Change your location in two places: your iPhone's general location settings, or within individual apps

Your iPhone tracks location in two separate ways. The first is your device's Location Services, which is the master switch that controls whether apps can see where you are at all. The second is app-specific settings, where you tell individual apps like Maps or Weather whether they can use your location. You can turn off Location Services entirely, turn it off for specific apps only, or change which apps have permission to see your location. Most people need to adjust app permissions rather than turn off Location Services completely.

If you want to hide your location from a particular app — say, you don't want your messaging app to know where you are — you change that app's permission. If you want to stop all location tracking on your phone, you turn off Location Services. Both take about 30 seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • Turn off Location Services for all apps by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggling the switch off.
  • Control which individual apps can see your location by opening Settings > Privacy > Location Services and changing each app from "Always" or "While Using" to "Never".
  • Apps set to "While Using" can only see your location when you have that app open; "Always" means they can track you in the background.
  • Turning off Location Services will disable features like Maps navigation and weather location, but you can still manually enter a location in most apps.

Turn off Location Services for your entire iPhone

If you want to stop all location tracking on your device, open the Settings app and tap Privacy. At the top of the Privacy screen, tap Location Services. You will see a toggle switch at the top of the screen. Tap it to turn Location Services off. The switch will turn gray, and all apps will lose access to your location.

When Location Services is off, apps like Maps cannot show you directions based on where you are, and your weather app cannot show weather for your current city. You can still use these apps — you just have to type in a location manually. Some features like Find My iPhone will also stop working. You can turn Location Services back on the same way by tapping the toggle again.

Change location permission for individual apps

Most of the time, you do not want to turn off Location Services completely. Instead, you want to stop one or two apps from knowing where you are. Open Settings and tap Privacy, then tap Location Services. You will see a list of every app that has ever asked for your location. Tap any app name to see its current permission.

You will see three options: Never, While Using, or Always. Tap Never to stop that app from seeing your location. Tap While Using to let the app see your location only when you have it open. Tap Always to let the app track your location even when you are not using it. For most apps, "While Using" is the right choice — it lets Maps navigate while you are driving, but stops the app from tracking you after you close it.

If an app does not appear on the list, it has never asked for your location. Some apps ask for permission the first time you use a location feature, so you may see new apps appear after you use them.

Understand what each permission level means

Never means the app cannot see your location at all. If you choose this, the app will not be able to show you directions, find nearby restaurants, or use any feature that depends on knowing where you are. You can still use the app — you just have to type in locations manually.

While Using means the app can see your location only when the app is open and active on your screen. Once you close the app or switch to a different app, it can no longer see where you are. This is the most common setting and works well for Maps, weather, and restaurant apps.

Always means the app can track your location even when you are not using it. This uses more battery and is rarely necessary. Some apps request this permission, but you can almost always change it to "While Using" instead. Only choose "Always" if you have a specific reason — for example, a fitness app that tracks your runs in the background, or a family location-sharing app.

Check which apps have location permission right now

Open Settings and tap Privacy, then tap Location Services. Scroll through the list to see which apps have permission. Apps with a purple arrow icon are currently using your location or have used it recently. Apps with a gray arrow have permission but have not used it recently. Apps with no arrow have never asked for location access.

You can change any app's permission by tapping its name. If you see an app you do not recognize or do not use, tap it and change the setting to "Never". This is a good way to find apps that are tracking you without your knowledge.

Turn off location for system services

At the bottom of the Location Services list, you will see a section called System Services. Tap it to see location features that Apple itself uses, like Compass Calibration, Emergency SOS, and Find My iPhone. Most of these should stay on, but you can turn off individual services if you want. For example, if you do not use the Compass app, you can turn off Compass Calibration. If you do not use Find My iPhone, you can turn that off too.

Be careful with Emergency SOS — this feature uses your location to send to emergency services if you call 911, so most people leave it on. If you turn it off, emergency responders will not know where you are when you call.

What to do if an app keeps asking for location permission

Some apps ask for location permission every time you use a location feature, even after you have already said yes or no. This usually means the app is set to "While Using" and is asking again because you closed and reopened it. This is normal behavior.

If an app asks for permission and you do not want to give it, tap Don't Allow. If you change your mind later, you can go back to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and change the app's permission to "While Using" or "Always". You do not have to wait for the app to ask again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Location Services break my iPhone?

No. Turning off Location Services only stops apps from knowing where you are. Your phone will work normally. Maps, weather, and other location-based apps will still work — you just have to type in a location instead of letting the app find you automatically. You can turn Location Services back on anytime.

Does turning off location for one app affect other apps?

No. Each app has its own separate permission setting. If you turn off location for your messaging app, your Maps app will still be able to see your location. You can change each app independently without affecting the others.

Can I set different location permissions for different times of day?

Not automatically. You have to manually change the permission each time. However, you can use Focus modes to turn off notifications from certain apps at certain times, which is a different feature. Location Services itself does not have a scheduling option built in.

What does the purple arrow next to an app mean?

A purple arrow means that app has used your location recently or is using it right now. A gray arrow means the app has permission but has not used your location in a while. This helps you spot apps that are tracking you more than you expect.

If I turn off location, will my phone still work with Find My Friends?

No. Find My Friends and similar location-sharing apps need Location Services turned on to work. If you turn off Location Services, those apps cannot share your location with other people. You can turn Location Services back on and then change permission for just that app to "Always" if you want to use location sharing.