are unsure whether an app needs location, choose Ask Next Time or While Using instead of Always. You can always change it later if you find that a feature you want requires location access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see my location history on my iPhone?
Your iPhone does not keep a location history that you can view. Some apps (like Google Maps or Apple Maps) keep their own history of places you have visited, but that is stored by the app, not by iOS itself. You can delete that history in each app's settings. If you want to prevent location history from being stored at all, deny location permission to those apps.
What does it mean when an app has location permission but shows a hollow arrow?
A hollow arrow means the app used your location recently but is not using it right now. This is normal — an app might check your location once an hour or once a day. If you see a hollow arrow frequently for an app you do not use, consider changing its permission to Never to save battery and privacy.
If I deny location to an app, will it know I denied it?
No. The app will straightforward not receive location data. It may show an error message or disable a feature, but it will not be notified that you specifically denied permission. You can change your mind and turn location back on at any time without the app knowing.
Does turning off Location Services affect my cellular signal or phone calls?
No. Location Services is separate from cellular service. Turning it off will not affect your ability to make calls, send texts, or use data. It only stops apps from knowing where you are.
Can I set location to a fake location to trick apps?
Not without jailbreaking your iPhone, which Apple does not support and can break your phone. iOS does not have a built-in way to spoof your location. Your only options are to deny location permission entirely or to allow it and accept that the app will know your real location.