Stop Sharing Your Location: Learn How

Understanding Location Sharing and Why It Matters

Location sharing is the practice of allowing your smartphone, tablet, or computer to transmit information about where you are to other people, companies, or apps. When you turn on location services, your device uses GPS (Global Positioning System), cell tower triangulation, and WiFi networks to figure out your geographic position. This location data can then be sent to various apps and services running on your device.

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Many people don't realize how much location data they're sharing or where it goes. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center study, about 61% of Americans feel concerned about how companies use their location information. This concern is understandable because location data reveals patterns about your daily life—where you work, which stores you visit, your medical appointments, your home address, and your social activities.

Location information has become valuable to many businesses. Retailers use it to send you targeted advertisements when you're near their stores. Advertisers track your movements to build profiles about your shopping habits and interests. Data brokers purchase location information from apps and cell phone providers, then sell it to third parties. Insurance companies, employers, and others may seek to obtain this data for their own purposes.

Your location is also tied to your security. Sharing your real-time location with people who don't need it creates safety risks. Stalkers, criminals, and abusive ex-partners have used location data to track and harm others. Thieves have used social media check-ins showing someone's location to determine when homes are empty.

Practical takeaway: Review which apps and services currently have permission to access your location. Most phones show which apps use location data in the settings menu. Start by identifying what's actively sharing your location before making changes.

How to Disable Location Services on Your Device

The process for turning off location services varies depending on whether you use an iPhone, Android device, or computer. However, the basic principle is the same: you navigate to settings and toggle location services off. Disabling location services at the device level is the strongest privacy protection, though some apps may not function properly without location access.

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For iPhone users, go to Settings, then scroll down to Privacy. Tap Location Services at the top of the Privacy menu. You'll see a toggle switch that says "Location Services" with an on/off button. When you turn this off, your iPhone stops using GPS, cell towers, and WiFi to determine your location. If you want more control, you can leave Location Services on but disable it for individual apps. Scroll through the list of apps and change each one's setting from "Always," "While Using," or "Never."

For Android devices, the steps depend on your phone manufacturer, but the general path is similar. Open Settings and look for Location or Location Services (sometimes under Privacy or Safety). Tap the toggle to turn location off, or tap Advanced to manage location access for specific apps. Some Android phones also allow you to choose between high accuracy (which uses GPS, WiFi, and cell towers) and battery saving mode (which uses only WiFi and cell towers). Selecting battery saving mode reduces the precision of your location data.

For computer users on Windows, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location. Toggle off "Location" at the top. On Mac computers, go to System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location Services. You can uncheck the box to disable location services. Windows and Mac also allow you to turn location off for specific apps while keeping it enabled for others.

Important to note: disabling location services may affect certain functions. Maps apps won't show your position. Weather apps may not provide location-specific forecasts. Emergency services may have difficulty locating you during 911 calls, though this is a minor risk since dispatchers can locate phones through cell towers even without GPS. Some apps will simply not work if they cannot access your location.

Practical takeaway: Turn off location services completely if you don't need them regularly, then turn them back on temporarily when you need a specific app to use location data. This gives you control over when your location is being tracked rather than having it constantly active.

Managing Location Permissions for Individual Apps

Rather than disabling location services entirely, many people prefer to allow location access for certain apps while blocking it for others. This approach lets you use maps, weather apps, and other location-dependent services while preventing unrelated apps from accessing your location data.

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On both iPhone and Android, you can set location permissions for each app separately. When you first download an app, it may request permission to access your location. You can choose "Allow," "Allow Once," "Only While Using," or "Don't Allow." If you didn't set permissions when installing the app, you can change them later in your settings.

For iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll through the list of apps. Each app will show one of three settings: Never (blocked), While Using (only when the app is open), or Always (background access). Apple recommends using "While Using" for most apps because it limits how much time an app spends tracking your location. The "Always" setting is rarely necessary except for navigation apps or emergency apps.

For Android, the process varies slightly by device. Generally, go to Settings > Apps or Application Manager, select an app, then tap Permissions. Find Location and choose whether to allow it or deny it. Some Android devices also let you choose between "Allow all the time," "Allow only while using the app," or "Don't allow." The difference is important: "Allow all the time" means the app tracks your location even when you're not using it, while "Allow only while using" restricts access to active use.

You should regularly audit your app permissions because companies update their privacy practices. An app you trusted a year ago may have changed ownership or business practices. Go through your app list at least twice a year and remove location permissions from apps that don't need it. Social media apps, messaging apps, news apps, and music streaming apps typically don't need location access to function properly.

Practical takeaway: Create a personal rule: only grant "Always" location access to maps and navigation apps. For all other apps, use "While Using" or deny access entirely. Review these permissions every three months to remove access from apps that no longer need it.

Controlling Location Sharing With Contacts and Services

Beyond app permissions on your device, you may be actively sharing your location with specific people through built-in phone features or third-party apps. Services like Google Maps, Apple Maps, WhatsApp, and Life360 allow you to share your real-time location with family members, friends, or colleagues. Understanding these features and how to control them is essential for privacy.

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iPhone users can share their location through the Find My app, which allows you to share your current location with selected contacts. To stop sharing, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services and look for "Share My Location." You can toggle this off entirely or manage it within the Find My app. Open Find My, tap the People tab, and you'll see everyone you're currently sharing your location with. Tap a person's name and select "Stop Sharing My Location."

Android users can manage location sharing through Google Maps and other apps. In Google Maps, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then tap your name. Go to "Location sharing" to see who has access to your location. You can stop sharing with specific people or turn off location sharing entirely. Note that turning off location sharing in Google Maps doesn't disable location for the Maps app itself—you can still use navigation without sharing your location with others.

Family tracking apps like Life360, Apple's Find My Family, and Google Family Link are designed for parents to monitor children's locations. If you're an adult sharing your location with family members through these apps, you should understand that you can stop this sharing at any time. Most family apps allow members to remove themselves from group tracking or change their privacy settings.

Be cautious with location-based dating and social apps. Apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Snapchat have location features that show potential matches or friends nearby. In Tinder, you can control your distance radius or turn off location visibility entirely in settings. In Snapchat, the Snap Map feature shares your location with friends unless you disable it. Go to Settings > Map and turn off "Ghost Mode" to prevent others from seeing your location.

Practical takeaway: Write down all the services you actively share your location with. For each one, decide whether that sharing still makes sense. If not, remove yourself from location sharing in