How Do I Turn Off My Location

In the coming months, the Location History setting name will change to Timeline. If Location History is turned on for your account, you may find Timeline in your app and account settings. You can use location-based services such as getting better local search results, like commute predictions and nearby restaurants based on your phone’s location, when you turn location on in settings.

Some of these steps work only on Android 12 and up. Learn how to check your Android version. Some of these steps require you to touch the screen.

Understand the location settings available on your phone

When you turn off location on your phone, apps and services can’t get your phone’s location. You can still get local results and ads based on your IP address. Google has a list of location-based services, including:

Google Location Accuracy for your Android device (a.k.a. Google Location Services)
Emergency Location Service for your Android device
Earthquake alerts for your Android device
Use location for time zone on your Android device
Location History for your Google Account
Location Sharing for Google Maps
Location in Search
Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning

Apps have their own settings. Learn how to manage app location settings.

Turn location on or off for your phone

When Location is on, apps you’ve granted location permission to can find your phone’s location to give you location-based info, services, or ads. If Google Location Accuracy is on, Google Location Accuracy can collect data to improve location-based services. You can get search results based on your phone’s location, locate where your phone is if you lose it, share your phone’s location with others, and use location for time zone. If you have Location History turned on, your precise device location is regularly saved to your devices and Google’s servers, even when Google apps aren’t being used.

When Location is off, your phone’s location isn’t shared with any apps. Features that use location may not work properly. Google Location Accuracy won’t collect data to improve location-based services. You can get search results and ads based on information such as your IP address. You can’t see where your phone is if you lose it, share your phone’s location with anyone via Google Maps, get earthquake alerts for earthquakes nearby, or use location to determine your time zone. Even if you have Location History turned on, the places your phone goes won’t be saved.

Help your phone get a more accurate location (Google Location Services a.k.a. Google Location Accuracy)

When Google Location Accuracy is on, your phone uses GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and sensors to get the most accurate location. Google may collect location data periodically and use this data in an anonymous way to improve location accuracy and location-based services. When Google Location Accuracy is off, your phone uses GPS and sensors, like accelerometer, to determine location. GPS can be slower and less accurate than other sources. For Android 12 and higher, you can manage each app’s permission to access precise location. This is different from Google Location Accuracy, which is a location setting for your device that allows your phone to use more sources for the most accurate location.

Set up Wi-Fi & Bluetooth scanning

To help apps get better location info, you can let your phone scan for nearby Wi-Fi access points or Bluetooth devices.

Android 12 & higher: Swipe down from the top of the screen, touch and hold Location, tap Location services, and turn Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning on or off.

Android 11 & lower: Swipe down from the top of the screen, touch and hold Location, tap Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning, and turn Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning on or off.

Send your location in an emergency

To help responders find you quickly, your phone’s location can be sent when you dial or text an emergency number, like when you dial 911 in the US or 112 in Europe. If Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) works in your country or region and on your mobile network, and you haven’t turned ELS off, your phone will automatically send its location to first responders through ELS. If ELS is off, your mobile carrier might still send the device’s location during an emergency call or text.

How Emergency Location Service works

ELS is only activated when you call or text a local emergency number. During your emergency call, ELS may use Google Location Accuracy and other information to get the most accurate location possible for the device. Your phone sends its location to authorized emergency partners for the purpose of helping emergency services locate you. After a completed emergency call or text during which ELS was active, your phone may send de-identified usage and analytics data to Google for the purpose of analyzing how well ELS works. This information doesn’t include the location sent to authorized emergency partners, and doesn’t identify you.

If you use an older Android version

Choose location settings (Android 9.0): Open your device’s Settings app, tap Security & Location, and choose an option.

Choose location mode (Android 4.4—8.1): Open your phone’s Settings app, tap Security & Location, tap Mode, and select a mode.

Choose location access (Android 4.1—4.3): Open your phone’s Settings app, under “Personal,” tap Location access, and turn Access to my location on or off.

FAQs

1. How do I turn off location sharing with all apps and services?

To stop sharing your location with all apps and services, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and turn off location sharing. This stops all apps on your device from using your location.

2. Can I share my location with only certain apps?

Yes, you can share your location with just certain apps. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, then choose the apps you want to have use Location Services from the list near the bottom of the screen.

3. How does Emergency Location Service work?

4. What happens when Google Location Accuracy is turned off?

When Google Location Accuracy is turned off, your phone uses GPS and sensors, like accelerometer, to determine location. GPS can be slower and less accurate than other sources.

5. How can I help my phone get a more accurate location?

To help your phone get a more accurate location, you can turn on Google Location Accuracy, which allows your phone to use GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and sensors to get the most accurate location.

6. Can I manage each app’s permission to access precise location?

For Android 12 and higher, you can manage each app’s permission to access precise location. This is different from Google Location Accuracy, which is a location setting for your device that allows your phone to use more sources for the most accurate location.