Where your location history lives and why it matters

Location history is a record of everywhere your phone has been, stored by Google, Apple, your phone's operating system, and sometimes apps you use daily. Google keeps this data in your Google Account even after you delete it from your phone. Apple does the same through iCloud. Your phone's operating system (Android or iOS) also tracks your movements separately. Data brokers buy this information from apps, location services, and sometimes directly from phone makers, then sell it to advertisers, insurance companies, and others.

Disabling location history stops new tracking from happening, but it does not erase what has already been collected. You will need to delete past location data separately on each service where it is stored. The process differs depending on whether you use Android, iPhone, or a computer, and whether you want to stop tracking entirely or just limit what gets saved.

Key Takeaways

  • Google and Apple store location history in your account separately from your phone's own location settings, so you must turn off tracking in each place.
  • Disabling location history going forward does not delete the years of location data already collected — you must delete past data manually on Google Maps, Google Timeline, and iCloud.
  • Apps can still track your location even after you disable system-wide location history, so check individual app permissions in your phone's settings.
  • Location history is different from location services; turning off location services stops all apps from using your location, but some features like emergency calls will not work.

Disable location history in Google Account

Google stores location history in two places: Google Maps Timeline (which shows everywhere you have been) and your general Google Account settings. To stop Google from collecting new location data, go to myaccount.google.com on any browser, click "Data & Privacy" on the left side, scroll to "Web & App Activity," and turn off the toggle next to "Web & App Activity." This stops Google from recording your location when you use Google services.

Next, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Data & Privacy," then find "Location Settings" and turn off "Location History." This is the setting that powers Google Maps Timeline. After you turn it off, Google will not record new locations, but your old Timeline data remains. To delete what Google has already collected, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Data & Privacy," find "My Activity," click "Delete Activity," and choose "All Time" to remove your entire location history from Google's servers.

Disable location history on iPhone and iCloud

Apple stores location data through iCloud and also tracks your location on your phone itself. To stop iCloud from storing location history, open Settings, tap your name at the top, tap "iCloud," scroll down to "Location Services," and turn off the toggle. This prevents Apple from syncing your location across your devices.

On your iPhone itself, go to Settings, tap "Privacy," tap "Location Services," and turn off the toggle at the top. This stops all apps from accessing your location. If you want to keep location services on for specific apps (like Maps or Weather), you can turn off the main toggle, then go back into Location Services and turn it on only for the apps you choose. To delete location data Apple has already collected, go to Settings, tap your name, tap "iCloud," tap "Manage Storage," and look for apps that store location backups — you can delete their data individually.

Disable location history on Android

Android devices store location history through Google services (covered above) and through the phone's own location settings. To turn off location services on Android, go to Settings, tap "Location," and turn off the toggle at the top. This stops all apps from using your location. If you want to keep location on for emergencies or specific apps, you can turn off the main toggle and then turn it back on only for individual apps.

Some Android phones also have a "Location History" setting separate from location services. Go to Settings, tap "Location," tap "Location Services," and look for "Google Location Accuracy" or "Location History" — turn off any toggle you find there. Samsung phones have an additional "Find Mobile" feature; go to Settings, tap "Samsung Account," tap "Find Mobile," and turn it off to stop Samsung from tracking your device location.

Check and remove location permissions from individual apps

Even after you disable system-wide location history, individual apps can still request permission to use your location. Go to Settings, tap "Apps" (or "Applications"), and scroll through the list. For each app, tap it, tap "Permissions," and look for "Location." If the app shows "Allow" or "Allow only while using the app," tap it and change it to "Don't Allow" for any app that does not need your location to function.

Pay special attention to social media apps, weather apps, dating apps, and fitness apps — these often request location permission by default. You can also go directly to Settings, tap "Privacy" or "Permissions," tap "Location," and see a list of all apps that have location access. Remove permission from any app where you do not want location tracking. On iPhone, the same process applies: go to Settings, tap "Privacy," tap "Location Services," and scroll through the list to turn off location for individual apps.

Delete location history you have already shared

If you have used Google Maps, Apple Maps, or location-based social media apps, your location history may be stored in those apps' servers even after you disable tracking. Open Google Maps on your phone or computer, tap the menu (three horizontal lines), tap "Your Timeline," and you will see a map of everywhere you have been. Tap the trash icon to delete individual days or locations, or go to Settings within Timeline and delete all history at once.

For Apple Maps, open the app, tap your profile picture, tap "Significant Locations," and turn off the toggle to stop Apple from storing new locations. Your past locations will be deleted automatically. If you use location-based social media like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, go to each app's privacy settings and turn off location history there as well. Some apps store location data indefinitely unless you manually delete it.

Understand the difference between location history and location services

Location services is the system that lets apps know where you are in real time. Location history is a record of where you have been over time. Turning off location services stops all location tracking when ready, but it also disables features like GPS navigation, emergency location sharing, and weather based on your location. Turning off location history alone lets you use these features while preventing Google and Apple from keeping a permanent record of your movements.

If you turn off location services entirely, your phone will not be able to pinpoint your location for emergency calls, and apps like Maps will not work. Most people benefit from keeping location services on but disabling location history and removing location permissions from apps that do not need it. This gives you the privacy benefit of stopping permanent tracking while keeping the features you actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling location history affect my GPS or maps?

No. GPS and maps use location services, which is separate from location history. You can turn off location history while keeping location services on, and your maps and GPS will work normally. Location history is only the record Google and Apple keep of where you have been — turning it off does not affect real-time location features.

Can I delete location history from just one day or one app?

Yes. In Google Maps Timeline, you can tap individual days and delete them one at a time, or select a date range to delete. For app-specific location data, you can go into each app's settings and delete its location history separately. However, if you want to delete everything at once, Google Account settings let you delete all Timeline data in one step.

Does turning off location history stop data brokers from getting my location?

It stops Google and Apple from collecting new location data, which removes one major source that data brokers buy from. However, data brokers may already have years of your location history purchased before you disabled it. Disabling location history prevents future collection but does not remove data brokers' existing records — you would need to contact data brokers directly to request removal of past data.

What if an app says it needs location to work, but I do not want to share it?

You can deny location permission to any app. Some apps will not work fully without it, but most will function with limited features. For example, you can use a weather app without location permission — you just have to type in your city manually instead of having it detect automatically. Test the app with location turned off to see what features are affected.

Will my phone still work for emergency calls if I disable location services?

Yes. Emergency calls will still go through, and your phone will attempt to share your location with emergency services using cell tower data, even with location services off. However, GPS-based location sharing (which is more accurate) will not work. If you want to keep emergency location sharing accurate, keep location services on but disable location history and app permissions instead.